The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-02-23
SHOULD ACT.
The Legislature Should Do
Something to Relieve
The Present Unjust System of
Taxation
BEFORE 1T ADJOURNS
An Evil That Has Long Needed
Remedying.
Two Ways in Which 1t May BE
Remedied.
BEFORE 1T ADJOURNS

The many bills introduced at this ses-
sion looking toward the correction OF
some of the evils of our present taxa
ton system, all seem to be doomed to
a premature and unnatural death.
With a great flourish of trumpets, the
committees on assessment and taxation
of both house and senate were an
nounced, and the assurance given to the
public that something would be done.
1t was said that politics would cut no
figure, for the house is overwhelming
~ Republican, and the senate over
to have been a. mistake.
The thirteenth annual report of the
Kansas bureau of labor shows:
That the land in this state is assessed
at 1872 per cent of it's actual value?
That the town lots of this state are
assessed at 37-4 per cent of their selling
price for cash?
That the lands in Atchison county are
assessed at15.9per cent? and the lands of
Barber county assessed at 51.5 per cent
of actual value?
Lots in Wabaunsee county are asses
sed at an average of 10 per cent of their
value, and the lots of Hamilton county
at 75.4 per cent. This variation is enough
to warrant a Superhuman effort to get
together, but it not what they intend
to do.
This investigation of the taxation
iniquitieS of our system farther shows:
That the poor man whose home is
worth less than $3.50 pays taxes on 1914
per cent of his investment, and that the
corporations whose average holdings
are $4,000 or more pay taxes on only
16.S per cent of their selling value.
That the agreed basis of assess
ment'' in this state, as solemnly formu
lated by our assessors, varies all the
way from 20 per cent to 200 per cent,
and that the assessors have taken an
oath that the true value in money"
as the law contemplates is on every
intermediate point between these two
extremes?
That of a comparison made of sixteen
millions of dollars of property invested
in manufacturing concerns the assessed
valuation was 81 per cent of the CAPT.
tai invested in the grounds, buildings
and machinery, and that the manufac-
tured product escapes taxation alto
gether?
That the industries in this state oper-
ated as public utilities, and for which
the public has voted millions of dollars
of bonds, they return to the public the
modicum of taxes that is raised by
placing 10.2 per cent of their invest
ment on the tax rolls of the state?
And this is all shown on record evil
dence-absolute and undeniable-fur-
nished by officers of all political faiths
and compiled with undOubted accuracy.
This report is in every public library
of the state; it is in the lodge room Of
every local body Of organized labor in
the state; it is used as a text book in
the foremost college of the state, and
hundreds of our citizens have read it
besides, and the excuse for non-action
will have to be well defined and clear.
Is it now too late? Not if the sOlons
for one hour will give the same atten-
ton to this matter that they do to
sparring for political advantage.
Either of two propositions will bring re-
lief.
One is the creation of a tax commission,
similar to those of New York. Massachu-
sets, and some other progressive states,
the other is the repeal of the ubiquitous
section that permits the assessors to get
together and agree to disObey the law.
Senator Anderson and Representative Ad-
ans of Butler have both introduced bills
creating a tax commission, and Senators
Anderson and Morrow have both intro
duced measures to repeal the objection
able section referred to.