Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-01-17


. sunnN yuso1sssa Tus sslsy " sns rups
n ~ nishast importance, and should b. pro
! 1estsd mora sscredIy than even the funds 4
~ staes treasury
During w boom period, In Kansas, Will
VALUES wsre inAated large amounts Of bonds {
, VARIOUS kinds were purchased. would recon
nsnd that Legislative COMMITTEES be appoint
u " thoroughly investigate the securities O
hndd, With Instructions 10 report the actus
ssst valus Of each and 10 recommend sue
stsD % may be deemed advisable to IL tn
responsibility Of illegal investments, 70 collec
doubtful securities, and to suggest any nsces
gsfy legislation to guard investments In th
future. And would suggest that this com
mittes be appointed early In the session, .
thst u may report and recommend any amend
Ments TO the law that may 10 necessary for th
protection Of the fund
No penalty whatever IL attached 70 the VIC
lstlou os the law by the school fund commits
sioner1, In regard to the class Of bonds thel
nay purchase for the permanent Investment o
ths various school funds. There are now thou
sands Of dollars invested In bonds which ar
not authorized by law, and which may prove
total losx 10 this fund. Bonds have been pur
chased that arc not even recognized by thu
counties from which they purport to have beer
issued. The laws governing this board shoul.
b made more stringent and severe penalties
should be provided for any violation
u them. Each commissioner SHOULD
give bond AZ loan officer OF no
less than Slo0,00), md the law should provid,
that he should be held liable on that bond fol-
my loss that might arise from the purchase O
bonds not authorized by law No more i'm
portant duty devolycs upon you than to guart
with Jealous care the funds set apart for edu.
catlonal purposes.
intsmperAncs.
The bIghting influence Of incompetence Is
sim seen In our state. There Is scarcely acom-
muplty that does not suffer from this cause
and happy Is the family that Is not directly d.
fected by It, Its approach Is so lnsldlous TINT
Its danger Is scarcely realized until 1t Is toe
late to stay its evil effects. How to cure, OIL
even lessen the evil, has commanded the
earnest thought OF every lover Of his race
BE- he statesman or moralist- Its demorallzing
effects are universally conceded, and can hard
ly be exaggerated. Much Of tho poverty md
crime, the suffering and the sorrowing existing
to-day can be clearly traced to Its evil lnfu-
cnce. Whatever tends TO refine and elevate a
people--to give them purcr and nobler aspira-
tions Twill surely tend to lessen this evil The
great work Of removing intemperance from our
land must be done through the churches,
schools and other elevatlng helps Law Is
only help an asslstaM-and never should be
placed before moral influences 1t In fact can
only be enacted when moral forces have cre-
aled u healthy public sentiment against Intent
perancc. 1t Is valuable as m aid TO help cre-
ate and maintain beautiful public sentiment,
but ought never to BIO substituted for It, The
grent work OF advancing the cause Of temper
ance can only be done by thorough orgnnlza-
ton and active effort along the lines Of educa-
lion und moral suaslon, aided by laws fully
abreast Of the public sentiment,
Icannot refrain from expressing my unquali-
fed commeiitlatlon Of the action Of the Chi
cago & Alton Railroad Go. In requiring that
their employees shall abstain from the use Of
all intoxicating liquors, The public have .
right to demand that tho men under whose care
they place themselves when travelling shall be
sober men; and 1t Is TO be hoped that the rail-
road companies Of this state will soon follow
the worthy example set them by the Chicago &
Alton company,
In 1880 an amendment TO the constitution was
adopted, prohibiting the manufacture and sale
Of intoxicating liquors, except for medical
scientific md mechanical purposes. In 1881
1883 and 1851, laws were passed providing for
the enforcement Of this provision OF the constl-
tuition. Three legislatures have since been
elected, and no attempt has been made to re-
peal or essentially modify these laws. II H.
therefore, fair to assume that the people desire
this to be the settled policy Of the state upsn
this subject. The only fair Interpretation to
be placed upon their action Il, TINT the open
saloon shall not return to our state, and that
they believe that the effect Of the prohibtory
law has been 10 lessen the evils Of intemper-
ance
That the law Is but lmperiectly enforced il
conceded by ILL., Law Is but reflection 81
public sentiment, and the enforcement Of law
will depend upon tho action Of the people. Ex-
perence hns fully demonstrated that the en-
iorcement Of any law, In opposition TO the pro-
nouDced sentiment Of the community, cannot
b. long successfully accomplished. Whenever
the people In any community demand the en-
foruement Of n law their voice will bt heard.
Without the support OF public sentiment, the
effort OF the oiilcers to enforce the law will not
DO crowned with success, All laws 0ugh.
10 be enforced for the open violation
Of any law Is demoralzing to the
public conscience, II breeds disregard for
law, which is dangerous 10 any community,
In this country the law Is supreme. " Is the
governing power and n disregard Of the law il
disregard Of the government itself. A con-
tnuapon Of the open violation Of any law can
only result In evil TO the state. The duty OF
every officer Is plain, the legislature declares
whit the law shall be; II is the duty Of the ex-
eoutive TO obey and enforce II.
Assessment md Taxation.
There Is an almost universal expression Of
DISSATISFACTION with our present mode Of as
sessing property for taxation That 1t is un-
equal md consequently unjust, no one familiar
with would for d moment deny. 1t II prob.
ably one Of the most ditlloult matters 10
provide for In our laws Our theory Of
taxation Is TINT property shall pay the tax,
and the only safe rule 10 follow Is 10
ufhb17 Nil plupVltl az LIN uCtuhi thsu NhluV
without regard to its character or the use TO
which II Is applied, 10 certain extent, how
ever, the revenue derived from property ought
10 DO talNn as basis upon which TO compute
its value. II every piece Of property In the
state were assessed ut Its actual cash value
there would be absolute equality In the pay
ment OF taxes but the same would be true II
oil the property In the state we've assessed
ut TO- 70 or 80 per cent. OF It's real
value. The inequality arises, not from
the fact that tho property Of the state
Is assessed too low but because 1t IL
assessed unelually. When one piece OF prop
erty Is assessed at V per cent Of what 1t Is
really worth and another peco Is assessed at
Us full value, and other property Is not as
sessed ut oil, great injustice Is done to some Of
the taxpayers and vet TINT condition Of things
actually exists ln our state to-day Millions
Of dollars worth OF property escapes taxation
entirely o. result Of Ignorance, ineficiency or
wllliul dishonesty on the part OF assessosa,
otasr pro1psGI rs y f,s |. cert
the Judgment or within Of the ASSESSOR
There would DO less danger Of this inequality
II an honest attempt were made by all assess-
ors TO place the true value on oil property; but
before that could be safely done the laws ii
regard 10 limitations on levies should DO
changed, TO make the assessment four or ave
times what II Is at present, allowing ths limit.
alton on the levy to remain where 1t 10, might
provo practical conascation Of property In some
school districts or counties even. After q pa
lent and careful examination Of tho law, am
Unable to see whore II fails to provide for %
honest, impartial assessment The fault seems
to DO rather in the administration Of tho lay