Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-01-19

6lr6Q results, 1Or WQeQ an assessor IQaACS MS
return, with property assessed at from 10 to %
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?
It would be a great
step In the right direction If there were but one
assessor in each county, and he should be ap-
pointed for term of four years by the judge of
the district court in which that county is To-
Gated, the appointment to be 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
SCISSOR made by the judge and for period
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
good fellows each trying to keep his assess
ment 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.
But there is little
nope of Improvement until more faithful ad-
ministration of the law be had 1t makes
less difference what the law is than how it is
right of appeal from assessments that are
grossly and outrageously unjust. Now the
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 I am well aware that the right to appeal
would have to be restricted, but the verR fact
that the right to appeal existed would~make
the county commissioners more willing to do
justice.
Collection Laws.
The legislature of 1898 enacted law to regu-
late the sale and redemption Of real estate N
der execution, etc. It was doubtless the pur-
pose and desire Of t@e 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 pernicious one, I
desire to call your attention to its practical
workings.
Capital is proverbiaIly tfmid; it goes only
where it is protected; it scents danger as quick
ly and as keenly a wild animal and as
promptly seeks safety. Capital cannot be
driven by legislative enactments to make in
vestments where 1t Is not safe, and any attempt
of that kind drives it quickly from the state.
This result is as sure to follow 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 estimate1 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.
The proceedings in foreclosure should be
made as simple and inexpensive as it is possi-
BILE to make them, with due regard to the
rights of the mortgagor. The Missouri form OF
trust deed has proven, after many years of trial,
very satisfactory. Something Of that charac-
ter, with provision that the mortgagor should
have the privilege of redemption for twelve
months, by paying taxes, insurance and inter-
est, would doubtless be satiSfac tory to the bor-
rover and lender. am confident that the best
interests Of all classes would be promoted by
the enactment of such laws would tend to
| restore confidence in our ability and willing
ness to promptly meet our obligations.
Insurance Laws and Insurance Department..
The laws relating to insurance corporations
and the transaction of insurance business in
this state ought to be carefully revised and
amended. The act creating the insurance de-
partment, and most of the laws since passed
providing for the creation Of insurance COM
panies in this state, and their government con-
tain provisions which ought to be separated.
irrigation.
The subject of irrigation is one of vast i'm
portance to the people of this state. In nearly
one-half of the state the scant supply Of the
rainfall makes general farming uncertain ana
precarious business. and renders compare
lively valueless, except for grazing purposes
millions of acres Of the choicest lands in the
state. With ample supply OF water at the
proper season at least twenty millions of acres
of land now not worth on an average more than
two-and-a-half dollars per acre, could be
given value of twenty-five dollars per acre,
adding at least four hundred millions of dollars
to the wealth of the state and making that sec
tion the garden spot of the state. Numerous
theories for the prevention Of drought have been
advocated and tested but they have proven
failures, and the people are now turning to the
subject OF irrigation. There some diff
cultieS that confront them. The amount of the
water supply. and Its availability for irrigation
purposes, are the chief problems to be settled.
The western settlers, in their struggles to de-
velop that part of our state, deserve the hearty
support of every citizen. A more brave. honest
and intelligent class of men never cast their
fortunes in new country An appropriation
OF the public money to a limited degree, to be
expended under the 4rection of the state board
of agriculture or the agricultural college, may
be advisable. But we should carefully avoid
any extravagant expenditure of public monev
in visionary experiments. The energy, in
duStry and pluck Of the people are the
real basis of the development of any
country, and upon that we must de-
pend for the development of every part Of our
state. Wise and equitable laws controlling the
water supply of the streams that we have. may
be necessary, but the chief source OF supply, in
my Judgment, must come from what is known
as the ''under-fow," +" and be utilized by pump
ing. And as every man who owns his farm
owns his water. and can own his plant, no leg
islation is necessary to aid him in the develop
ment of his farm. Experimental stations, how
ever. can be made valuable, and thorough and
systematic survey OF that portion of the state
may develop some new means of utilizing the
present water supply most earnestly COM
mend to your careful consideration the subject
of reclaiming that beautiful section of state.
Uniformity of Text Books.
The question of state uniformity of text
books is an important one. and should receive
your serious attention. AS it now is, there is
not even county uniformity Indeed in many
OF our counties the textbooks change with the
school-district lines. In some counties there
are from five to ten different kinds of text
books used in the public schools. family
moving from one district to another is thereby
needleSsly put to great expense. The result is.
that in the aggregate the people of the state
expend many thousands Of dollars for which
they never receive ny adequate return, which
would be saved the people if we had uniform
ity Of textbooks. This is all the NOR TN
portant because this burden falls usually
upon those who are least able to bear
it. The farm tenant. who changes his
residence from year TO year, or the laborer.
who, seeking employment. must move from
city to another, is almost invariably compelled
to buy new set of books for his children.
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