Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1911-03-24
e Weather Man HS Apparently Decided Central and Western Kansas Shall Blessed With Bumper Cm this Season
Ecnoes Of the Legislature.

! Ecnoes Of the Legislature.
Although the average consti-
tuent is always finding a great
deal Of fault with the work of
the legislature as a body, yet
this condition does not seem to
exist this time to the extent that
it has at times IN the past. And
It should not. The members of
the legislature on the whole are
body. They are compelled to
pass upon a great mass of stuff
So much that there is not the
time to make a reasonable inveS-
tigatim of all bills. The only
way a member can do is to set
his mind upon some particular
line of legislation, watch it and
study it, and thus be prepared to
vote mtelligently, leaving to
some other member the privilege
of doing the same on some other
line and then being advised by
him what TO do.
The question of taxation is one
OF the meanest things a legisla-
tlre has to deal with. The mem
berS, and and especially the men,
bers of the committees on this
subject, are between two fires
constantly. The committee ON
assessment and taxation is one
OF the hardest in the unch to
serve. There are so many con-
flicting interests. They are sup
posed to devise laws which will
be equitable, which will raise
the revenue, and yet constantly
and rightly, CONFESS the kick of
high taxes. Especially has this
been true since the passage of
the new tax law.
SINE Legislation demanded by
the farmers in this line was pass
ed by the house, but stopped in
the senate. Notably the bill abOl-
ishing the office of county asses
sOr and the oard of review alto
gr.hcr. This bill. which passed
the house by a good vote, was
never reported back by the COM
mlttoe IN the senate, hence we
have the county assessor with us,
also the board Of review. but in
a modified form. An effort was
made to pass a bill providing for
the valuation of real estate every
four years. but this failed, as
did also an amendment to the
constitution providing for a re-
classification of property.
In the house the chairman of
the committee was Mr.. Keene of
Bourbon, an attorney, a first
telmer, an administration leader,
apnd one of the real leaders of
the house, Mr.. Keene is a very
strong man and labOred hard and
cOnscientiOuSly on tax legislation.
He developed into an excellent
member, ad retured to his con-
IStituants with their praises sound.
Ing in hs ear, and a boom for
governor on his hands. Mr..
Keene is big enough for governor
and made many friends during
the session.
While it did not appear that
the Legislature was paying much
attention to the subject of taxa
tiOn-except to inheritance taxes
"a number of laws were enact
ed affecting the existing laws.
Several important changes were
made in the old laws which, in
the opinion of the State tax CON-
miSSionn will greatly improve
the administration of the general
property tax law in vogue in
Kansas. They will also do much
toward enabling a nearer ap.
; prOach to the equal distribution
Of the tax burden.
Senate bill No. 354, which be.
came law early in the session
cOrrectS a serious defect in the
old law by now permitting dis.
trictS which were too large to be
assessed by one deputy assessor
within the time required by law
to be Subdivided into two OF
more districts and deputy as
SCISSORS appointed in each of The
districts so created. The law
makes provision also for the ap.
pOintment of deputy ASSESSORS
to fill vacancies, and in many
other ways will undoubtedly
prove to be a beneficial statute
House bill No. $40 is a revision
of article twelve of the code Of
assessment and taxation relating
solely TO the assessment of real