The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-01-21
Increase Since 1910 Has Been
Startling in Kansas.
In the Twelve Assessments
Gain Is 800 Per Cent.
FARMERS GOING BANKRUPT
More File Petitions in 80 Days
Than in 25 Years.
Three Counties - Including
ShaWnee-Bear Burden.

| In twelve assessment periods since
I19IO, Kansas has had an increase of
500 per cent in her tax burden. The
jump has averaged % per cent a year
since that time. When the 105 coun-
ties pay for state, county, city, town
] ship and school management for this
| year-eli eliminating several million dol
| lars indirect rev enue-the bill at the
county treasurers' office will be $75,-
| 962, 5S7.04. In 1870 the same tax
charge was $24.516,113.
1t is the 1921 tax levy that is re-
sponsible for the springing up of tax
payers Ieagues in many counties in
the state. Most of the protest is com
ing from the rural districts. 1t is
coming from the farmers who have
spent a week in Topeka and made no
effort to conceal their crouch. Prices
of farm lands, wheat, corn, hogs and
cattle have gone down and down.
/ At the same time cost of government
at the state house, at the court house
and in the city hall is more than
ever before.
More farmers have filed petitions
in voluntary bankruptcy in Kansas
in the last ninety days than at any
bought lands and stock at war prices.
They have in numerous cases lost
their original inyestm ent and the live
stock and farm lands are not bringing
enough to clean up the mortgages.
The Story by Years.
There are some rather staggering
figures in the tax reports. Looking
thru the records for twenty years isn't
bit cheering-altho the period from
1900 to 1910 shows the state was not
making altitude records in public ex-
pense. In 1901 the total levy for all
purposes in Kansas was a bit under
IA millions. For the next ten years
m of
100 per cent. Then comes the bump
of 800 per cent from 1910 to 1921.
Taxes under the 1921 levy were in
creased substantially eight million
dollars over 192O-$7,935,79S.38 to be
exact The high jump, however. was
went from $55,613,474 to $88,O26,738.
State taxes are largely responsible
for the big increase in the 1921 levy.
State taxes for the year are $S,504,-
359.09 as against $5,440. 1884 for
1920!
comparison with the total for school
and county purposes, altho the state
will raise 100000 in indirect rev.
enue during the year in addition to
it's eight and a half million direct
tax. The real effect of the state levy
for 1921 is in the fact that it is an
increase Of So per cent. over the pre-
vious year, that it is the highest levy
ever made by the state and the great
est increase for state government in
any one year in the history of Kansas.
The increase for the single year is
$50 per cent of the total state tax
for 1901. 1t is also 40 per cent of the
total increase for all purposes in the
state for the year. The general levy
including all direct taxes-average
II per cent increase. The state in
crease of 58 per cent gives to the state
$3,064,021 of the total tax increase
of 1895, 1888.
Following are the amounts which
the state has raised thru direct tax
each year since 1910-a record show
ms the net increases. for all forms of
state and local government: