The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-01-25
A Few Things That Are Care
fully Concealed.
Governor Bailey's Opponents
Attempt to Mislead People.
VALUATIONS HIGHER.
Mr.. Kelly's Board of Equal
ization Held Whip Hand.
Raised 60 Counties Almost
Thirty Million Dollars.

With the great mass of the people
the taxation question is one which
forms the foundation of the present
fight against Governor Bailey. That is,
it is the basis upon which those who
are leading the fight on Bailey are
working. 1t is a fact that in many
counties taxes are higher than a year
ago, and the taxpayers found it out
last month in paying their taxes. They
have been led to s lieve that it was
because of the $4,000 squandered by
the legislature in useless employees, and
they hold Governor Bailey responsible
for it
Those who are agitating the matter
carefully hide the fact that the senate,
with which Governor Bailey had no in
Auence but which generally went OPP
posite to his wishes. squandered much
more prOpOrtionately than the house,
and it wanted to squander more by
paying numbers of it's employees extra
amounts and would have done so had
not Leland and the other members of
the house conference committee on the
miscellaneous appropriation bill insist
ed that such items be cut out
The fact is carefully concealed by the
oppOnents of Governor Bailey that the
state board of edualiza ton, manipulated
by State Treasure Kelly, raised the
valuation in IS counties in the state an
aggregate amount of almost $50 900, 600,
but the same members on the board OF
railway assessors left the railroads OF
the state practically as they We're the
previous years.
The entire railroad assessment is less
than $50, 100000, or only about double
the amount that GO counties were arbi-
trarily increased.
In Riley county the assessment was
Increased over a million dollars, and the
reason assigned by State Treasurer KEEL
ley was because Riley has the State
Agricultural college and ought to pay
more state taxes than other counties
but at the same time Mr.. Kelly de-
creased his own county. Miami, nearly
half million, and it has the largest in
stitution in the state, the Osawatomie
asylum. And Riley is not a rich county
as compared to Miami.
In Riley county the HOch movement
IS now going forward because the people
are told that Governor Bailey's legis-
lature" is responsible for the increase il
taxes.
Another case in point is Potta watomie
county The assessment of that county
was raised $63o s16. The county was
hard hit by the food and the county
commissioners levied a tax of $4,000 fol
bridge purposes. This naturally ha:
considerably Increased taxes in Potta
watOmie county, and the boss buster,
have led the people generally to believ'
Governor Bailey is responsible for it
That is a sample of the justice of tn
fight on Bailey.
AtchisOn county was increased near
ly two million dollars: Cowley over
million; Douglas a million and a half
Marshall, 81, 1888, 355; Nemaha, GOverno
. Bailey's county, $1.356267; Saline, 81,
, 355. O25.
Mr. Kelly asserts that this increas
was necessary because of the increas
IN appropriations made by the last leg
1slature, but he has never SATISFACTORY
explained why such counties as Rile
should be so greatly raised while h
lowered his own county. Neither has h
Satsfac tOrily explained why the rail
roads We're practically left alone an