The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-23
WILL PAY MORE
Railroads Not Favored by New
Tax Law.
Statement Made in Reply to
Campaign Charges.
MAKES COMPARISONS.
Assessment of Roads Higher
Than in Other States.
Text of Reply to Claims Used to
Influence Votes.
MAKES COMPARISONS.

From good authority it can be stated
that the Santa Fe, Rock Island, Union
Pacific and Missouri Pacific railways,
the four big railways of the state, VIII
each pay more to the state In taxes /
this year than they paid last year.
The Santa Fe railway, it is stated,
will this year pay from $4,000 to $4,000
more taxes than it paid in 1901
This information has been secured by
certain state officials who have investl-
gated the truth of the Democratic
campaign charge that the new tax law
has reduced the amount of taxes which
the railway companies will pay In Kan
sas.
1t is stated that the smaller railroads
of the state will in some cases pay less
taxes than they did last year. The
Grand Island is cited as one instance
of a small railroad which In previous
years has been considerably oVertaxed.
The Democrats charge that the state
tax commission assessed the railroad
property of the state too low. The val
ue placed upon the railroads OF Kansas
was $356070, 900.
States census bureau placed the actual
commercial value of Kansas railroads
at 1856, ,356. 900.
In the state of Michigan, the state
spent $500 to obtain a detailed physl-
cal valuation OF the ra1lrOduS III lHdt
state and determined that they were
worth 20S millions. The United States
census experts fixed the value of Michi-
gan railroads at 277 millions
In Wisconsin the tax commission
placed the value of the railroads at 226
millions The United States census ex-
perts said the Wisconsin railroads were
worth 2S4 millions.
Hence in both Wisconsin and Michi-
gan the railroads are taxed on valu-
20 less than the
government valuation. While in kansas,
the Kansas assessed valuation is prac-
tically Identical with the valuation ar
rived at by the government experts
Furthermore, the railroads of Kansas
are assessed for taxation nearly $780,
O0O. 900 more than the railroads of eth
er Wisconsin or Michigan.
The following is a statement given
out by the state tax commission rela-
tive to the charges made by the DEM
ocratic party:
''Under the new plan OF assessment
there resulted unavoidably and of nee
essity readjustment of assessed val
ues in the state, and the astonishing
thing is. that the increases and de-
creases among the several classes OF
property have been so small.
THE real estate assessment immedi-
ately preceding that of 1908 was made
in 1906, and that year the value of real
estate was 65.62 per cent of the total
assessment while in 1908 the real estate
assessment is only 64.15 per cent of the
total assessment an actual decrease in
1908 of 1.4S per cent and 1t should be
noted too that the acreage of real estate
assessed in 1908 was 365.1S4 acres more
than was assessed in 1906. This shows
conclusiVely that the tax burden in
1905 upon the real estate which was as
sessed in 1906. taking the state as a
whole. is considerably less than 1t was
in 1906.
cff
farm real estate, but the fact. that
this change was made by local
assessors acquainted with values and
with the relative assessed values OF
the two classes of real estate as here
tofore made, point conclusively to the
fact that such change was just and
right
"Any statement that the new
assessment has increased taxes is en-
tirely erroneous and will be found to
be so upon investigation, for the rea-
son. that the legislature so limited the
tax levies for 1908 as to prohibit tax
ing districts from raising more than 2
per cent more money than could have
been lawfully raised in 1907. In other
I words If a taxing district in 1907 could
Nlawfully raise by taxation the sum of
$4,000 II can only raise $4,000 in
1908, which permitted increase in ac-
tually less than the ordinary regular
Increase from year to year from val
ues OF new property added to the
assessment roll. For every person
whose tax has been increased. there
will be found one or more persons
whose tax burdens have been de-
creased and the presumption Is, that
the officers have done their whole
duty under the law and have made
the tax as relatively equal as 1t pos
sible and no good citizen will be heard
TO complain of any such result
'In every community there may be
citizens whose taxes have been
slightly increased but cOrrespondingly
there are others whose taxes are less
but in the long run and upon the
average there will be decreased taxes
in 1908. This must be so for $213.-
100000 of personal property never be-
fore taxed is upon the tax-roll of 1908
and as under the laws Limitation
practically no more money can be
raised in 1908 than was raised in 1907
some citizens are bound to have theil
taxes reduced because of this added
value.
ANY person who is not designins
demagogue. will be compelled upor
investigation. to admit that the so
called new tax law is operating Will
more justice to taxpayers than hai
ever before been done in Kansas
''The railroad assessment in Kansai
is greater proportionately than an,
other state. Let him who is seekiny
the truth compare the railroad assess
ment in Kansas with the assessment
OF ike property III hlSSouEl,
Ohio, Illinois, Iowa or with any othe
state and he will at once be con
vinced of the truth of this statement
The value placed upon the Kansa
railroad property for assessment pur
poses in 1908 Is remarkably confirmet
by the highest authority in the land
the federal census bureau, whicl
bureau with a trained corps of ex
perts spent months in arriving at tn
railroad values of the whole countr-
and assigned to Kansas of the Who'll
an amount almost exactly similar t