The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-29
Representative O'Shant Talks
About New Taxation Law.
Thinks There Will BE Difficulty
in Enforcing 1t.
EXPECTS 2 CENT FARE
No Session of the Legislature
Will Be Necessary.
State Having Difficulty With
Lawrence Water Supply.

H w. O'Shant, Democratic MEM
Der of the legislature from ELS coun-
ty, CAM to Topeka today to get new
Smi.h automobile which he ordered
some time ago, and which he expected
would be ready for i delivery today. He
found that the car would not be COM
pleted until next week. The car Will
cost about 50, 200, and Mr.. O'Shant ex-
poets to ride in it from Topeka to
Hays.
1T looks now as though there
would be no special session of the leg
islature" said Mr.. O'Shant- 1T seems
to be the general impression that the
railroad companies will concede the
2-cent fare and it certainly is by far
the best thing for them to do this.
'T look for a lot of trouble in the
enforcement of this new assessment
come in the making of the levies.
With property assessed at is full
vliue. thc cities and counties OF the
state can make tremendous disturb
ance by simply leaving tho tax levy
whore Il las stood all n. time That
would raise four o. five times as much
money as is raised at present.
I'm some of the third class cities Of
the state this is just about what Is
likely to happen. Many of these third
class cities are heavily in debt, and
they will take this opportunity to get
out Then the people will blame the
tax COMMISSION, ana the new loA la w
and the next legislature will probably
be called upon to repeal such law
What the last legislature should have
done was to have passed law limit
ing the amount of the levy, and thus
limit the amount to be raised by the
various boards and councils 1t was
serious mistake and is certain to make
trouble"
The impure water scare at Lawrence
is giving the state board of health
good deal of concern on account OF the
fact that the state university Is about
to open, and the water conditions, as
discovered by the chemists, may hurt
H. n. Parker, the United States hy-
drographer who was sent here by the
government, and whose headquarters
are in Lawrence came to Topeka yes
terday for a conference with DR.. Crum-
bine, secretary of the board OF health,
and it is supposed that the Lawrence
water situation was one of the things
discussed. Mr.. Parker has been maxi
ing examinations of the water supplies
of many of the different towns of the
state but on the advice of Dr. Crum-
bine, he declined to make any state
ment concerning the Lawrence water
situation.
The situation seems to be that the
water supplied by the city water COM
pany at Lawrence has been found to
be full of organic matter, and liable to
produce typhoid germs. This condition
Is SalQ 10 De que TO L0G presence VI
sewage in the water, and the fact that
the pumping facilities of the Lawrence
water plant are insufficient.
A. J. Hudson, of Chanute, commenced
quo warranto proceedings in the su-
preme court today for the purpose of
oustfng from office c. z. Conklin, men,
ber of the city council from the Fourth
ward of the city of Chanute. The novel
allegation is made that Conklin is not
a property owner, and that his cleo
ton over Hudson was therefore in
valid. There is a state law which says
that a member of the council must be
taxpayer
The election at which Conklin was
chosen to represent the Fourth ward
was held last April. 1t seems to have
taken Hudson a long time to make up
his mind that he wanted the office.
Hudson received a total of AS votes.
f D. Coburn's book, 1.-The Kansan
Away From Home" which Mr.. Co
burn had printed at his own expense a
few weeks ago, is proving such a pop
ular little publication that the Topeka
printer who got the job of printing
the book is now working on the fourth
edition. The book is in great demand
among bankers and investment COM
panies, who print their name on the
cover and distribute the copies free.
The Coburn story appeared first in
Western Life, Al Reid's magazine, and
then, as many people wanted copies
was reprinted in pamphlet form by Mr..
Coburn.