Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-09-24
The Republican Tax Bill.

Instead of providing relief for the peo-
pie ia the matter of taxation, the Re.
publican party proposes to enact into
law the tax law prepared by the CON-
mission created by the last Legislature.
The following facts concerning the
commission, its repor: and the proposed
law ought to challenge the attention OF
every voter:
l It is u partisan measure. No mem
Der of the legislature other than Re
publican was allowed a place on the
commission.
2. Four thousand dollars was appro-
priated to pay the commission to pre-.
pare partisan bill, to keep in touch
with copeland County," and take
junketing trip to the Buffalo exposition
8. I've state Offices are created, each
with a salary Of So. 500 year.
4. One county officer is created.
5. The state tax commissioners are
elected by the executive council and yet
they are given power to summarily re-
move . county assessor elected by the
people
6 Aud when the county assessor is so
removed the governor can appoint any
person whether resident of the county
or not TO Ill the vacancy, and the person
appointed shall hold Office for the unex
pired term even though general cleo
ton might be held in the meantime.
7 The men who do the sexual work Of
assessing are not to be elected, bat must
be appointed.
No assessor is permitted to work in
his own community. Every taxpayer
is to bs assessed by stranger.
All ,unty assessors are required to
meet at Topeka-at the expense of their
county-and then learn what the state
tax commissioners want them to do, and
incident!y to be threatened with remov-
al if they should obey the people who
elected them rather than the tax COM
mission.
10 Fhe report attacks the constitu-
tional exemption of 5000, but says under
the proposed law sit will not be too
large"
IL. Railroad assessments arc not
changed by the new law. A railroad is
kindly permitted to be assessed by it's
"neighbor ="
IL. Kansas corporations are required to
report their franchises obtained from
the state or city tor taxation, while a
foreign corporation must report only
those granted it by any city. This is
kind to New Jertey-"the great COW
pasture for New York"
Is No rule is given to determine the
value of franchise.
IA. A merchant is no longar permitted
to Offset his debts against his credits.
Is A manufacturer does not have to
pay tax on finished articles, even though
his warehouse be full. This is to zen.
courage manufacturing" but agriculture
is not Encouraged" by exempting grain.
16. Kansas money loaners must pay
tax on real estate mortgages, even
though the real estate has been assessed
at it's full value. while a foreign money
loaner pays no tax on his mortgages.
This is done TO compel the young man
who is buying farm to pay tax on the
full value of the land while he only
owns one.half of it and then pay enough
more interest to enable his mortgage
to pay taxes on the mortgage-in other
words pay taxes on three times his in.
vestment.
II. The rules for assessing telegraphs,
telephones and other corporate property
depends entirely upon information that
is to be and can be furnished only by the
corporations themselves.
To sum up: The law distrusts the peo-
pie and sets inquisitors upon them, and
protects the corporations and assesses
them by their own standard of value.
JUDGE LESTER enieH that he is exer.