The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-02-27
TAX BILL PASSES.
Senate Accepts the Measure
Last Night.
Vote on Final Passage Stood
"a to IL.
DEBATE WAS EXCITING
Senator Smith Led the Fight
for Measures.
Idle Money Is Made Exempt
from Taxation.
AN TMDnRT AMT NH NEE
AN IMPORTANT CHANGE
Commissioners to Be Elected by
Executive Council.
Original Measure Provided for
Appointment by Governor.

The senate has passed the new tar
bill
The vote upon it last night stood q
for to II against.
Those whose votes were cast for 81
were: Branine. Buschow, Carpenter.
Clancy, Codding. Conrad, Crum, Find-
lay, Fitzpatrick. Henley. Hurrel, Leidys
Mcknight, Morehouse. Morrow. Noftz-
ger, Pestana, Peterson. Smith. Sponables
Stewart. Vincent, Ward, White. Total
"a
Those voting against the bill weres
Allen, Caldwell. Cubbison, Gabriel
Householder, Kennedy, King. NIcAIil-
Ian. Miller. Porter. Simons. Tapps
Wright, Wulfekuhler.
Absent or not voting; Fullington and
Fulton.
Thursday had been selected as the day
for final action on the tax bill by FREQ
Dumont Smith. but when it was placed
on third reading at O'Clock in the af-
ternoon he did not know with certainty
that it was safe. When the twenty-firse
senator had cast his vote for the bis
and a constitutional majority had voted
for it, Smith jumped from his chair ana
went down the aisle to shake hands with
/ his friends. The tension was Off. For
more than a week the tax bill had hung
I in a balance which swung back and
/ forth and Smith has watched il without
1 for a moment losing the knowledge ee
4 his strength and weakness On Tuesday
afternoon Smith made a speech before
4 the senate by which he persuaded the
members to go at the billaslOWly and TO
/ give It a fair chance. The bill was
called Yesterday afternoon, by a pre-
arranged understanding, and some
amendments offered and discussed.
3 smith moved the bill be recommended
Tor passages ia opposition to Kennedy.
who wanted to make it subject To
amendment and debate. Smith thought
he had strength enough to force it. buS
when Kennedy substituted with mo-
th tlon TO strike out the enacting clause
THE AFTERNOON SPEECHES
The opposition showed ali it's
strength in the afternoon BY the
time the last speech ended Smith had
most of il placed When he sat down
after his own last argument for the
Dill applause was heard in the senate
chamber for the first time this winter
The two good speeches in the afternoon
were Senator Fitzpatrick's and his, but
while Fitzpatrick debated upon the
merits of the bill Smith administered
the blister to the opposition In fnov-
ing that the enacting clause be stricken
out Kennedy of Coffey said:
The tax bill which we have befors
us this afternoon is no Improvement
upon the present laws. Its trainers
have not accomplished what they were
delegated to do and if it becomes a law
the people of the state will proclaim
their dissatisfaction with it by sending
the Republican party down in defeat
two years from now. It raises the
taxes upon the poor and exempts the
money of the rich 1t has been amend
ed at the demand of the money Iobbies-
It's provisions are calculated to en-
barrass invested capital and to drive
hundreds of thousands of it out of the
state. It's punitive clauses are too
drastic. If this bill is passed half the
people of the state viii be in Jail and
the other half in the penitentiary all
the time. If we pass this bill not a
man of US will ever be returned to this
body
Senator Fitzpatrick, who has. next to
Smith. done the most for the passage
of the bill, said:
I'VE have studied this bill now for
days and months and have tried effect
ually to meet the objections to it with
amendments until the bill is as nearly
perfect as a. body of men like this could
expect to turn out in any session Of
the legislature. We belong to a party
which believes that Kansas can solve
every problem of government as it
arises Every man admits the necessity
of a new tax law The people are en-
ragged at the tax lodging which Is per-
rnitted under the present statutes and
the people who oppose the bill have in
terests other than those of the farmers
of the state. If this bill is strong
enough to put half the people of Kan
sas in the penltentiary it is strong
enough to compel the listing of all the
property of the state for taxation; and
that is what we want.
= I would rather have my name record
ed as having voted in favor of the pas
sage Of this bill than to return to this
body at any future time The question
S Of whether or rot we return is not
worth considering as against the propo-
= sition of q measure of such Importance
4 to the people of this state. The farmers
a of Kansas are the persons who viii re-
3 ceive the benefit of the clause under
8 which idle money is exempted from tax
alton because there are so many ways
in which the capitalist can avoid its tax
alton under any law.
Senator Householder barred himself for
the subsequent attack of Senator Smith
by declaring that it was this same mon
ey clause which barred him from ever
giving the bill his support. He said it
was rank legislation in favor of the
money Ioaners of the state who by skill
ful manipulation could place every cent
out of reach of the tax gatherer He
e was followed by Wright, who prior to
:. the insertion of the clause had been in
st favor of the bill Both men are Demo-
y Gratis. Wright asserted that under th6
&c money clause it would be possible for
II every money loaner to avoid taxation
and that under the clause permitting
y debts to Offset credits a business man
9, could by borrowing money absolutely
le exempt himself from sharing the bur-
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