Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-08-21
TAXATION ON RAILROADS.
Secretary of State Cook Gives Out a
Statement Regarding the Same
in Missouri aud Kansas.

JEFFERSON CRY, August 7.-Repub-
lican party journals In the last few
days have been publishing statement
concerning the assessment OF railroad
property In Missouri and Kansas, in
which they undertake 10 make it APP
pear that this class Of property is taxed
higher In Kansas than in Missouri.
The purpose, OF course, is to leave the
impression that the Democratic State
Board Of Equalization in Missouri
places a lower valuation on railroad
property than the Republican State
Board OF Kansas.
A reporter called the attention of
Secretary Of State Cook to this latest
Republican statement.
These figures" said Mr. Cook,
"are so juggled as 10 mislead the pub
lie as are pretty much all the figures
that Republican politicians give out.
Instead Of giving assessment of rail-
road property, as made by the two
states, you will notice that they give
the amount OF tax per mile which the
roads are required to pay. The rail-
roads pay a greater tax per mile in
Kansas, not because the assessment is
high, but because the tax is more than
double what it is in Missouri.
SIXTY PER CENT. HIGHER IN MISSOURI.
"The Official figures show that the
railroads in Kansas, including main
and branch lines, are assessed at So
$50 per mile, and that railroads in
Missouri, including main and branch
lines, are assessed at 81, 43O per mile,
or 60 per cent. higher in Missouri than
in Kansas.
THE Missouri Pacific, for instance,
which is operated in both states, is
assessed in Kansas at s7,492 per mile
on its main line and sl9,011 in Mis-
souri,. A like disproportion Of this
burden.
"The figures, which show that the
per centage Of taxes paid by railways in
Kansas as compared to that paid by
other property is greater than in Mis-
souri,, is also intended to mislead the
public. Kansas has 1900 miles more
railway than Missouri; the railroads
in our State are assessed atnearly s25,-
100000 more than they are In Kansas.
1.-THE tax rate for State purposes in
Missouri is only % cents. In Kansas
it is s. cents. Because of this fact,
railroads on a very much lower assess
ment must necessarily pay more taxes
than they pay in Missouri. The same
is true Of all property in that state.
The tax rate, OF course, must apply &c
all property alike. The only way in
which the various classes Of property
can be made to bear their Just proper
tion Of the burdens Of taxation is In
the assessment, and in fixing this the
Republican Board Of Equalization OF
Kansas has fixed the rate ON railroad
property 60 per cent. below that Of the
Democratic State Board Of Missouri.
FARM ASSESSMENTS DECREASED.
81 am not familiar with the values
Of real estate or live stock In Kansas
! do not know its relative values as
compared with like property in Mis-
souri,. This class Of property is all
assessed by the county assessors, and
the State Board in Missouri this year.
instead Of increasing this assessment,
reduced IL.
Farm lands in Missouri have mol
been increased for a number Of years
The increase in acreage property hai
been confined to lands adjacent to st
Louis and other cities and TO the min
ing districts. The Advancement IA
the price Of this class Of property wa
the basis for a substantial increase il
the assessment as made by the county
assessors in the particular localities
But farm property vas returned thii
year without any increase at all.
"The total assessment Of railroad
property, as given out by the Official
Of Kansas this year, is s5e,OO0,O goo. TIL
assessment Of railroad property in Mis-
souri, this year will be fully ss6, 900, 900
OF a difference, in spite Of create
mileage in Kansas Of s27, OO0,O0O il
favor OF Missouri"