The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-01-10

state officials, institutions and depart
trict courts the state printing plant and
the legislature. The state, all told. receives
ON an average, about one-tenth of the to-
tai funds raised for all purposes.
For the year 1916, the taxes reported by
the county clerks in all of the counties,
aggregated $50, 7Ss,531- 90. an increase of
nearly two million dollars The total cost
of the state government in 1916 So.
4S4,Il2- The principal expenditures were;
Educational institutions. s., rs, s03 s,
Charitable Institutions 1870. 9166I3lS
Penal institutions. .....-..-... 6ll.:'9l %
Soldiers homes. .--..-......-... A2,l1l.SH
1t is plainly evident that any genuine at
tempt at retrenchment i'll public expense
states business alone. Should you elimi-
nate entirely the expense of state govern
would reduce the taxpayers burden only
10 per cent. 1t is for this reason that the
demand grows for greater simplicity and
economy in the forms of local government
the places where 30 per cent of the taxes
But this does not give the state license
for extravaganza. You must bear in mind
that bare maintenance is costing much
more today than ever before: the high cost
of living is no respecter of state institu-
tions. The state property must be kept
in repair; there is no economy in letting it
run down and deteriorate. The high price
of labor and material may prevent erect
ing some greatly desired additions but
should not interfere with providing for ac-
tual needs. Our state institutions must
not De permitted TO fetfOSate.
The Tax-Dodging Evil.
In this connection | wish to call your at
tention to the unequal distribution of the
burden of taxation, due to the failure of
ibles for taxation. The increasing burden
of taxation is not equally distributed. 1t
is notorious that hundreds of millions of
dollars of personal property held in this
safe escape taxation altogether. Repu-
table, high minded, pubic-spirited citizens,
under the Specious plea that Everybody
tI.I1.x 4
monies, bonds securities and other in
tangibles, leaving the entire burden of
taxation to fall upon the holders of real
estate improvements, corporations, live
stock, household goods and other prop
critics exposed to the view of the assessor
IA condition unjust in itself and democrat
fzfng to the people.
The bank examiners report shows on
deposit in the banks of Kansas 100000,
to find only 500 600, 600 cash on hand in
the state. This discrepancy of .00t
does not by any means represent all the
intangible property which escapes tax
alton. 1t is but small part of it. Prob
ably a half billion dollars of personal
property is not taxed. Thousands of chat
tel and real estate mortgages are assigned
in blank for the purpose of evading taxa
ton. For taxation purposes the county
records should be made prima facie evil
dence of ownership of the mortgage. The
tax lodging problem is worthy of your
best attention.
enues, again suggest that all fees col
lected by state departments and state in
situations be turned into the general rev
enue fund of the state treasury. These
fees last year amounted to S1.560.344, and
while they were all accounted for, they
turned into the general fund and appro
priated to specific purposes by the leg1s
lature instead of being expended at the
discretion of state officials and superin
tendents of institutions.
Again 1 urge a uniform system of ac
counting for the state. the counties and
for the municipalities with an annual
audit of these accounts by the state ac'
1 recommend the county clerk be re-
quired to take and keep an invoice OF
the countys assets, including all uncol-
and description of the property upon
which it is a lien. including the name OF
the owner Also to keep a public list OF
all taxes related, the descriptions of the
property and the name of the owner. that
the public may know how much of the
taxes the county officials rebate and how
much of the rebates are just.
Extortionate Fees.
/ recommend also general and search
| ing inquiry into the matter of fees in boil
the state and local courts and in county
| court and In the case of small estates il
the. probate court, it sometimes happens
sumo the greater part of the property in
volved- The administration of justice
should not be allowed to bring hardship
upon the people, and I hope this legis
lature will carefully revise the whole fee
system.
More Practical Schools.
! The last session enacted common ida biz
| legislation in the interest of rural schools
1t greatly strengthened our school sys
TEN. Here we are making progress. Dur
! ing the last two years. more money was
| spent for school buildings and school i'm
| provements than during any similar periot
/ in our history. We now have S29OOo,oo'
/ last year spent $13,000,Oe0 for educationa
purposes. But we should not be satisfied
even with that showing. Kansas is pro
gressive. forward looking state and it i:
especially important and necessary tina
we shall not fail in "a. anS Sp particular IN ou
of Kansas the best possible educationa
| opportunities. | consider vocational train
ing of especial Importance. To that end,
ask this Legislature to give especial at
| tenton to the common schools that every
boy and girl in the. state may have the
! opportunity to acquire complete, practi
cal education that will give him an equa
chance in the world The work of stan
| further. Ampler provision should be made
for rural high schools of the practical sor
and tuition in all high schools should b.
made free for every child in the state W.
need better supervision of the schools anC
! greater facilities for teaching agriculture
manual training and domestic science. Ii
the interest of efficient citizenship. ever!
| Kansas youth should be fitted by oul
schools for the practical work of life.
urge a law be passed requiring the com
pletion of the eighth grade by every Kan
sas child.
froNlSlon Snoutu pe ihaue WHEREBY tn'
school buildings, especially in the rura
districts. may be more generally used fol-
! public purposes. They should be made rea
community centers
| | urge that the office of state superin
| tendent and of county superintendent b'
entirely removed from politics. i favor
county tax for rural schools instead of
district tax, so that all the schools of tn.
| county may be on a par as to equipmen
| and efficiency.
state Publication of Textbooks.
| The state publication of textbooks fol
use in the public schools has proved
success in Kansas and should be encour
aged and supported in every possible way
While we have not proceeded in this un
onstrate the feasibility of it as we wen
| aloLg-the state textbook commission hal
already effected great saving TO the PEG
pie. This year one million books are be
| ing published at a saving of 100000 Thu
! commission has demonstrated its abilit,
| to produce textbooks of high standard TO