The Topeka state journal., 1902-08-25

When Mayor Craddock was introduce
ed by Chairman Babb he was greeted
vociferously. 1t was plain to be seen
that he was the idol of the Kansas City
contingent. who knew him and who
formed the greater part of the audi
ence.
Mr.. Craddock took occasion to de-
fend his position on the taxation propo-
sition especially his assertion that if
the corporations were properly assessed
the taxes of the balance of the state
would be reduced one-haf He made
this assertion in his Seneca speech, and
a Kansas City paper accused him of
being a dema agogue for making such
declaration. Mr. Craddock read this
editorial and then picking up a type
written manuscript he said:
''On behalf of the Fusion party the
following statements have been made
by me in good faith:
"First-The statement in the Demo-
cratic platform that in Democratic Mis-
souri, the Burlington road pays taxes
on a valuation of SIS, ,335 per mile while
in Republican Kansas it pays taxes on
a valuation of 81, 600 per mile; the Mis-
souri, Pacific $19.011 in Missouri, $7,492
in Kansas; the Santa Fe $17,057 in Mis-
souri,, and s6,749 in Kansas; the RocK
Island $16,724 in Missouri, $7,064 in Kan
sas' is supported by evidence and on
IN favor of Missouri and against Kan
sas, was so0000,000, which at a per
cent. rate made one-third of taxes col
lected by Kansas in 1901, or $13 for eacn
voter and So for each inhabitant
Second-That the public utility cor
porations of Kansas were capitalized
for and the people pay interest on $780,
900 900 and Republicans assess them for
taxes at 10 cents on the dollar Tax
commissioners report for 1902 show
railways, telephones, telegraphs and
Pullman cars, are assessed at $66, ,220,-
293
''Third-That grossly unfair discriml l.
nation is made against the farmer and
home owner, whose property is assessed
at one-third to one-half it's value.
Fourth-That the Fusionists demand
that the corporations of Kansas pay
taxes in same proportion and on same
basis of value as is paid by the farmer
and home owner. That if this were
DONE the taxable property in the state
would be doubled and by reason of in
creased valuation taxes would be re-
duced one-half, $40 for each voter
and $3.50 for each inhabitant: or where
You now pay 500 tax, you would pay
Sse tax
'Fifth-That the party in power never
enforced law where gain could be
made by its non-enforcement. That
among the more fragrant violations of
law are:
.'(a) Refusal to enforce trust law.
"(b) Refusal to enforce prohibitory
law.
"(c) Refusal to enforce gambling law.
"(d) Refusal to tax corporate property
at it's cash value.
(e) Refusal to enforce law giving old
soldiers preference in state and munic-
ipal employment
'Sixth-That Excepting the old SOL
dier law the interests profiting by re-
1usal to enforce the law lived outside
the state, and is it not reasonable to
suppose that they would be favored at
the expense of the home people unless a
consideration were involved?
Seventh-That our motto, ITO do
right" is in consonance with our plat
form demanding the enforcement of law
or the repeal of law continuously vio-
lated
THE fusionists are asking election be-
cause they stand for enforcing the tax
law against corporations. which means
several million dollars per year to the
people; also the enforcement or repeal
OF the trust law, gambling law, prohibi-
tory law and old soldier law
The Republican bosses demand re-
election because of their open and flag
rant violation of law. The Corporations
cracked the whip of authority and each
obedient slave began baying in defense
of the corporate interests, who were de-
fraud4ng the people of this state out OF
several million dollars taxes each year
They justified their violations of the
trust law, prohibitory law, gambling
law and old soldier law by openly pro-
claiming In the press and on the plat
form that sthe fusion nominee for gov
ernor would DO no better; that this ad-
mfnistration as mayor of Kansas City
Kan, was a fraud; that taxes were not
reduced; the city debt increased; thu