The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-07-25

shifted from the railroads packing
houses. and holders of municipal
bonds, to the farmers and poorer
classes of the people generally?"
1t is probable that after a careful
investigation, no person can sincerely
say that the railroad property of the
state has not been assessed by the tax
commission as high as it should be.
The value placed upon that property
by the tax commission so nearly con-
forms to the commercial value of the
same property as estimated by the
federal census bureau in 1904, after
several months careful work by ex-
perts of that bureau. that the general
correctness of the work of the COM
mission is vouched for by as high and
competent authority as it's possible
to obtain.
All Taxation Should Be Equitable.
If railroad property mas been as
sessed at it's true worth, certainly no
fair man will say that It should be
compelled to pay more than it's equit-
able share of the tax through the un-
dervaluation of other taxable property.
has II never occurred TO tax payers,
that every traveller upon the railroad
and every shipper of freight con-
tributes to the fund which must pay
tne railroad tax, and that if that bur-
den be increased. his own contribution
to the fund must be increased?
IL has been stated that the increase
year comes from the poorer classes
VINO heretofore have been exempted
from taxation by clear violation of
law The following information OBJ
tanned at the office of the tax COM
mission indicates the. contrary
Remarkable Increase IN Returns.
Personal property in the city of
Atchfson was valued IN 1907 at $685.
3S7. In 1908 the assessed value of
that class of property is $7,500,125.
The personal properly in the cities
OF one county which last year aggre-
gated S64S'oS5, this year amounts to.
S3,695,S04. Similar large increases
are shown in all the large cities of
the state.
Here are few multiplications of
value in 1908 as compared with 1907,
pertaining to single interests.
one person assessed at $135 in 1907
and in 1908 at $4,000. Another re-
turned property at 1907 at $1,1OO. and
in 1908 at $4,000. a corporation
which was assessed last year at $780,
2S5 must this year pay on 1000, 900.
Another corporation was assessed last
year at 100000 and in 1908 at ST.
076,00O. Another in 1907 at $4,000.
and in 1908 at $416,0OO.
Similar increases, possibly not quite
so great in multiple. could be shown
In large number. Ir rnis tells any
story at all, it is that corporations and
sessed values multiplied immeasurabIy
more than is possible with the less
wealthy individual tax payer.
Startling Former Inequalities.
AS to inequality in former assess
ments. every county arTords examines
In the county where resides one critic.
44O real estate transfers, covering a
period of five years, show an AVERAGE
assessed valuation or IL $1,000 ner
cent or sale value and single in
stances are cited as follows: In one
township in that county one piece of
aarn lano was assessed at "a per
cent OF what it was sold for. In the
same year. in the same TOWNSHIP an
oIher farm was assessed at 80 per cent
or what 1t brought at sale the same
year. other assessed values in the
same county as compared with sale
Vaiues are as follows by townshins
ranging severally in twelve different
townships as follows: