The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-02-10
TAXES IN KANSAS

Editor State Journal:
The tax dodgers are making the
taxes so high in this country. that
the visible property that can not es-
cape taxation cannot bear the expense
any longer.
There are at least twenty million
dollars worth of mortgages in the reg
lister of deed S office in Atchison coun~
ty that were not on the tax roll and
under our present state laws we could
not touch it. In the first place We
cannot tax mortgages held by banks.
So the money lender takes his money
to his banker and lets him take these
mortgages, have them recorded in the
name of the bank and gives the real
money lender a small receipt for it.
Then again we have a state law that
exempts all mortgages out of the state
from taxation and also all notes and
bonds. The big financier and also the
small ones either loan their money
out of the state, or put 1t in some as
sumed name. out of the state, and the
mortgages are made in the state and
originally belong to the party living
in it, but escape taxation. There
are enough mortgages in the register
of deeds office in Atchison county
that are not on the tax roll, to pay
the county's taxes alone.
u don't blame the tax dodger a bit.
He stays within the law he is just
is the man that has made our pres
ent laws Why should he want it
changed? If good man should run
as a candidate in favor of having our
present state tax laws changed, the
old time politician would call him an
l. w. w, or an n. P. L.
This money can easily be gotten. If
every state would tax its own money
and mortgages, regardless of who it
belonged to or what state it came
from. then the money lender would
not have such a high taxation and
would not be scared so much to give
it in. AS it is. what a man does give
in is taxed so high that he hasn't any
thing left, so he, as it is. puts it where
the law cannot touch it and escapes
all of it.
What we need to reduce taxes are
real men in our legislative halls
men that are not afraid to do the
right thing and back it with all their
power, and when elected will stand
for laws that are foF-the people and
by the people.
I am farmer of Atchison county
and have farmed here all of my life.
The farm 1 own could have been
rented five years ago for less money
than the taxes are on it now, and all
products were higher then than now.
On all other lines of business a per-
son pays taxes on only what they are
n
farmer may buy a piece of land for
$4,000. Well say he had only ST.
900 to pay down on it. He is only
worth $4,000 but pays taxes on the
full amount. The mortgage holder,
if honest, gives it in and pays an
other tax on it. Then again. I may
have 1000 bushels of wheat in stor-
age and when the assessor comes
around he taxes it.. I may have that
many dollars worth OF Indebtedness
against it; he doesn't ask me about
it. That is really not my money but
l pay taxes on it just the same. And
so it is all the way along as we go.
The farmer has got TO look after his
interests from now on if he gets any,
looked after
I would like to see a good man run
for governor that would be in favor of
such a law; in favor of putting all of
our county money on the tax list in
stead of just one-half of 1t. Until
such a law can be passed, we farm
ers can have meetings all we want to;
it will be time wasted and more mon
ey spent. From an Atchison county
farmer,
GUS SCHUBERT.
Arlington, Kan.