The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-10-10


candidate for governor az mayor of
Kansas City, Kans. We do not seek
to destroy the corporation, its owner
or its property, but We do want it to
pay its just part of the taxes in the
same proportion as paid by the citi-
zens of the state. We want the corr
porations ITO Do Right
CORPORATIONS ASSESSED AT TEN PER
CENT.
All railways, telegraphs, telephones,
Pullman car and express companies
in Kansas are capitalized and bonded
for, and the people pay interest on,
more than 5000, coo, 600.
The state TAX commissioners of
Kansas filed a report June 3, 1902.
assessing the above 5000, 900, 900 capi-
talization for taxation at $50, go, 593,
or say ten cents on the dollar. The
assessment of railways alone for tax
alton in 1893 was S6l, $50, $40. In 1902
(nine years later), these same rail
ways and all the additional railways
built since 1893 were assessed for
taxes at S5S, TAI, 100, difference
against the people and in favor OF
the railroads of 80, 912, 0SO, to say
nothing OF the increased mileage.
WHAT SAYS THE LAW?
The Kansas state law says that all
W in or hol l,o
at its cash value.
The supreme court of the United
States, Justice Brewer presiding,
said: "Whatever anything is worth
for income and sale, it is worth for
taxation"
WHY THIS DISCRIMINATION?
The fusiOnists maintain that gross
ly unfair discrimination is made
against the farmer and home owner
whose farm and home are assessed at
33 to so per cent of its value, in favor
of the rich nonresident bond and
stockholder, whose property in this
state is assessed for taxes at only ten
cents On the dollar. The state
officers secure their. election or APP
pointment because of the confidence
OF the home people in their integrity,
and these officers would not betray
their home people for the benefit of
outside strangers unless considera-
tion were paid the home officers who
betrayed their trust. We further
maintain that if the corporate inter-
ests of Kansas paid taxes on their
stocks and bonds in the same ratio as
the farmer and home owner taxes
would be reduced one-half, which
would amount to $40 each year for
every voter in the state, or $1,000, 600
each year. We contend that the pres
ent law is good enough if honestly
enforced.
WHO OWNS KANSAS RAILROADS?
Fhe twelfth biennial report, 1899
1000, auditor of state for Kansas.
page 3l2, shows S,716 miles of main
| line railway AID 1,476 miles of side
track in the state of Kansas. Total
railway track, 1922 miles.
The sixteenth annual report, board
of railway commissioners of Kansas,
1898, table No. 4, pages 124 and l25,
shows that the railways of Kansas
are capitalized at S57 1858 per mile.
Counting the auditors estimate of
mileage, the railways in the state are
capitalized for more than S593, 900, O00
| Throw out sidetracks and they are
capitalized tmain lines for more than
s5O2, , ,OO0, 900.
On pages 11S and 1l9 Of the same
report, ID says only sl $50, $50 of this
vast sum is owned in Kansas, and the
| remaining e50l, 900, 900 is owned by
people living outside the state.
THE POOR l?) BANKRUPT RAILROADS!
The Kansas City Journal, August
IL, 1902, under the heading, Among
the Railroads." said: s'The statement
is made that in the past six years the
Santa Fe has spent s84 600, 900 in inn
/ proving its property, and its earning
power had increased from s4.722 per
mile in 1896 1897 to $500 per mile in
l9O1-l902
/ The Topeka Capital, July "a, 1902,
! editorially said: ''There is not mile
of railroad in the state of Kansas
that does not penetrate productive
property"
| POOR p OLD MISSOURI.
/ Missouri assesses the Burlington
road SIS, 335 per mile, while in repub
i licau Kansas it pays taxes on a valu
/ alton of $1,000 mile. The Missouri
Pacific, $l9,011 in Missouri, s7.492 il
4 Kansas; the Santa Fe, ST., ,057 in Mis-
II souri,. and So. 749 in Kansas: the Rocl