The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-09-30
WHO RAISED THE TAXES And wHY2

The democratic pamphlet recently
sent out by State Chairman SaPP, with
the heading, WHO Raised the Tax
esq" has some interesting reading for
the taxpayers of Kansas. The claim IS
made that the state taxes for 1903 were
raised by the state equalization board,
composed of State Treasurer Kelly,
Secretary Of State Burrow and State
Auditor Wells. This board says that
this raise was necessary, but others Of
the state officers think that It was not
necessary to meet the appropriations
OF the legislature.
The comparison is made between the
assessments of 1902 and 1908, and the
figures are taken form the books in the
Offices of the state auditor and state
treasurer. The raise on state property,
outside OF railroad property, amounted
to pa per cent, or nearly one fourth,
and brought into the state treasury an
excess or increase Of S4S3, al, or nearly
half a million of dollars. The state
treasurer has the control of this i'm
mense sum and is supposed to get the
interest on the monthly bank averages
where the peoples money IS deposited.
Suppose, for instance, that It amounts
to 2 per cent per annum, there is near
ly $4,000 year. Suppose, that this
money, OF as a bank credit is used to
finance deals like the Comanche county
bond purchase. 1t would be fat for
Kelly Of course.
The bill which passed the house,
two years ago this coming winter, pro-
viding that the state get this interest
on state money, was defeated in the
state senate by a lobby Of Kelly and
his friends. Frank Grimes, his prede-
cessOr, is reported to have retired from
the state treasurer's Office well hxed''
and why shouldn't poor Tom go and
do likewise, especially when he had to
rebate" Miami county? Tom needed
a big surplus, then he could help Joe
and others and give a penny to the
poor now and then. Here it is. The
state taxes of 1902 were s., 997, 1854,
while those of 1908 were 8, 4SO, 595, a
slight difference of S4S3, I4I, OF "a. / per
cent, and only mOdesy prevented it
being raised to the half million mark,
and then to think how much good could
be dOne-tracts for the heather and
campaign literature for the dear mid
dle-Of-the-rOad POPulist. -
The assessment OF railroad property
was actually lowered. The board of
railroad assessors is composed of Treas
urer Kelly, Auditor Wells, Secretary Of
State BurrOw, Lieutenant Governor
Hanna and Attorney General Coleman.
This assessment of 1902 was $50, O45, O53
including Pullman cars, and for 1905 It
was $50, 492, OS7. On the face It shows
a raise of S447, O34, but SSS7, 13I, in
new railroads and extesiOns, and new
PuIlmans, not assessed, would show not
an increase but a reduction of $40, O97.
Now had the railroad assessment been
raised at the same rate as other proper
ty, of the farmer and merchant, It would
have been SOS, 656, 533, a difference of
S4,I64, 446.
=
age rate of 4.59 per cent would make
the amount saved to the railroads in
taxes SIS, S19. This was done, of
course, to favor the railroads and to get
favOrs from the railroads II Is frankly
admitted that Burton could never have
been elected to the senate, in the face Of
the opposition OF the-better element Of
his party, only for the Strength Of the
railroad influence IN the legislature -
Now, many prominent republican news
papers declared that the republican
state convention At Wichita was domino
ted by the railroads. Kelly and his con
freres were reRominated easily Of course.
Another count In the indictment IS
that Of gross discrimination by the state
board Of equalization, between the DIFF
ferslt counties. The average rate 0