The Van Buren press., 1903-12-05
Judge Gross Was Right.

Gross. IN cancelllng the scrip ln'tnueu
for bridge purposes, without authority,
left the unthiaking to believe that the
action of Judge Gross WAS Illegal and
open to censure The object of the com
missiOners in so doing is not plain The
question of the legality of the act had
never been raised and it looked as II
the intention was to reflect upon the
court in anything but favorable light.
Those unfavorable to Judge Gross
were not losing any time ia repeating
that portion of the report until the stten-
tiOn of Judge Evans wac called to 1t,
who, while in charging the grand jury,
referred to it, declaring that II Judge
Gross had not cancelled tbs scrip he
would have failed 10 the discharge of
his duty. 1t is to be hoped that those
who were 80 quick to censnre the of
fetal acts of Judge Gross will realize
that they acted hastily and unwisely,
for certainly none can doubt the ruling
Of Judge Evans in the matter,
Belmont, Ark, Dec. /, 1903
EDITOR PRESS:
In referring to the above article from
last weeks Argus, - the editor leaves
the impression that the Commissioners
of Accounts stated in their report to
Judge Evans, that the action of Judge
Gross in cancelling the scrip collected
from the tax payers for bridge purpos-
es. was without authority. The
commissioners did not state this, and If the
esteemed Argus will only examine the
report closely it will see that the com
missioners made no comment whatever.
THE Argus further says that the
object of the commissioners in so doing
is not plain, and that 1t left the
unthinking to believe that the action Of
Judge Gross was illegal and open to
censure. The object Of the commission
ers WAS to do under oath that which the
statute required of them, and in the
treasurers accounts they found an item
of 1887 30 collected by the sheriff from
the tax payers for the specific purpose
to build Alma and Rudy bridges, in
accordance with the provisions of the
quorum court Of 1902. The item showed
the amount placed in the treasury in
County warrants. In looking for the
credit of the treasurer for this amount
the commissioners found that he did
not pay it ont for the bridges named but
that the county judge had cancelled the
fund, and the commissioners so stated ,
without any comment, for they did not
know but what our county judge might
REISSUE the amount at proper time
and replace it. | do not know who the
editor Of The Argus refers to as the
unthinking' but suppose he means
the majority of the tax payers Gnclud-
ing the commissioners who IN an "un-
thinking way look at the item on their
last tax receipts Bridges It mills, -
aud then wonder how money can be
forced from their regular channels Of
taxation for specific purpose of the much
needed bridges, and then break faith
with these same 'nnthinking' tax
payers and not give them that for uhich
they had paid, nor refund them their
money,
Judge Gross stated to the members
Of the last quorum court: Gentlemen
have cancelled that scrip and the
county is no worse OFF for it, " That is
true, but il it was collected in county
warrants, was that not the property of
indivduals2 Did the county have u
right to draw this amount from individ-
uals under pretense of building two
bridges and then retire the amount
without so doingr
II may be true that the more scrip Is
retired the more the value is enhanced
Of the amount left in circulation, and
the holder Of such enhanced scrip Is
benefited accordingly, but | will ask
the editor of the Argus II this is the
right way TO retire it, II so just have
the next quorum court repeat the pre-
formanue Of 1902, In larger doses, say
about $40 900, and you will have no
more county indebtedness aaoat The
esteemed Argus having put the stamp
Of justification on this little transac
ton, says; 1t is to be hoped that
those who were 80 quick 10 censure the
official acts Of Judge Gross will realize
that they have acted hastily and IN.
wisely. - On yes, no doubts o; that +,
and we confidently expect The Argus
to procure the necessary apology, At
least from the thinking ones, But II the
editor Of The Argus wishes to enlighten
the "mthtnking" class Of tax payers, be
must 90 into particulars and make a
much clearer case, for to the aforesaid
~ CWk . n