The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-08
KANSAS COMMENT
CHIEF VALUE OF NEW Tax LAW

CHIEF VALUE OF NEW TAX Law.
Several of the Kansas newspapers
are carrying big headlines over
articles telling of the immense in
crease IN the amount of property re-
ported for taxation under the new
tax law. The result OF the operation
of the new law is hardly a matter for
surprise. Everybody knew that un-
oer the old statute no one reported
the actual value of his property to
the TAX assessor. Land values as
they appeared uponsthe tax rolls were
almost nothing. and the people of
the state were pitifully lacking the
comforts they might have derived
from the possession of a considerable
amount of personal property-that is.
II the tax returns might have been
taken as an indication. If individual
property owners were thus negligent
In informing the assessor as to the
worm and value of their worldly
goods, the corporations were more
SO, tnough there is no particular criti-
clsm OF them in that respect, be-
cause small sin Of this character is
no more pardonable than big one.
me really comforting thing about the
new tax law is not that Kansas will
be shown to be many times weather.
tnan might previously have been
proved by the public records, but that
everybody will be compelled to pay
ms snare of the tax, the rich as well
as the man in moderate circum-
stances, and, what is quiet as neces-
sary, the man in moderate circum-
stances as well as the rich man. We
have been accustomed to speak of
taxation as a burden AS a matter of
;Iact IT Is the cheapest and best form
OF insurance and it is Objectionable
only when it is unfairly distributed
-Leavenworth Times.
GERMAN STUDENTS AND SUCCESS
Advocates of Neutrality-suspicious.
thorough, universal in it's elementary
stages, far-reaching in its highest de-
veiopment-can ask no better object
lesson than Germany affords. The con-
nectlon between German schools and
universities. German books and stu
dents, and the, splendid success of Ger
man industries and German commerce
is too plain to be denied. The demon
strat1on OF the practical value of edu-
cation is as clear as it is impressive.
Men who made material wealth and
power their only measure of achieve
ment used to sheer at the Germans as
race of bookish students. They were
tiresome theorists, dreamers who let
study run away with their chances for
making money. They could not COM
pete with practical rivals. Germany
was hopelessly behind America and
England in business and would never
catch up with either. 80 tA%sa
The day OF such talk is gone. German
triumphs in manufactures and trade
have stopped 1t. Germany is the in
dustrial wonder Of Europe. German
progress in some great business fields
is second only to; that of the United
States. Germany's gains in wealth.
industrial power and commercial re-
sources and prestige compel the worlds
admiration. On the side Of education
Germany can boast of more than 1000
foreign students in the German uni
versities. In the field of literature the
German publishers can show more, new
books Issued annually than come from
the presses of any other country. The
margin is wide. The United States Is
beaten more than two to- one every
year.-Cleveland Leader.