The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-27
Governor Makes Direct Reply to
Higher Tax Charges.
False and Without Founda-
tiOn," He Declares.
SENATOR CHAS. CURTIS
Is Made Responsible fer Birth
of Criticisms.
Opening Gun of Senatorial Cam
paign Fired by Governor.

Governor Stubbs has replied person.
ally and in some heat to the criticisms
of his administration, and especially to
those referring to the increase in state
taxes. The governor fires the first gun
of the senatorial campaign of 1911 by
directly accusing United States Senator
Charles Curtis of being responsible for
the birth of these criticisms. He
brands these statements as utterly
false and without foundation" and dc
! clares that "the exploitations of these
comparisons is a mere political track
to mislead and befuddle the taxpayers
The governor lays the blame for
higher taxes upon the Hoch admins
tration and the inadequacy of the tax
levy last year to cover the expenses OF
the state government for that year. He
asserts that last years levy only PRO
vided two million dollars revenue with
which to pay three and one-haf mil
lions of expenses"
Thus with one sweep of the pen the
governor accounts for one and one
half millions of expense of his admin
istration. Some of the governors fig
ures as applied to the expenses of the
previous administration are mislead-
Ing and inclined to conflict.
The following is the text of the gov
ernor's open letter to the public:
Says Curtis Started 1t.
United States Senator Charles Curtis
in a public speech at Eskrdige Kansas,
recently told his audience that if they
wanted to know the cost of reform in
Kansas to look at their tax bills this
year, stating further that I'VE have n
real reform government in Kansas
now He is also sending out letters
creating the impression that the pres
ent legislature and this administration
have caused enormous increases in the
expenses of the state government for
this year, and many of his political fol-
Cl fI1a 80 70
ing the reform movement in Kansas ia
the same general way.
These men who are making a general
assault on the reform movement in this
state, If they want to be fair and tell
the truth, should admit that this move
ment has resulted in saving our people
more money every year than the entire
cost of the whole state government.
The saving in freight and passenger
rates alone amounts to millions of dol
larrs annually to say nothing of the
business-like methods which have been
established in every department of the
state government.
Are False and Misleading.
The plain unvarnished truth in the
whole matter is that all statements
and insinuations which have been
made for the purpose of creating the
impression that the expenses of the
state government have been enor-
mousyl increased during this admin
istration over the preceding biennial
term are false and utterly without
foundation. The men who have been
circulating these reports have them
selves known that the increased tax
levy was not caused by increased ap-
preparations or increased expenses for
the maintenance of the state govern
ment this year, but was solely caused
by an insufficient tax levy last year
which provided only two million dol
lars revenue with which to pay three
and one-half million dollars expenses.
n n hoT r.-1- .Tr.sA AZ.
com parison of this years taxes with
those paid in 1908 instead of 1907. the
corresponding biennial year. is a mere
political trick to mislead and befud-
die the taxpayers by comparing the
levy for this year, that was made on
a basis that will pay all the expenses
of the state government, with levy
made last year that lacked almost one
million dollars of paying the current
expenses of that year. The 1907 levy
raised approximately three-ouarters
of million dollars more than the
1908 levy. 1t is thus perfectly appar-
ent why the 1907 levy was not used
for comparison purposes.
Where the Money Went.
James NJ. Nation, state auditor, in a
letter to the legislature on January
2Sth, 1909, advised that body that
there would be a shortage of one mil
lion dollars on account of insufficient
tax levy in 1908.
Fortunately the state subsequently
collected some old claims from the
federal government amounting to over
one-half million dollars and other
claims and extraordinary fees which
will probably tide the state treasurer
over until the new taxes begin to
come in in December. The appropria-
lions made by the present legislature,
all fees, amount to practi-
cally the same sum as the appropria-
lions for the preceding legislature of
1907 but the 1909 session of the legis-
ature has to it's credit the following
additional items; 100000 for a Me-
mortal building for the veterans of
he Civil war; $231.OOO for coal for
state institutions made necessary by
he removal of the Oklahoma prison.
srs; and 100000 for the normal
raining courses in 100 different high
schools and other sums for farmers
Institutes, stamping out tuberculosis.
experiments at the agricultural col
ege and other items all of which ag-
gregate more than 100000.
Institutions Have Grown.
In addition to the above, the institu-
ions of the state have grown to the
extent that there will probably be an
average of 500 more patients in the
charitable institutions to be taken care
IF during the current two years than
here were during the preceding two
7ears, and 500 more students in the
Agricultural college, State university
ind Normal school than were provid-
ID for during the preceding two years
which means a very large increase in
he actual necessary expense.
Therefore, when you consider that
he expenses of this administration
will be practically the same amount
n dollars and cents as the expenses
II the preceding two years. and at the