The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-17
THEY Will WAIT.
House DeferS Action on the Tax
alton Bill.
Leland Makes an Attack ON the
Measure.

The house of representatives, after
two hour wrangle on Thursday
afternoon, gave up the assessment and
taxation prop position asssas-bad jobs- II
deferred all action on the bills under
consideration, and allowed them to
retain their places on the calendar.
Mead's bill was the chief subject of
discussion. This bill creates the job
of county assessor and makes It an
elective Office. The principal feature
of the bill. however, is the oath which
each assessor is required to make that
he has assessed all personal and real
property at its full cash value. The
object of the bill is to secure a full
valuation.
Mr.. Leland attacked the bill. He
said:
rs this bill drawn to help the rail-
roads? 1t looks that way. It looks
as though the farmers of the state are
going to pay for the fun value of their
farms, and the railroads get off easy.
We don't need this law; it is the same
thing we have, except the penalty for
not assessing at full value
I'VE have two other bills before the
committee of the whole" said Mr..
Mead. (which are intended to take
care of the railroads. These bills re-
quire the boards which assess tele-
graphs, telephones and railroads to
make oath that they have assessed at
the full cash value of the property"
Mr.. Brady of Douglas said the bill
is entirely wrong in principle; that it
places the responsibility for a full
valuation on the officers instead of
upon the taxpayers themselves.
Mr.. Kirkland of Saline spoke against
the bill.
Mr. Pringle of Usage said: THE
proposed bill is unjust. The railroads
would not be assessed at 100 cents on
the dollars, and the private property
would. The people would never stand
such a law. There is no reason why
the county assessor should not also
assess the railroad property in his
county, and subject this assessment to
the revision of one board; the same
board which revises all other assess
ments. We will not solve the taxation
problem until we put all property in
the same classification"
Mr.. Mead said that there are four
taxation bills which should be consid
cred together. They are. he said, the
bill requiring full assessment of pri-
waite properly, the one requiring full
assessment of railroad property, the
one requiring full assessment of tele-
graphs and telephones, and the one
making a general reduction OF SO per
cent on all tax leyies.
''An are necessary" said Mr.. Mead.
1.-THE county assessor feature Is also a
good thing. A boss of every job is
necessary, even if the boss doesn't do
any work
Mr. Jones of Norton moved that the
that the enacting clause of Mead'S bill
be stricken out. There was a chorus
of seconds to the motion.
This action was a little too fierce,
however. and the committee decided
to simply defer action on all the taxa
ton bills pending, and allow them to
retain their place on the calendar.
Slap at Senate.
Another log was added Thursday to
the rapidly growing jam which
threatens to stop the flow of Iegisla-
ton during the present session. The
house refused to pass the senate bill
allowing the use of pumps on natural
gas pipe lines. Instead it passed its
own bill prohibiting the use of pumps.
A conference committee will have
to be appointed to talk the thing over.
The differences are SO radical and the
sentiment SO strong in each body for
itS own way Of thinking that the
chances for agreement are slight
On the HOldren anti-pumpinr bill
the house on Thursday afternoon
voted as follows on final passage:
For the bill IS
Against the bill Observation-Disclosures. 40
Absent or not voting .. Is
The members voted as follows.
Gentlemen voting in the affirmative