Year: 1868

To TIE HONORABLE THE SENATE AND

 HoUsE OF REPRESENTATIVES, OF AR

 KANSAS.

 From the new tax law passed during your recent session, it appears that the taxes have been greatly increased by adding new subjects of taxation, by making new lcvies for extraordinary purposes and by making provision for new assessment. from which the rev. enue to be derived for the year 1868, even according to the moderate esti- mate of Treasurer Page, will amount to S600,000, not including the school tax of one-tenth per cent, nor the poll tax for school purposes of one dollar, which will amount to about S150000 more, making, together, the sum of $750,000 for State purposes alone. to say nothing about county, town and local railroad taxes, and the United States internal revenue taxes and li- censes, which together will amount to at least S1, ,750.000,000, altogether mak- ing the enormous sum of $2,500,000- ten times more than the government ever cost before.

 The above estimates arc based upon moderate valuations, but if the asses sors fix high values and succeed in ob- taining to the fullest extent all the sub- jects of taxation contemplated by the law, the amount of taxes may be much more than those estimated.

 Now, when we are poor, after the capital and wealth of the State have been swept away by war, while we are prostrate and struggling against want and advcrsity, to be required to main- tain government so very costly and so many times more expensive than when we were rich, is unreasonable and ought not to be demanded of us.

 At time when there is so much need of economy, when the people are des- pondent and in distress, and all the great interests of the State are droop- ing under the baleful influences of dis quietude and distrust, we had expect cd moderation and forbearanee. We still hope you will deal fairly and leni- ontly with the people, and with pa triotism which rises above passion and party, and a ststesmsnship that looks beyond to-day, endeavor by every means at your command to restore our distracted country to her former con dition of peace, happiness and pros perity.

 Independent of our present inability to pay high taxes, there is another wcighty reason why they should not be imposed at this time, and that is, if they are, it will be as eficc.ual bar to immigration as an embargo is to com merce. Every intelligent farmer, me chanic and capitalist from other States or from foreign countries seeking homes or investments, will shun us as they would the plague, and our cheap lands. rich soils and the other varied resources of the State will weigh as nothing against such a policy. They will go where rents and the profits of labor and capital are not so completely absorbed by taxation.

 For these reasons we respectfully ask that the tax and assessment law be modified, and that the expenses of the government, in every department, be curtailcd where it can be done without serious detrimcnt to tine public inter est, and that every expenditure ofmon ey that is not absolutely necessary be forbid.

 lift is true that the expenses of the late Convention have already been paid, why impose tax of one-fourth per cent. for that purpose? Will you not, then, abolish this tax?

 We ask that the militia tax be abol- ishcd, because we believe it is unne- cessary and impolitic, calculated rather to disturb the public peace than to quiet it.

 We ask that all superfluous offices under the law establishing system of public instruction be abolished, and the money intended as salaries there for be applied to the maintenance Of more schools.

 We ask that the salaries and fees of office, which have lately been increas- ed. bc reduced to rate to suit the exi- gencies of the times.

 We ask that the number of Supreme Judges be reduced to three, a number that experience has proven to be suiii- cient for all the ends of justice and dis patch of business.

 We ask that the public printing be let to the lowest responsible loyal bid der.

 We ask that the annual maximum rates of taqatiou be fixed as follows;

 To pay the ordinary current expen- ses of the State, not to exceed one fourth per cent. to pay interest on State debt and liquidate the same grad uallv, not to exceed one-fourth per cent. to defray the necessary current expense of each county, not to exceed one-half per cent. to pay interest on county debt rate per cent. sufficient to pay such interest and no more' to pay for rigldly economical admins tration of the affairs of cities and towns. and to pay interest on any debt they may owe. not to exceed one per cent.

 By Initiating taxation to these rates by permitting them 10 remain so Tor 2 year or two, or until the country has had tima to recunerate. and by allowing