Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1913-03-20
Raised instead Of Reducing Tax -
They Promised.
WAS A BIG CAMPAIGN SLOGAN
Have Taken Profits from Irvine Fac
tory Made Under Republicans
To Help Meet Expense
OF State.


cratic legislature OF 1918. elected
upon q pledge to reduce state taxes,
appropriated half million dollars
more than did the Republican leg
islature two years ago. Here are
the figures:
Appropriations, 1s13....~$S,S7O,4SO
Appropriations, 1S11..,-... S,S75,SsS
Increase for 1S13....-.. 494,647
Not only did the Democratic leg
islature, which quit business last
night. appropriate more than its Re-
publican predecessor. but 1t author
lied the collection by direct levy OF
$1,000, 900, the same amount that
was authorized by the legislature
two years ago.
The Democrats find themselves. in
THIS situation notwithstanding the
fact that they have utilized every
means to bring revenue into the
state treasury outside of the regular
ltax levy. The legislature passed the
corporation tar bill on the theory
THAT It would be a heavy revenue
producer; It passed the sand bill,
(which II IL estimated will bring
5000, 900 annually into the state
Treasury. 1t passed the automobile
REGISTRATION bill, which will collect
a tax of IS per year on every auto
mobile in the state. It appropriated
from half a dozen revolving funds
Ito the general fund, taking $4,000
lof the profits that have been &C
crued under the Republican manages
ment at the penitentiary twine plant,
and placing 1t in the general fund,
where it can be spent instead Of tar
. money.
Notwithstanding all these make.
shifts the Democrats have been fore
. ed to authorize the state tax com.
mission to collect the same amount
by direct taxation that was authoriz
: ed two years ago by a Republican
! legislature.
The Democratic campaign wa
made almost solely upon an ecohom!
platform. Democratic speakers de
clared to audiences all over thu
state that they could and would re
Iduce state taxes. They charged thu
Republicans with extravaganza In ev
: cry form and they made a winning
a fight. They have had free han'
9 for sixty days and the result i
i shown in figures above.
q when j. w. Carnahan OF Cha.
county jokingly asked Speaker BrowI
> to explain the situation yesterday
t the speaker pointed to the $176,OO'
n appropriation made for Memoria
Q hall the $AkA, COO appropriation o
y text books, the 4f8s,OOt approprie
b Ition made for irrigation in western
Z Kansas and to other appropriation
d he referred to as '.eutras."
Every legislature has its extras,
land the session Of 1911, the las
Republican session, and the one com
plained Of by the Democrats in thei
campaign, was no exception. Where
las the present Legislature appropriat
; ed SITS 900 for the Memorial hall
1.-THE legislature. OF 1911 appropriate
$29O, 900 for that purpose. In ad
dition to trpt, the legislature o
1911 appropriated 100000 for
new state insane hospital at Larne
and made an appropriation for a
insane hospital at the state peniten
tiary. 1t made appropriations TO
new buildings at number OF stat
institutions.
The Democratic legislature ha
mot appropriated money for singl
building at the state institutions
1T. has appropriated only for main
tenance and repairs, but its tota
} appropriation is half million dol
liars greater than the appropriate
1.-Two years ago. which also include
"extras" for greater amount tina
for the present session.
The Republican members OF tn
! house and senate are we'll satisfied
j They have no explaining to do /
connection with appropriations, The
propose to sit tight and watch tn
! Democrats, elected on retrench
!. nant nIatform axulain away til