The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-11
LET PEOPLE VOTE
Proposition for Direct Election
Of Senators.
Resolution to Congress Is In
trOduced Today.
NEW TAX BILL is IN.
Davidson Of SedgWick Has One
That Is Short.
Proposition to Raise the Pay Of
Legislators.
IEW TAX BILL is IN.


| ing with a resolution in the house OF
| representatives, petitioning the conf
gress of the United States to call con-
vention for the purpose of amending
| the UNITED States constitution
to permit the election of United States
| senators by direct vote of the people.
1 The resolution was introduced by j.
M. Davis, Democrat from Bourbon
| county.
| If three-fourths of the state legisla-
| lures will adopt this resolution, congress
| is required to call the constitutional
| convention. Provision is made in the
resolution for notifying the legislatures
or the several states of the Union of
| the action of Kansas. The resolution
| in full follows:
Whereas. There is widespread ana
rapidly growing belief that the Constl-
tuition of the United States should be
so amended as to provide for the cleo
tion of the United States senators by
the direct vote of the people of the re-
spective states; and
Whereas, other amendments to the
United States constitution are by many
intelligent persons considered desfr-
able and necessary, and,
Whereas, the senate of the United
states has so far neglected to take any
actlon Whatever upon the matter of
changing the manner of electing
United States senators, although ia
vorable action upon such proposed
| change has several times been unani-
mously taken by the house of repre-
| sentatives
Therefore, be it resolved. bv the
| house of representatives of the state
| of Kansas, the Senate concurrfne.
| therein, that the legislature of Kansas
in accordance with the provisions of
Article 5, of the constitution of the
| United States hereby apply to and re-,
/ quest the congress of the United
| States to call convention for the pur-
pose of proposing amendments to the
constitution of the United States, and
| Resolved, that we hereby requesr
! our representatives in congress and
/ Instruct our United States senators to
bring this matter to the attention of
| their respective bodies and to trv~aud
induce favorable action thereon, and,
| Resolved further that the secre-
| tary of the state of Kansas is hereby
F, directed to forthwith transmit a GER
| titled copy of these resolutions to the
vice president of the United States.
| the speaker of the house of represen-
| tatives in congress, and to each. of the
representatives and United States
senators in congress from Kansas. and
to the speaker of the house of repre-
sentatives of each state in which the
legislature is now or soon to be in ses-.
SION"
| Davidson's Tax Bill.
| c. L. Davidson of Sedgwicl1 county
| this morning introduced-a a new taxation
and assessment bill which promises to
| be one of the best measures of the kind
| ever offered in the state. The bill GER
| tainly has the advantage of being brfef
| and explicit.
| The bill provides for the appointment
| by the governor of a state tax commits
| sion of three members, one of each po-
| litical party to be in continuous session
at the state house. The commission is
given a clerk at $1,000 a year and sew
eral stenographers and clerks. The
terms of the members are so arranged
that one term expires each year The
| bill provides salary for the
ed that they shall hold no other office.
The board is given authority to assess
all railroad, telegraph, telephone, pri-
vate car, pipe line and other corpora
tion property at it's full cash value.
Concerning the other duties of the
board the bill says:
ITO have and exercise general su-
pervision over the administration of
assessment and tax laws of the state.
over the township and city assessors,
boards of county commissioners. state
and county board of equalization and
all other boards of levy and assess
ment to the end that all assessments
of property real, personal and mixed,
be made relatively just and uniform
and at it's true and full cash market
value; to require all township and
city assessors, county commissioners
and county and state boards of equal
ization, under penalty of forfeiture
ana removal from OltlCe dS SuCH dSScS-
sors, or boards to assess all property
of every kind and character at its
actual and full cash market value.
ITO confer with, advise and direct
assessors, boards of commissioners,
boards of equalization and other OBJ
ligated under the law to make levies
and assessments, as to their duties
under the statutes of the state.
'To direct proceedings, actions and
prosecutions to be instituted to enforce
the laws relating to the penalties. LA
biIities and punishment of public ofli-
GERS, persons and officers or agents of
corporation for failure or neglect to
comply with the orders of the commits
utes governing the return, assessment
and taxation of property"
The bill gives the committee the power
to require the attorney general and
county attorneys to assist in the prose-
cution of suits for taxes and penalties.
individuals and corporations are to bo
required to furnish information con-
cernfng the capital stock, debt, assets
and liabilities, value Of property, earn
ings and operating expenses. Witnesses
NAV be summoned to appear before the
commission and dispositions may be ta-
ken of persons living either within or
without the state. The bill also pro-
yides that the commission can make
investigations of the tax systems Of
other states and countries and is in
structed to formulate such legislation
as may be thought necessary 70 pre-
vent the evasion of taxes and to secure
just and equal assessments.
The bill introduced by r. S. Hen
bricks of Rawlins provides that when
ever the records Of any county office
arc lost burner or stolen the county