The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-08-25
State Treasurer Gives Reason
He Favored Miami County
Was a Scheme to Beat Him for
denomination.
HE WANTS HOME VOTES
Thinks His People VIII Stand
by Him Now.
Also Explains Why Governors
County Was Raised.
He WANTS HOME VOTES

The members of the state board of
equalization seem ready to stand by
their action in reducing the assessed
valuation of their own counties and the
raising of other counties At least
Treasurer Kelly and Secretary of State
Burrow will. State Auditor Wells is
not in the city today.
'T will confess that my county.
Miami, was lowered at my request and
without any reason other than that
wanted it reduced" said Treasurer
Kelly today. land if anybody wants to
lambast me for it 1 will take all the
lambasting that they want to give me.
AS a matter of fact, there was scheme
on to beat me for denomination next
year, and they intended to go into
Miami county and beat me oct of the
delegation from my home county first.
1 don't imagine that the people of
Miami county will go back on me for
reducing their taxes, so the more the
other fellows want to lambast me the
better 7 will like it,
There was no disposition to punish
anybody whatever on the part of the
board 1 see Henry Allen is making a
fuss because Franklin county was
| raised, and he claims it was because
he was against me. If he will look up
| Douglas county he will find that was
| raised too, and it was for me- and so
was Johnson, and it was raised An
derson county was left just the same,
and it had candidate against me; and
Allen county, where 1 got only part
of the delegation, got a decrease in its
assessment.
1.-The trouble was started by that man
up in Riley county. 1t is true we
raised the assessment of Riley county,
and it ought to have been raised. We
| inf cff Il. f5r,,, l.
| institutions that are located in some of
these counties, and where they get state
appropria tions as a rule we took this
| fact into consideration. Riley Atchi-
son and a number of other counties
were raised. We did not raise the as
sessment here in Sha Nnee because the
basis of assessment was much higher
than in other counties and they de-
served a reduction.
Il understand Governor Bailey is
making a fuss this morning because we
raised Nemaha county. 1t is true that
we raised Nemaha county and it ought
to have been raised. Governor Bailey
himself told me awhile back that his
/ land is worth SIS acre. I'm mighty
sure We haven't any land like that in
Miami county. Our land is worth from
$25 to $50 an acre. DOniphan county is
no higher than it was when Mr.. Leland
had an equalization board which was
| favorable to him.
Il am sorry that Auditor Wells
brought in Attorney General Coleman in
| talking with the Riley county man. MI.
Coleman had nothing whatever to do
| with the assessment of any county.
Il would rather not make an admin
! istIation fight of this thing but if the
other fellows want that kind of a fight
am willing. We had to raise good
! deal more money this year then hereto
| fore, and there had to be increased taxes
somewhere. If the tar payers will ex-
anime the appropriations they will find
that the governors office calls for far
larger appropriations this year than it
did last year. They viii also find that
| all the employees in the bank commits
sioner's office had their salaries raised,
which called for increased appropria-
| uons. If they want to compare figures
on these things / am perfectly willing"
Governor Bailey was on the war path
this morning over the assessment of
| Nemaha county. 1t was raised % per
cent, bringing it UP to about $7,500.O00,
making it pay state taxes amounting to
| $44, ,261. Governor Bailey compared this
with Miami county, which was reduced
10 per cent, bringing it down to $4, 200,
so that it pays only $30,4S1 in state
| taxes. By a peculiar coincidence the
population of the two counties is almost
| IDENTICAL Miami county has 20 254 and
| Nemaha county has 20,25S. Miami coun-
| ty, too, has the largest state institution
| in the state the Osawatomie ASYLUM.
| Governor Bailey was considerably
aroused over the fact that his county
should have been increased more than
| one-fourth. while each of the members
| of the board decreased the assessment
of their counties.
When Secretary of State Burrow was
| asked the reasons for the boards action
he said:
There was no disposition on the
part of the board to favor or punish
anybody. Our whole system of assess
ment is wrong and If there are not
more than half dozen mistakes in our
equalization 1 shall think we did pretty
well. The only right basis of assess
ment is to assess all property at 100
| cents on the dollar.
so far as Smith county is concerned
the decrease was made on personal
property. Horses in our county were
assessed at over $26, while in some
| counties they were assessed as low as
IS. On several other items Smith
county was the highest in the stae.
was called away before the board fin
ished it's work, but l only asked the
other members to give Smith county
| the average on personal property when
| they determined what the average is.
| and I suppose that is what was done,
and 1 am yelling to stand by whatever
| the other members of the board did.
Il notice that the Riley county man
| kicked about raising the assessment
| on land in that county. I confess
about Riley county land other than
what / have seen from the railroad,
but Riley county has some of the rich
! est farming land in the state, and I
| believe it is worth twice what our land
is in Smith county, but our land up
| there is assessed at 1915 an acre. Be
| sides Riley county has the State Agri-
to Smith county they can double our
] land aSeeSSrpuf" Z"