The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-23
MAKES IT COUNT.
CraddOck's Taxation Campaign
Having Its Results.
Republicans Would Have Done
+ Better a Month Ago.
PLAN OF THE BATTLE.
Fusion Forces Have Rallied
Around Taxation Standard.
Sample of the Arguments That
Are Being Used.

thing for the Republicans had the cleo
ton been held about four months ago.
If it had been held, say about two weeks
after the Populist state convention, the
fusionists would have defeated them
selves by a record breaking majority
and the Republicans would have been
saved the trouble of a campaign.
Now it is different A big change has
taken place. The fusionists have lined
up the great majority of their voters and
have got them together. Mr.. Craddock
has quietly. but persiStently circulated
his taxation arguments, and it cannot be
denied that they have had weight with
good many voters. He has appealed
to the pocketbooks of the voters as
against the corporations, and whether
his arguments have been correct or not,
they have sounded plausible to the av-
erase voter.
One of the things that is counting
most for the fusionists is the application
of Craddock's theories and figures to
local conditions. For instance. here is
an editorial from the Clay Center Dis
patch:
Are you a taxpayer?
IF so did you ever stop to think that
the state levy under Leedy was Al mills
while under Stanley it is 512 mills?
That. through the action of the Stanley
board of assessors and equalization in
raising the assessed valuation of your
farm, you are compelled to pay mills
state taxes while the railroads of our
\
DO you know that when LeeGy was
governor this county paid $13,052 a year
for state purposes, while under Stanley
she Is called upon to pay s19.422 year,
or an increase of Sc, ,37N<per year?
DO you know that the Stanley ad-
ministration has reduced the assessed
valuation Of the railroad property in this
county $2,3S5, while they have increased
$z35.792? (See sta auditors report.
/ 1898 and 1902.) Is the Republican adj
nfnistration your friend? If so. why
has it increased your taxes and reduced
that of the railroads?
sDo you know that if the railroads of
this county were assessed upon the same
basis as your farm it would add over
/ $500. 900 taxable valuation to the tax
rolls of this county, and would reduce
the state taxes alone over $1,000, to say
nothing of the local levies. and would
put over $4,000 annually into our county
treasury?
DO you know that in addition to pay
ing your own taxes you are called upon
to pay a portion of the railroads %
The Republicans can easily answer
the first two paragrap phs comparing
/ Leedy's administration with that Of
! Stanley. 1t is a well known fact that
the fusionists shirked their duty in
making a tax levy in 1897. let the state
institutions run down, and left a short
age of several hundred thousand dol
lars for the succeeding administration
to meet. The Stanley administration
not only had to make a tax levy suffi-
cient to meet the regular expenses of
the state, which the fusionists had fail
ed to do, but they also had to make
their levy large enough to meet the de-
fciency left by the fusionists and to
make the repairs on the state institu-
tions which the fusionists had neglected.
But the last three para graphs are
what appeals to the average voter, and
1t is the argument contained in these
that is making trouble for the RepubIf-
of ha roll
panies in Kansas are willing to pay
their just proportion of taxes, as much
SO as individuals, and they are not espe-
cially afraid of Craddocks taxation
proposition. There are some railroads,
of course, which are tax dodgers the
same as some individuals, but it is a
well defined policy with several of the
leading railroads of Kansas to pay their
just taxes without complaint. and they
are willing to leave the matter with the
courts as to what shall constitute a lust
| tax on them. For that reason they are
not afraid of an especially excessive tax
even IL Mr.. CraddOck is elected gov
| ernor.
There is. no more talk in Republican
! circles about a majority of $4,000 or
$4,000. 1t generally runs from 5000 to
Republican majority may drop below
90 600 A great deal depends on the
weather on election day and which par
ty puts forth the greatest effort to-
voters.
In the course of its daily editorial
abusing the Atchison Globe and the
State Journal because they persist in
telling the truth about T. T. Kelly the
Lawrence Journal says in it's issue of
yesterday: THE Globe takes great pride
in its fairness and candor: there is not
a more unfair paper in the state. unless
it be the Topeka Journal. Neither OF
them ever takes the trouble to investi-
gate, and ascertain facts: they are edi-
ted according to the Drejudices of theiI
editors, regardless of right or Justice
Independence in politics is a great vir-
tue; but the trouble about it is that
lpig- headed obstinacy and unreasonable
and unreasoning prejudice is too otter
mistaken for Independence
The State Journal. however. has pub
made in defense of himself: it has sen
a representa- tive to PaoIa to make E
personal investiga ton of Kelly's record
Can the Lawrence Journal say a:
much? Has 1t been as fair as this? ]:
it sure that it has the 'pis-headed OBJ
stinncy and unreasonable and unrea
soning prejudice" rightly located? Is /
any worse to commit a crime than t.
attempt to conceal it after it has beer
committed
The Republicans of the Third congres
sional district have given it out that
poll of the district shows that P P
Campbell will defeat A. NJ. Jackson fo
congress by majority of 1900. Th
fusionists insist that Jackson is sure o
election, but it is the general impres
sion that the odds are in Campbelrs ia
vo-.
Senator Porter, of Crawford county
who ras been in Topeka for day 0
two says that his county will hav
three votes in the Republican legislativ
caucus He says they will all be cas-
: for the same man, but declined to stat
; who that man would be. At the tim
of the Republican state convention las
q