Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-01-18

from the state auditor. the following sums
are given as q net total amount drawn
from the state treasury in 1886. for the
support of the various state institutions,
less earnings, tuition and charges paid by
individuals and counties:
Leuna1ic asylum No. e. SSs. 9s
Lunatic asylum No. 3............... 15.9ll.yo
Lunatic asylum No. 3......""..".... 1S.gM % 9
School for the Deaf and Dumb 80. 5s.4l9. IS
Industrial Home for Girls ..,...... 16, 5Si. So
St. Louis Insane Asylum ............ 20. 1000.
State university g. S43. SO
Normal School First district........ 12.43I.0S
Normal school Second district ...... II, $50. %
Normal school Third district ........ 10, 200. 90
School of Mines 9.O69.O3
1 have said in a former part of this ad-
dress that our system of raising the reve-
nue. was In great confusion, and had re-
suited in great injustice and wrong to the
citizen. resulting in double and treble taxa
ton, and stated that 1t was framed in
a way to promote corruption in public Of
ficers. and encourage fraud. and set a
ularly swear to assess property at its full
face value. and habitually do nothing of
the .h kind; that men who pride themselves
habitually omit property subject to taxa
ton. and make differentiation of property
returned. l desire to give a few %illustra-
property for taxation:
The town lots in the various cities of the
state of Missouri are assessed over a hun
dred millions more than all the farming
and mineral lands of the whole state. The
e eosniS a sai aHsekaad Of IN the ,saf farm mnrs of q; Sa s nen
acre. since which time the state board of
equalization has raised the valuation 10
were assessed at s9.5s. the farms of Clay
Go count ~ * sl IaSnt the farms farms q !. kaf a1y e e%5S
county $S.22, and Boone county $S.S1. The
average valuation of the state is $7.47. There
was no increase, by the state board Of
these counties. l do not believe thai any
one will contend that the average value Of
the farms of Jackson county are four times
counties Of Clay, Cass and Johnson
The valuation OF personal property is
equally unjust.
at n cents each. with no increase by the
board of equalization. The sheep in Ran
dolph county are assessed at s1,97, and their
value is increased by the state board Of
equalization 30 per cent.
The hogs in Pettis county are assessed
at $50; in Oregon county. Slab; in Ray.
The cattle in Oregon county are assessed
at $5.l2; in jackson, S15:O1: in Clay. sl2.S
In Cass; $685. average for the state. $500.
The valuation was increased in Jackson
county, but in none of the others.
Ihis undervaluation of property is not
confined to the country or to the farmers.
There Is more property that escapes tax
aion In the cities than in the country.
While the poor mans household and kitch-
ell furniture are sure TO De assessed DIV the
assessor. and the collector or the constable
finds him out, there is no exemption for
taxes. the money of the man of means is
just as sure to escape taxation. A man of
moderate means, who lived in one of the
cities of Missouri returned his personal
property to the county assessor at 81. $3.50:
shortly taken possession of by
a public administrator, who returned to the
probate court $4,000 worth. of personal
property. Another man died. whose personal
| DrODertv was assessed by the comfy 1t
5000; by the city at $500. His personal
representative found nearly 500. 900 cash.
$l65.ooo worth OF personal property. and the
final report $500. 600. The feeding of the
5000 out of the boys basket of five loaves
and three fishes was nothing in COMPARE
son. Do you wonder that people are dis
contented. Incidents of this character cause
discomfort and dissatisfaction among the
people.
Changes SugEested.
These are only illustrations Of the in
equality and injustice of our revenue laws.
and call for radical and immediate reform.
An effort was made in the last legislature
to in some manner correct these evils and
e~uualize the burdens of taxation. / intro
duced a bill exempting. from taxation
ealae of slSs; a At Ya lasd ip en tge d tsbiet The Tn.
next bill was aimed at double taxation.
and provided that; where a mans. home
was " liz oAiotNi oiis NC Z
CURED to pay what his equity in the home
was worth. This bill received very little
was then made to require ali notes given
for money loaned to be stamped by the as
SCISSOR. and make them uncollectible II not
SO stamped. This measure attracted very
general attention, and it was passed by
beth houses. but was properly vetoed by
taxing a promise. I would rather that
money that is loaned on real estate should
be entirely exempt from taxation; Where
the money loaned upon the real estate
should also bear the burden of taxation. 1t
is double taxation. besides. a promise Is not
property, and should not be taxed as prop
I rejoice at the discussion of these eco
nomic questions. and that they are attract
Ing the widest and most extensive consid-
Grafton by the statesmen of the nation, and
viii ! Pf'l more 'e ean,tablv distribute the burdens
of taxation. whereby men will pay in pro-
portion to the revenue they enjoy. and the
protection they receive from the govern
ment.
The time has come in the history OF our
country and state when her the people must must
pays the taxes, and who spends the money
and who gets it. The question is in the
ton than ever before. and it must be an
swered to the satisfaction OF the people.
The time has come when none but men of
must be placed in the chairs of political
economy in our colleges. and they must
not be muzzled or hampered. The time
has come to consider the great question
from a national and not party standpoint.
with all the help attainable from experience
and observation of the ages.
If the revenue system so forcihly present.
ed by that philosopher and thinker. Henry
George. shall be found to be feasible. just
and equitable. no mar will rejoice more
than myself. But whether feasible or not.
the fame of the man who wrote Progress
and Poverty is not Inferred with his
bones in the beautiful cemetery at Brook
lyn. N. Y. but will live along with Adam
last century. I may say that I do not
agree with the conclusions reached by
Henry George, but 1 accord to him the high
honor of an earnest worker in the cause
of humanity. and one who loved his fellow
men and sought to improve their condi-
lions, and it is possible in the great here
after that his name. like Ben Adam. may
head the column. I find myself much more
in accord and in sympathy with the views
entertained by that other distinguished
pecially his article in the current number
of Popular Science Monthly entitled "PrIn-
ciples of Taxation"
/ believe that the discussion of the
economic questions Will surely lead to a
proper solution. so that in the near future
every man will pay once his just portion
of the revenue required for the economical
administration of the government. and that
those that come after us will nave no occa-
sion to complain at double taxation or ex-
affairs. That right will not be long time
overborne of wrong through avarice. or
power, or guile. or greed. or strife,' but
that Justice and equity shall be the guild
ing star in public affairs.
Board of Bank Directors Reelected.
At the annual election of directors Tor the