Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1909-03-05

tne proposition was defeated, ant
the chances for a utility commits
sion at this session went glim-
merlng. No one denies the fact,
what is known as the state wide
that the greater utilities, or
utilities, should be regulated, but
those who opposed the general
bill did So on the ground, that i
created an expensive burden of
taxation on the people of the
! State, and provided for the ere
alton of an army of officers with
out number, who could be used
for political purposes at any
time that the Administration saw
tit. No member who voted
against this Bill did 50, because
he favored the corporations, or
because he thought that the reg
ulation of these corporation, if
not already amply provided for,
could be provided for, and that
our Static Board of Rail'r =
mlssloners could take care of
the work.
AS to the physical valuation of
Hqd properties, which is the
proposition that must be ascer-
tanned in order that adequate,
satisfactory freight rates may be
80 was the chief argument of
the promoters of the bill, but
that, question is already provided
for in a law enacted n the 1907
session. and only awaits an ap-
preparation sufficiently large to
get the railroad commissioners to
90 to work, and then some kind
of a Dig stick to put them at
work. A bill will be introduced
which will put in the control of
the railroad board such STATE
wide utilities, as are not now
llnuer the State Boards control,
and for one, | sincerely believe
that we have sufficient law now
TO properly regulate our state
wide utilities, if we could get
tho railroad commissioners whose
duty it is to execute these laws
to act. I do not believe that the
Haople of Kansas are ready, OF
| should say. the farmers, and the
people living in the smaller
town are ready to add to their
burden of taxation $1OO,0OO.00 OF
more for the next two years, in
ordor that thn utilities of the
larger cities might be regulated,
And as to the regulation of the
larger utilities, I think this is
fully provided for, and if not, ]
am ready after a full and fair
discussion to vote for measures
yulch will give such authority.
will even go further than that
and say that if the people Of
Kansas are a thorough discns
sjon of the general utility bill
say they are for it, and that
they are ready for it, I will dc
that | can to give il to them
This is proposition that
has not been discussed by the
people of the State, and there
fore I do not think that they
at this time, fully understand tn
question or they are ready t.
act on it. Whenever the gener
al bill, as proposed, becomes
law. it will mean the proposition
which will in the end cost then
mot less than a half million dol
lars. And for one, no matter
how strong I feel like support
,2g such a measure, do not wan
to do it until 1 hear from tht
fellows that pay the taxes.
The House has also passed tn
Quincy Tax Bill, with the amend
ments as substituted by the mi
nority member of the Tax com
nittee. This amendment provit
ed for the election OF the Ta1
Commission by the people, AM
doing away with the County ass
sor in all counties, and making
the township trustees, the town
ship assessors, and the count!
clerks the County assessors ex
officio, and giving them add
tional compensation for sucl
work. The bill, as passed, give
counties of 10000 or over, tn
privilege Of having County as
SCISSORS. The fate Of this Bill i
the Senate is hard to say, it vii
probably be killed.
The Senate has killed q yer,
commendable bill mentioned i
my recent correspondence, whic
proposed the reduction Of Stat