Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-10-09

of families, and for the further reason
that be has been drawing what to
them would be a princely salary all
these years. They know that notes,
bonds and cash are not legally exempt
from taxation and they honestly feel
that if they possessed such property
they would list it to the assessor and
expect that others, whom they think
more fortunate, will be equally can
did When approached by the asses
sor in the spring of 1894 with the re-
quest to list his personal property for
taxation he disclaimed a residence in
Trego county but did claim resi-
dence in Dighton. He appealed to
''sister" to substantiate his assertion
that he had no money march 1st,"
but finally owned up to so cash. only,
although he had been drawing the
maximum salary of $1,000 per year
for six months. This so, with other
personal property brought the total
valuation up to S25, on which the
county treasurer collected the muniti-
cent sum of So cents from the re-
luctant resident of Dighton."
the best paying offices in the state
Mr.. Frakes has drawn more than
81 900, (the exact sum may be learn
ed from the books at the land office,
and the highest amount given in for
taxation in Trego county lin 1880
was only S5S9, including all species of
property, and the total tax paid on
this was only S22.69 which is con-
siderably less than many of our farm
ers are paying whose incomes are not
one half of So, 900, which is his present
salary.
1t is both pertinent and respectful
to ask how this large sum has evaded
taxation each year, because it is d
question ''of interest to tax payers,
and the Independent, not WORLD,
asks ''What are the factS?" That the
money is not tied up in worthless
property anywhere is evidenced by
the fact that Mr.. Frakes has thou
sands of dollars to invest in cattle.
That the money. or a considerable
part of it, was not invested in 1896 is
proven by the fact that Mr. Frdkes
was buying and boarding gold, sound
money, last fall in anticipation of the
rise" which, fortunately for poorer
men, never came. The Independent
should insist on an answer to its ques-
tion What are the facts??"
Is there any foundation for this
S400 story? Certainly, and that is
where Mr.. Frakes is enormously made
to appear to the greatest advantage
as the poor mans friend. What are
| the facts? On account OF poor crops
and the Demo-pOp adversity, ''hard
times of the past four years, many
struggling farmers have been unable
| to pay the taxes on their lands and
they have become delinquent" Now
that crops and prices are better,
there is some hope that these men
will be able to pay their back taxes
and that the land will be more yaiu-
able, Mr.. F'rakes invests Il sum Dor
dering on S400 in tax sale certificates,
or tax deeds to the choicest OF these
lands and the owners must either
lose their lands to him or pay him
Is per cent interest on his invest
ment. That is the deficiency they
must contribute to him, one way or
the other, and it is Il fair specimen of
sympathy of the Olson kind.
What are the facts? 1t is not alto
gether Il question of tax rolls OF next
year, but OF last year and the year be-
fore.
| We do not regard tax paying as an
absolutely necessary qualitica ton for
public Office, but>we do believe that
all men should pay taxes in just pro-
portion to their ability to pay. We
disclaiIn any credit for the predica-
ment in which the Independent has
placed its candidate. who consented
against his own wishes TO make the
race" because he probably foresaw
the break" it would make in his be-
half, although Il good defense could
have been made on the tax rolls of
this township in the past TOUR years.
/ We make no attack on MIR. trakes