The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-03-30
GLASS STALKSBACk
Charges That Enemies Falsified
the Records.
Tells Governor Stubbs About
Tax Commission.
RAPS HIS ACCUSERS.
Denies That He Favored Cor
pOratiOns i'm Assessments.
Remembers WyandOtte Officials
in Final Statement.

Judge w. S. Glass has given out thu
following statement in reply to Cover
nor Stubbs' latest manifesto on the
state tax commission squabble:
1.-The action of Governor Stubbs in
publishing the letters of Keplinger and
Trickett and A. J. Huffman of date
March q, 1911, (note the date on which
the serious complaints were fled, con-
cerning Mr.. drummer and myself.
places him in the position of vouching
for the truth of the statements therein
contained. In consideration of the fore
! going fact, 1 shall treat Mr.. Stubbs as
principal in the libelous letters.
Does he imagine that he is immune
| from the law of libel? Is he so great
| that he can set aside and refuse to be
| bound by those laws which are de-
signed not only to protect. but also to
\ restrain all men?
"A statement of the differences which
have arisen between the tax commits
sion on one hand and Joe Huffman
and his attorneys on the other as to
railroad assessments in Wyandotte
county will suffice to nail down good
| and tight the charges of Mr.. Stubbs.
| will first deal with the charge that
| in connection with the assessment OF
railroad properties in Wyandotte coun-
| ty-'Judge Glass argued the railroads
case as though he their paid attor-
1
| How Railroads Are 'sValued.'
| "a brief explanation of the method
| used by the commission in it's work OF
determining the value of railroads in
4 Kansas for purposes of taxation and
| of the manner in which those values
| are distributed after they have been
| ascertained and fixed is necessary to
i enable persons unfamiliar Herewith
to appreciate what will follow. Each
| railway company is required annually
| to file in the office of the tax commits
sion a verified return setting forth a
full statement of the property of the
company, it's value and where located.
| With this return and such other data
as it may possess before it, the tax
commission determines and fixes the
II total value for purposes of taxation in
kansas, of the property of the com
pany used in the daily operation of its
road. The commission, after having as
certained the unit or total value OF the
property of any given railway COM
pany. must distribute to each taxing
district in which any portion of such
property is located its rightful share of
the total value as fixed and determin-
ed by the commission. This is an ardu-
GUS and serious task, involving as it
does the equitable apportionment of
values among the several counties and
taxing districts in which property OF
the company to be assessed is located.
This work requires the closest atten-
ton to details and the exercise of the
highest judgment on the part of the
been correctly performed the entire
unit value of the road, as in~the first
instance ascertained and fixed by the
| commission, will have been absorbed
by and assigned to the several counties
entitled thereto. 1t is apparent that IL
the work is equitably and fairly done.
: each county will receive its share Of
, the taxable value of the property of
| the company, but that If any county
is given more in the distribution than
that to which it is entitled, other
/, counties must be robbed of portion
of their share.
'"The board of county commissioners
of Wyandotte county in person and by
its attorneys have appeared regularly
each year since the creation Of the
tax commission to object to the portion
of the value of each railway company
p which the commission assigned to
Wyandotte county and to Kansas City,
Kan.
How He Offended Hoffman.
"I do not now recall that the off,
: GERS or attorneys of any other county
I I in Kansas ever attempted to influence
. = the tax commission in it's work Of dis
? tributing railway values but Wyandotte
instincts of Joe Huffman, was always
q on hand demanding bigger share Of
: the values. 1t appears from the last
publication of Mr.. Stubbs that Joe
: is still engaged in his sandbagging
campaign to secure more pork for
q Wyandotte county. VIII he succeed
; under the new commission? In the dis
: tribution of values after the total is
once fixed, the railroad companies have
little or no interest. but the different
counties and taxing districts of the
state are vitality interested therein. It
was in this connection that I offended
the Honorable Joseph Hoffman and it
| was here that Judge Glass argued the
n railroad case (for the unrepresented
counties and taxing districts) as
though he was their paid attorney
| to the end that fair, just and eQuita-
h BILE apportionment and distribution Of
n values might stand Wyandotte coun-
s. ty was refused relief for the reason
e that every dollar which might be ad-
/ ded to her assessment rolls of neces-
e sity must be taken from some other
i county's portion.
Is 81 take pride in the fact that every
IS member of the board, including Chair
# man kindly issue certificate of good
e character, at every hearing granted to
y the representatives of Wyandotte
county. stood for a fair and equitable
apportionment and against granting to
joe Huffman his unfair demand-un-
fair not as against the railroads but
against the other counties of the state.
n ers of the state of Kansas as endors-
ing Joe Humans demands and IA
voring the turning over to Wyandotte
county Of immense railway values to
be distributed over the whole state
- Kansas voters stick pin in this fact
m Dares GOV. Stubbs.
,f Now dare Mr.. Stubs to do di-
k rectIy what he has done indirectly,
a viz, come out and say that Joe Huff
i, mans demands of the tax commission
st were just and fair and should have
IL =.