The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1895-01-18

There would be less danger OF this inequality
II An honest attempt were made by all assess
orS to place the true value on all property: but
before that could he safely done the laws in
regard to limitations on levieS should be
changed. To make the assessment four or five
times what it is at present, allowing the limit
etion on the levy to remain where it is. might
prove practical confiScation Of property in some
school districts. or counties even. After pa
tent and careful examination OF the law. am
unable to see where it fails to provide for an
honest, impartial assessment The fault seems
to be rather in the administration Of the la "
than in the law itself II the proper
officers complied strictly with every pro-
vision OF the laws relating to assess
ment and taxation there would be little
cause for complaint. More severe penalties
might be attached for violations OF the law, but
that remedy would hardly accomplish the de-
sired results, for when an assessor makes his
return, with property assessed at from 10 to 25
per cent OF its real value, and swears that he
has to the best Of his judgment given the true
value. he knows, and everybody else knows.
that he commits willful perjury. But how can
you prove that he has not used his best judg-
ment in deciding values?
What then, is the remedy? In the first
place. it is impossibe to get an equal, just val
uation Of property under our present system.
When you divide up this assessment OF prop
erty among large number of men you increase
In the same proportion the difficulties of get
ting uniform valuation. 1t would be a great
step in the right direction il there were but one
assessor il each county, and he should be APP
pointed for tie Il OF four years by the judge of
the district court in which that county is To-
Gated. the appointment to p approved by the
county commissioners, who should also decide
the number Of deputies that he should have,
and should also approve his selections
By having the appointment OF the as
nod l.yvfh a i,dty md for ind
OF four years. he is removed from the
temptation to favor parties for their political
influence, and he would be far more independ-
ent in his attempts to discover property that
is withheld from assessment Now we have
about sixteen hundred assessors. largely men
with little practical experience. selected more
because they have little else to do and are
good fellows" each trying to keep his assess
men: down so that his township may pay less
than its honest share Of the taxes These men
are elected for one year. and are dependent for
their reelection upon the men whose property
they are valUing. The county commissioners
should be required not only to equalize as at
present, but it should be their sworn duty
to raise the assessment of any piece Of prop
erty that they found placed below its actual
value: and in case county assessors are to do
the work. the time of assessment should date
from January 1. thus giving two months more
time for the assessment. But there is little
nope improvement until q more latluIui 1u-
miniStratiOn OF the law can be had. 1t makes
less difference what the law is than how it is
administered. There ought also to be some
right of appeal from assessments that are
grossly and outrageously unjust Now the as
SCISSOR fixes the valuation, the commissioners
refuse to change it, and the taxpayer is obliged
to submit to what he knows is legalized rob-
berry. am well aware that the right to appeal
would have to be restricted, but the very fact
that the right to appeal existed would make
the county commissioners more will ling to do
justice
Collection Laws.
The legislature Of 1898 enacted a law to regu-
late the sale and redemption Of real estate I'M
der execution. etc. 1t was doubtless the pur-
pose and desire Of the trainers OF this act to
furnish relief to those who had mortgaged their
homes and were unfortunately unable to meet
their obligations: but the law seems to have
had directly the opposite effect from what was
intended. Believing that the theory upon
which the law is based is q pernicious one, l
desire to call your attention to its practical
workings.
Capital is proverbially timid: it goes only
where it is Drotected: 1t scents danger as quick
" and as keenly as wild animal. and as
promptly seeks safety. Capital cannot be
driven by legislative enactmentS to make in
veStmentS where it is not safe, and any attempt
OF that kind drives it quickly from the state.
This result is sure to follow as water is to
run down hill
The past two years have witnessed rapid
withdrawal Of capital from the state, and the
amount would have been much larger if it could
have been collected. 1t is estimated. that
SIS 900 900 have been withdrawn the past two
years by parties in the east who had loans Sc
cured by real estate, and who have lost conf
dence in Kansas investments: while nearly all
the large insurance companies and savings
banks which have been accustomed to make
loans here. positively refuse to take any new
mortgages until the laws are changed.
take it for granted that there will be no diff
ference Of opinion as to the ACCESSIBILITY of Sc
curing investments of foreign capital. The
wonderful development of our grand young
state-unparalled in the history OF the world
has been due, to a very great extent, to the free
investment OF capital from the eastern part Of
the country. This has been in the main large
" beneficial to both sections. The lender has
received q fair rate OF interest, and the Dor
rover has in most cases made money by his in
veStment. while thousands OF others have been
greatly benefited by the rapid DEVELOPMENT Of
the state and the consequent increased vaNde
OF all property. Without these investments
there would be few miles Of railroad in orsra-
ton in our state to-day.
1t Is worse than idle-it is simply idiotic-to
brand every Eastern man who has sent money
to the state to be invested as . rObber and an
been to work q serious injury to the borrower.
In fact, but for the impairment Of our credit
by the legislation under discussion and the
public sentiment it represented, there would
have been no such demand for the payment Of
mortgages, from which We have suffered so
fmmeasprably, but lenders would have sought
TO extend their loans 1t reduced rate OF In
terest. II il . wolf known fact that the large
part OF tho money invested in mortgages II
either the property OF people Of small means
Who have retired from business and live on .
scanty income. or Of savings banks and life in
surance companies who hold In trust and loan
the hard-earned savings Of the poor.
The lender IS . rule does not ask any consid-
Grafton: he can and will send his money hero
when he Is satisfied with our securities, and ho
can withhold 1t when he Is not He Il free to
10 or stay as he pleases, and have never yet
been able 70 discover that sectarian beliefs or
political views made any difference with the
money-loaner in the matter Of his considers
ton of investments It is quite different with
the borrower: he is here to stay, Is already in
debt, and needs in most cases IN extension Of
time in order to help him pay his liabilities.
1t is not q question with him whether he will