The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-01
CONCERNING a npErEcr.n

Topeka bankers and those in other
portions of the state are expressing
the enforcement of the new tax law
which, they declare will drive money
from the state. The new law, if it is
applied literally, will give to the tax
assessor power to inquire at the banks
as to the ownership of every dollar on
deposit, and this therefore can not es-
cape taxation, presumably at from
) to per cent. Under such cir
cumstances depositors will unquestion-
ably take alarm, withdraw their funds
and send them to banking institutions
outside the state, where the assessor
can not touch them Such a develop
ment would work a very serious hard
ship upon the state, and Governor Hoch
is therefore being urged to call an ex-
ira session of the legislature to correct
this defect in the tax law.-Leaven-
worth Times.
But is a provision of law which Is
intended to make the rich man with a.
big bank deposit pay his due portion Of
the taxes as well as the poor man
without any bank account. but only
little home that he cannot hide-can
such a provision really be called a ode
fect?"
Is it defect" to provide for the
enforcement of a law by which all pro-
perty shall be assessed at it's actual
value?
Is it not intended that money shall
be assessed as other property? 1t would
be a fine idea, indeed, to call a special
session of the legislature in order to
provide a loophole by which rich men
with bank deposits can hide that kind
of property, while all other classes of
property have to pay taxes on full
value.
The Times is making an unwarranted
presumption in assuming that tax
levtes, with all property on the tax
rolls at full values. will range from
to 8 per cent That Is what the levies
are in most counties at present, with
property assessed at from one-fifth to
one-third of its valuation, and with
millions upon millions of property es-
Gaping taxation entirely.
If all property is put on the tax
rolls at actual value, as the new law
contemplates, the levies will probably
run from one-half per cent to per
cent. and the average for the state will
probably be around 1 per cent.
That being the case, there can be no
legitimate excuse for not listing money
and mortgages for taxation as we'll as
other property. Nor can the State
Journal believe Kansas taxpayers will
try to dodge what is obviously just
assessment. There may be a few tax
dodgers who would draw their money
from Kansas banks and send 1t outside
the state to escape taxation, but there
will not be any great number who will
do so, and the State Journal under
stands the tax commission Is preparing
queries that will expose such tax
dodgers or force them to commit per-
jury-which is liable to be a far more
serious matter under the new law than
1t has been in the past.
The new system is designed to get all
property on the tax rolls, and when 1t
is there all will be treated alike. Is
not that entirely fair? If the assessors
or the tax commission try to "let off"
some classes of property, 1t will i'm
mediately make trouble. The success of
the new system depends upon its i'm
partial administration, and the owners
of bank deposits should not ask to es-
cape taxation to the detriment Of the
owners of real estate and live stock and
and manufacturing plants.