The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-08

authoritative estimate of the value OF
| railroad property in Kansas, IN order
| that the question as to what is a real
sonable rate may be intelIieently de-
ctded by the commissioners, Is appar-
ent to every student OF the Subject,
Constant complaint is made that
freight rates are excessively high in
| Kansas, altogether out of proportion
| to the rates charged in other states.
! No fair Kansan desires to do iajus-
| tice to the railroad companies; neither
can the railroad companies justly COM
| plain OF an attempt on the part of the
people to compel the companies to be
| absolutely fair with them.
| I want to call your attention also to
another matter of vital Importance.
The legislature can only regulate rail-
road rates within. in the state. 1t has
no control whatever over Interstate
rates. But, having their freight de-
pots in Kansas City. Mo, the railroad
companies are enabled to evade most
| If not most. of the traffic is interstate
because its terminals are across. the
| line, and the freight is billed from all
shipping-pofnts in Kansas to Kan
| sas City, Mo. and from Kansas City,
| Mo-, to all points jim Kansas. The inn
portance of this is further illustrated
by the fact that the Missouri river is
basing line for the, making 5of freight
rates, and as all of such rates purport
to be from Kansas City, Mo, the inter
state feature is therefore, injected into
most of the Kansas rates to and from
Kansas City, Mo- Kansas City, Kan,
though the largest city in the state
and the natural terminal of the states
business, Is practically ignored in tar
if schedules. This should not be. If
our laws are to be of value, we must
insist that the railroads provide places
for the reception of freight and pas
senger traffic on the Kansas side of
| the line. Otherwise our state laws on
these subjects will be in large part an
nulled.
wish to renew my recommendation
of two years ago in reference to pIac-
ing the telegraph and telephone COM
panies and all transportation lines OPP
Grated by electricity under the control
of the board of abroad commits
sioners.
Taxation.
Like Banquos. ghost, the subject of
taxation will not down. Like the poor
in scripture. we seem to have it with
US always. Every legislature from
time immemorial has grappled with
the perplexing problem, and still no
satisfactory solution graces our stat
ute books. - Our leyies seem high be-
cause our assessments are ridiculously
low. AS a matter of fact, Kansas af-
fairs, state and municipal, are man
aged with remarkable economy. Of
fetal salaries are comparatively small.
Few states pay SO little to their Off
f1cials. Appropriations for the sup
and educational institutions are rela-
lively less than in most any state in
the llnion,' and Yet our taxes seem
high. because, as stated above, assess
ments are ridiculously low, and for
the further reason that vast amount
of property escapes taxation altogeth-
er. This is particularly true of money,
for, while the bank commissioner re-
ports LAO million dollars on deposit in
the banks of the state, less than five
million dollars appear on the taxrolls.
The assessment of railroad and other
personal property is almost If not
quite as great a farce. The law COM
pels the assessment of property at its
actual value, but nobody contends that
this law is complied with, and there
is no penalty for its violation. I think
most of this whole taxation problem
could be solved by adding to present
laws severe penalties for their VIOLA
ton. including Severer penalties for
perjury in listing property for taxation,
and / recommend that this be DONE
That the owners of 14O million dollars
should swear that they had but five
million dollars, and escape taxation,
and punishment alike. is simply mon
strous. If all the property of the state
were assessed at its full value and ex-
travagance avoided by proportionately
reducing possible levies the statistics
of the state would make vastly bet
ter showing abroad. and the burden of
government at home would not be at
all increased. This problem confronts
you. as 1t has confronted other similar
bodies. The legislature that wisely
solves 1t Will make itself immortal.
Prohibition.
Since 1880 the manufacture and sale
of intoxicants except for medicinal
scientific. and mechanical purposes has
been prohibited by the constitution of
this state. Theoretically, the. wisdom