The Forrest City times., 1899-01-20

since been presented for payment at
the treasury. or used in payment OF
taxes. l am. myself, disposed to be-
lieve that the debt on the books Is due
| 20 careless bookkeeping on the part
of some of our former treasurers. and
that the debt does not in fact really
exist The remainder of the indebted
ness ms shown In the schedule No. /,
consists of state bonds belonging to
the permanent school fund. 18th sec
ton fund and the Arkansas Industrial
University, or perhaps more properly
to the county of Washington.
After the adjournment OF the regular
session of the last general assembly.
the Fifty-fourth congress of the United
States having failed to approve the
settlement made by Governor Clarke
upon the part of the state, and the sec
retaries of the treasury and interior
upon the part of the United States, |
felt 1t TO be my duty to take the neces-
sary steps to carry into execution the
provision of the statute approved April
8, 1889, entitled, An act to authorize
the governor to compromise and adjust,
| prosecute and secure all claims of the
state of Arkansas against the United
States for lands heretofore granted.
and all other claims under existing
or future laws, and for other purposes"
Section Of said act provides. that in
exercising and carrying out the powers
conferred by this act, the governor
may, under written contract, employ
attorneys or agents TO act for the state
in prosecuting any claim, or in locating
and selecting any lands due the state.
and such attorneys o. agents 10 lie
compensated in a measure to be stip-
uiaied IN such cnu -;ta 5 AMI paid OFT
of the proceeds Of any claim prose
cuted by them, whether in land. land
scrip, money, or other thing. in kind
or in money received from the sale of
land. land scrip. or other thing re-
covered or secured to the state. not ex-
ceeding, however, % per cent of the
amount recovered. Provided. that the
state shall in 40 event become liable
for any costs in the preparation or
| prosecution of any claim. or action. or
| for any expense il selecting any lands,
or locating any scrip, except as herein
| provided
| Acting under this power / entered in
| to written contract, of late April 16
| 1897, with Ex-Governor James =.
Clarke. ON account of his well known
ability as lawyer and his perfect
| familiarity with the matter, to do all
| and singular those acts and things
which an agent and attorney was. by
said act and the laws of the state. au-
thoriZed to do in connection with
final adjustment of any and all the
matters then In dispute between the
state and the United States and certain
railroad corporations of the state: to
prosecute in any court, or tribunal. ar
claim which the state then had. or
might be entitled to for the recovery
of the possession of eny land not held
| by innocent purchasers thereof. and
IN such cases TO pursue the person or
corporation so wrongfully receiving
said purchase money belonging to the
state TO recover the same. as we'll as to
recover for and secure to the state any
lands, land scrip, securities, money, or
other thing of value, either from the
| United States or the said railroad cor
poratlons. 1t was expressly stipulated
in said contract that any proceedings
taken by said attorney should not i'm
| pose upon the state any liability for
! costs, or expenses, and that said at
| torney should have no authority to con-
clude any compromise or settlement
without having submitted the same to
the governor for his approval, as pro-
vided in the laws of the state: hut that
any settlement or compromise other
wise brought about or effected without
the cooperation of said attorney should
not have the effect of depriving him
of compensation for the services be
might render. which compensation
should be paid in kind as mentioned in
said act, but in no event to exceed %
per cent of the value so recovered or
surrendered.
Governor Clarke thereafter pro-
ceeded to execute the duties imposed
upon him by said contract and had pro-
crossed so far as to encourage the be-
lief Ii l;in ana in myself t'iit q fair
and reasonable compromise with the
railroad corporations concerned would
be effected, when the Fifty-fifth COP.
gress of the United States assembled
and the senators and representatives of
the state therein assented to and
pressed 10 its passage the act of con-
gress which confirmed the settlement
made by Governor Clarke and the sec
retaries of the treasury and Interior
with what is commonly known as the
Meiklejohn amendment thereto. As is
well known this Meikleiho.l amend
ment oblig; ted the state to surrender
all claims 10 the lands in dispute be-
tween the state and the railroad cor
porations. amounting TO 273.0O0 acres
| did not believe in the justice or the
policy of this amendment. nor do |
now believe in it. lecause il gave
away without any consideration. what
ever. $4,000 acres of the st@te's val
liable lands to understanding railroad
corporations: but inasmuch as the gen
eral assembly Of the state at its last
regular session, sanctioned ii by con-
current resolution, over my objections.
and the senators and representatives
of the state voted for and secured its
passage through the congress of the
United States, there was no course left
for me to pursue, except to yield unwil-
ling consent and let the settlement he