Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1901-10-16
AT ITS FULL VALUE.
The New Kansas Tax Law as Framed by
the Commission Makes Radical Changes
in Assessment of Property.

Topeka, Kan, Oct. 14.-The state
| tax commission has at last completed
tax bill. There are 229 sections of
the old law to be repealed to make
way for the new: The new bill con-
tains $50 sections. By the terms OF
the new bill the several counties elect
a county assessor for term of four
years, and this officer is ineligible for
reelection and cannot be candidate
for any office until his term expires.
| The county assessor appoints dep
uty assessors but no deputy may as
sess property in the district in which
he resides. He is required to exam
inc all the county records and if nee
essary subpoena and examine wit
nesses and to generally search out
all hidden and omitted property and
see that it is assessed at its full value.
The bill requires assessment of
property at full value and it cannot
be evaded. The board of equalization
| is broadened by adding to the board
of county commissioners, the county
assessor and county clerk. Any per-
son aggrieved by the action of the
county board may appeal to the state
tax commission.
The state tax commission is COM
posed of two commissioners, elected
for terms of four years, alternately,
and the secretary of state, the audit
or of state and the treasurer of
| state. The two tax commissioners
are elected by the people and get the
salary of state officers. They put in
their whole time. The state tax
commission is to have general super
vision of the county assessors, with
power of removal if any county as
SCISSOR fails to do his duty.
Sitting as the board of equalization,
the state tax commission has greatly
enlarged powers. 1t may not only
raise or lower the gross assessments
| of any county, but it may raise or
| lower the valuations of any class of
| property. 1t also hears and deter
mines all appeals from the county
| boards of equalization, affirming or
altering the action of these boards.
! The state tax commission assesses tel
ephone and telegraph property, ex-
| press companies, pipe line companies
and, having the wide power and equal
ization above mentioned, may thus
make all property bear its rightful
share of the expense of government.
Telegraph and telephone companies
are assessed upon the proportion, the
| length and value of the lines in Kan
sas bear to the length and value OF
all the lines of the company; taking
the market value of the stocks and
bonds of the company as basis. Ex-
press and pipe line companies are as
sessed in the same way. Railroad
companies are assessed upon both
their tangible and intangible prop
erty; that is to say, upon the physi-
cal value of their branches, and after
| that the market value of the stocks
| and bonds of the company is to be re-
| ported and considered. Banks are as
sessed the same as now-upon their
capital, surplus and individual profits
Street railways, electric light compa-
MES, waterworks companies and al
companies possessing public fran
chises are taxed upon the full value
of their tangible property.
All other corporations are assessed
upon the full value of their property
exactly as individuals are. Merchants
of their stock, taking as nearly as
| possible the amount of the value OF
the stock in each month of the yea1
added together and divided by IL
Loan, investment and insurance
companies are assessed the same as
banks. PawnbrOkers are assessed up
on the value of the goods received in
| pledge by them. Elevator men and
| grain brokers, class which has large
" escaped taxation, are assessed upon
the average value of the capital in
! their business, and the assessor may
examine their books and check stubs
| to ascertain this amount. In the case
of merchants and manufacturers the
assessor may require the production
! of their Inventories, books of accounts
and insurance policies.
Stringent provisions are made to in,
sure the taxation of personal proper
| ty brought into the state after Febru.
airy 1, and the county assessor is es
| pecialIy required to look after such
property as well as to examine al
county records for notes, mortgages
judgments and estates in process OF
probate. In making the assessment
each individual or corporation, ex-
cept the quasi public corporations
which have a different form of SEIZED
ule, is required to fill out a list OF
schedule containing every variety OF
| property capable of ownership and
subject to taxation. This list is made
up of a number of interrogatories sc
searching that there is no chance fol
evasion and the taxpayer must either
list his property or commit perjury
The assessment of real estate by
this bill is only taken once in foul
years with power TO make proper adj
ditions or reductions each year to
cover buildings or the the destruction
or removal of buildings.
A tax of five per cent. on collateral
inheritanees is provided. Legacies o.
$500 or under are exempt.
An Argument.
"Do you think the world is growing
better, George?"
DO understand that you want mt
to decide whether am . better mar
| than nv father or not ?''