The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-09
COST AND PROFIT.
CONTINUED from Page one.>


more now than they were during the
Stanley and Bailey administrations
NO official figures are brought out tc
support this claim. The claim is made
without authority of any one in par
dcular. But that does not vitiate the
claim. For the purposes of argument
suppose it is true. What does the
statement prove? The machine men
say that 1t proves that reform Is cost
Ing too much. But If 1t can be shown
that the state has more business to
look after than it had six and nine
years ago, If it can be shown that state
taxes are proportionately no higher
than local county, city and township
taxes are now compared with those
taxes six and nine years ago, then the
case against reform falls. Now the
figures from the official reports of the
state institutions are available. The
report of the president of the State
Agricultural college shows that there
were 1,094 students enrolled in l9OO
during the Stanley administration. 1,6O5
during the Bailey administration, and
there are now 1906 enrolled during the
present administration The growth In
enrolment has forced the cost OF mann
tenance up; the same thing is true IN
the State university. The report of the
chancellor shows that there were 1,154
students enrolled in the Stanley ad-
ministration. LAS during the Bailey ad-
ministration, and 2,210 during the pres
ent administration. The increased en-
rollment has called for more money to
keep these institutions going. A sim
liar record is made by the state Nor
NAL school. and all along the line IN
the charitable institutions wherein the
increase has been from $500 to 1900 ana
in every department of the administra-
tion we find that increased business
has required increased maintenance.
People Control Levies.
sBut turning to the counties and
cities and townships, we lind the same
H., IN a
state. The official report of the state
tax commission to the governor on
August 16, 1909, says that from the
Stanley administration In 1901 until
the end of the Hoch administration
the state tax has increased 81 per cent,
the county taxes have increased 81 per
cent, the city taxes have increased 81
per cent, the township taxes have in.
creased 81 per cent, and the school
taxes 40 per cent. Now on those ar
fair in which the people themselves
control the levies the taxes have in
creased more than in state matters
City, township and school taxes have
increased more than state taxes
Towns have been paving; townships
building roads, and school districts do
ing Just what the state has been doing
-b11iIding more school houses and
hiring more teachers. AS long as peo-
pie will have children, they must be
educated, and 1t has not cost the state
as much to educate the increase in the
higher educational institutions as it
has cost the school districts controlled
by the people themselves.
Gives Many Figures.
''And while all this growth of taxes
in cities and counties and towns has
been going on, the state has been
In the Stanley administration we were
just entering upon an era of prospert-
ty In the year 1900 the state raised
over 1891, 100000 of farm products and
i've CT Tn Administered
ton times were getting a little better
and Kansas grew 1857, 100000 of farm
produce and live stock, and in 1908 we
had $475.000,000, and the figures for
ably increase this amount greatly. The
bank deposits have come up steadily |
with the increase of state, county and !
school district taxes. In 1900 Kansas
posit; three years later under Bailey |
they had run the figure up to over |
$103, 100000 and now they have over |
$178, 100000. So that the facts would |
seem to prove that these increased |
taxes which the people have been i'm
posing upon themselves in the cities, in
the school districts, in the townships |
and in the state have paid. We are
property has brought about a
condition which has decreased the
taxes of the individual who pays and
has been paying his honest share,
/
Nor is Kansas alone in this
Increase of local and state taxes. Other
states are doing the same thing. And
he nation is setting all the states an
Example. 1t is the example of growth.
As a people we are taking over more
Kings to public supervision and con-
rol, in the townships. in the cities, in
he counties, in the states and in the
'eform; others cali 1t growth. But it
S the biggest thing in the tendency of
he times in America. and 1t costs
money.
s'But the fact that we grow rich in
Increasing our taxes, indicates that the
ak money is honestly and sensibly in
-ested.
Returns to Balance Increase.
Nov, to return to state affairs
1ere in Kansas. let us see what we
rave got for this 81 per cent increase
n state taxes that we have added
fnce 1901. We have nearly doubled
he attendance at educational in
titutions and the patients at our
learly doubled the floor space used
here. We have reduced railroad
are one-third, saving millions Of dol
ars to the people. We are inspect
lie use; we are guaranteeing GER ]
ain deposits in state banks we are
aving millions in railroad rates. we I
re saving hundreds of thousands on s
ext OOOESg VIC Saving SOU,UOO a (
ear on state printing, and $4,000 a
ear by cutting out the state treas
ry graft and securing the funds of ]
he state from loss.
"And more than that we are run
ing our own government. We have :
or the first time in the history of {
Kansas nominated and elected our '
United States senator-a man of the '
copies choice. and by the abolition !
Z passes we have made the local {
xers and cheap politicians pay fare
hey used to ride over Kansas on 4
abroad passes running county con-
entions. But they have quit riding, r
fho rann1a are rr1nnirD THAR IN