Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-04-08
To the Democrats of Jefferson coun-

ty:
 In the Press Eagle of the 31st ult., my opponent, Mir. Edgar Brewster, publishes long article in which he makes labored effort to show that in the matter of collecting the reve- nue the administration of the Collect or's office by h4y Republican pred ecessor, Dr. A. G. Thompson, was more efficient than my own, and from this he deduets the remarkable conclusion that he, Brewster. should be nominated for Sheriff by the Dem- ocratic party in preference to myself. Waiying this question, however, I shall now proceed to let little of the daylight of truth through Mir. Brewster's artfully prepared "Com- parative Statement" and beg your careful consideration of the following facts:
 In the first place, the tables of fig ures were prepared by Mir. Brewster himself, and after having been check ed over were certified as correct by Deputy Clerk Sallee. AS soon as they were published it became apparent that in the table headed Annual Settlement of A. q. Thompson, Col. leGtor, made and approved July 20, 1891, Of all revenues collected from July I, 1893, to July 1, 1895" Mr Brewster had made mistake @ in his own favor of $5,9l0.12 In this statement Dr. Thompson is credited with a collection of:
 District school S37 ,453 g And also with poll taxes.... 5,562 09 Assessors penalty y.............. 37S 03 when the truth, as shown by the records, and attested by the follow ing certificate of the County Clerk, is that tLe latter two items, amount ing to $5,94O.12, are included in the former, thus making a double credit for that amount;
 PINE BLUFF, Ark, April 1, 1896.
 l hereby certify that in former statement taken from the records in my office by Edgar Brewster, and published in the Press Eagle of Mch. 3l, there was an error in the credit of polls and school fund penalty of s, ,94012. This amount was included in the item $37 ,454. .32, district school year 1893, and should have been left off the statement.
 l.. T. SALLEE, D. C.
 Deducting this error of $5,940.12 from the total of $153, ,693.7S, leaves the correct total $147, ,753 66, which, according to his own figures. leaves a balance in my favor of $1 ,433, ,16.
 Mr. Brewster's attention was at once called to this error both by Mir. Sallee and myself, butup to this time Saturday noon) he has refused to take any step toward correcting it, and. as l am informed, continues to circulate these false figures. Demo- erats can form their own opinions as to the fairness of sueh conduct.
 But, as a practical fact, the total amount of collection of revenue from real property has no bearing what ever OH the efficiency of the officer. The tax on real estate collects itself, so to speak. The Collectors duties are fixed by mandatory laws, and he has no discretion in the matter what ever. If the tax on land is not paid the law makes it the duty of the Col lector to sell it at public auction, and if no one bids it is struck off to the State. Any man with sense enough to regulate the running gear of a duck's nest can appreciate truth and further argument on this point is useless. However, fest Mir. Brew ster should say that l have left any part of his distorted array of figures unanswered, will review his com parison in detail.
 Referring to his sixth table, or statement" Mir. Brewster shows that the total collections made by Dr. Thompson from Nov. l, 1892 tc July 1, 1893, amounted to $l42, 732.04. This was his first year in of flee. His eighth table shows that fol the same period during my first year to-wit. from Nov. l, 1891, to July l 1895, my total collections amounted to $149, 1862. If his own figures ar' correct, the balance in my favor is
 $6, ,454. IS.
 But this is not all MT. Brewstel is careful not to mention the fac that the assessment or valuation 0 the real and personal property of tn county for 1892 (Thompson) wal S372. OH greater than that of lsO' fTriplett). and of course the yolum , of taxes was correspondingiy in creased. This prove by the follow
 ing certificate;