Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1899-11-02

levy ior taxes IL nlgner TINS year tina
II was In 1897, and that appropria
tions made by the last legislator
have been much larger than thos
made BY the legislature Of 1897 Be
fore entering upon discussion as t,
the reason for the increase in ou
taxes, it might be we'll to clarity tn,
atmosphere somewhat by showing
who is responsible for these increases
In the first place, the Republican ad
ministration is not responsible for the
increase in the levy. The tax levy i.
liked by the legislature, and the ad
ministration has nothing whatever te
with it, and it must be rememb ered
that the last legislature was hall
Populist and half Republican, aud
whatever FAULT must be found with
the increased levy lays as much at>the
door OF the Populst senate as at the
door OF tne Republican house. This
same thing is true of the increased ap.
preparations. No appropriation was
made last winter which did not
have the full consent of the Pop
ulist senate. II any extravaganza
was committed, that extravaganza
was due as much to the Populists as
to the Republicans However, it is
only just to both branches OF the
legislature to say that the increased
appropriations and the increased levy
Z OF taxes were made necessary, and
that the expenditures provided for
are In no wise extravaganza In 1897,
the legislature, for the purpose Of
making a pretense Of economy, cut
down the state levy to point insult
neient to provide the money which
had been ordered appropriated for
extra expenditures They left a de.
dcisncy Of SAP, 1882 Thi. deficiency
was one Of the first things which had
70 DO met BY the legislature Of 1899.
The legislature Of 1899 also appro-
priated $3.50, SEA 81 to be paid out Of
the present levy for new buildings.
This. makes a total Of $685., e56.
Let us compare the appropriations
OF the legislature OF 1897 and of 1899.
mat is to say, the extra appropria.
ton outside Of the sums made neces.
sary by the current expenses Of the
state, which are about the same under
every administration, and see to what
uses these sums Of money have been
put In 1897 the legislature appro-
priated S312lll. OF this amount II
was obliged TO meet a deficiency Of
sllo,oel, and expended $lSe, 1850 for
buildings and repairs, and $4,000
Tor witness fees to various investipa-
ton cases. The legislature of 1899
made an appropriation Of $685., $3.50, or
soSo,545 more than that Of the legisla-
ture OF 1897 OF this sum it will spend
Tor new buildings necessary at the
various state institutions, binding
Irvine plant and brick plant at the
penitentiary, $3.50, 5242l and it will
pay deficiencies left over from the ad-
ministration Of 1897 to the amount of
S442, 1882, so it will be seen that the
legislature of 1897 really provided for
expenditures to the amount of S7h4..
~ ", but appropriated only enough
money to pay S3l9, Iii of this
amount, SO it is apparent that there is
q balance in favor of tho legislature
OF 1899, inasmuch as it has only pro.
vlded for $500, 524 q for expenditure
during the next two years If it had
not been for the deficiency appropria-
tion OF nearly half a million do.lars,
the legislature Of 1899 could have
raised sufficient money on levy OF
four and one-tenth mills (which was
the levy of the last Popuist lepisla-
ture) to provide for the extra expend-
lures made necessary for the need of
new buildings As it is the excess of
levy OF one and tenth mills over ..
the levy of 1897 provides only $685.
OBI, which sum is nearly exhausted .
By the deficiencies left over from 1897
10 repeat this point The state tax
levy as made by the legislature of
1897 was four and one.tenth mills ,
that made by the legislature of 1859
was five and one-half mills, an in.
crease OF one and four-tenths mills
This increase will, as before stated.
raise St6S,O3l The Populists left
Us deficiency of SAP, 1872 SO; so that ',
Dur increase OF levy is only about suf-
icient to pay the deficiency of 1897 q
The following excerpt from Populist
paper of Ottawa county is sample of !
some OF the misleading statements in :.
'eference to the taxes.
'The last five years have afforded :,
he people Of Kansas splendid CD. :
)ortunlty Tor comparing the methods :,
Ind judging of the respective merits
IT Republican and Populist state ad. y
In 1894 4. N. Morrill, p
vas elected governor of the state by e
he Republicans OF Kansas, together \
With their entire state ticket. Dur.
ng the two years OF the Morrill, ad-
Ottawa county was re.
Iuired to pay the following amounts {
i state taxes TO the state treasurer, d
0 help pay the expenses of the Nor u
Ill administration: e
e95 state taxes this county, s12, 09i 05 a
69t l2,0l7 81 a
I'm 1896 John W, Leedy was elected Il
'overnor of the state together with K
he entire Populist state ticket Dur. .
ng the two years OF the Leedy ad-
ninistration, Ottawa county was re-
Iuired to pay the following amounts
I state taxes, being all that was