The Mena weekly star., 1908-08-20
ADAMS=PRICkETT
 DEBATE WAS WARM
prickett, Charged with Irregularities, Replies by Showing Results of His Administration Adams Inter-
 rupted by Questions.

Adams, Democratic and lnde. nendent candidates for county judge, respectively, was largely attended a d. proved to be quite exciting. Al times there was considerable feeling shown, but contrary to what would naturally be expected the strongest feelings and most exciting passages of words came between MT. Adams and parties in the audience and between private individuals them selves.
 The candidates, apparently C. customed to hearing harsh charges, maintained their good humor while the charges were re- sented by the sympathizers of each,
 Mir. Adams opened his address by stating that he was not run. ming in opposition 10 the Demo- cratic party; that he was an inde- pendent Democrat. 'If you want il plain, I am not liqlor Demo- crat," he said.
 He then began hls assault on the record of the county judge, devoting large portion of his time to the steel bridges and the poor farm, charging that not one of the bridges had been built &C., cording to the statutes and that tbe statutes were being violated by Judge Prickett ia allowing warrants for the support of pau pers outside of the poor farm. MT. Adams read extensively from the statutes reg ardiug provisions for the building of bridges and showed that the making of plans and specifications, posting same in each township advertising for bids and manner of letting con- tracts had not been done accord ing to the statutes.
 Further he charged irregulari- ty in allowing warrants, ciaim- ing that they were not sufficient ly itemized. He read one warrant in which it was shown that $490.- 04 had been paid pr. Parks on pauper fund. Dr. Parks was present and took exceptions to the statement, saying If proper investigation was made 1t would show that that warrant was not for any services or anything of that nature, but was for road warrants which be had purcha sed from road overseers who wanted money on them when there was no funds with which to pay lhem. MT. Adams replied that he was simply going by the showing on the face of the claim as allowed aud gave the number of 1t for an investigation to be made If desir. ed.
 Regarding banks and business houses making affidavits to ac- counts which they had taken ln and paid money on when some other party had furnished the material or service, 1t was as- sumed that MT. Adams charged them with perjury, and the speak CT was interrupted by Judge kel- ly, who took exceptions to the implication, causing a few quick words to be passed.
 At no time in his speech did MT. Adams openly charge Judge Pickett with graft o: corruption. He said he did not charge that the bridges were not in the right place or that they were not built at the lowest and best prlce.
 Judge Prickett in his reply ad- mitted frankly that in building Polk county's four steel bridges he had not in every detail follow ed the letter of the law, but that he had in an honest and couscien- tlous manner spent much time m vestig ating the bridge building, beginning as far back as 1905, and that he had built them m a manner 10 give the county the bes, bridges possible for the mon- ey, and defed his opponent to prove the contrary. He showed where the statutes on the ques ton had been amended and stated that all the law was not in the statute books, giving as an ex' ample where the statutes read that a guardian to sell property belonging to his ward must do so after advertising and by pubic sale, but the supreme court had rulSd that a private sale IS valid aud rot contrary to law unless trsud is shown.
 Mir. PrIckett read letters and gave figures showing where he had saved money on the bridges and how much each one had cost. He stated further that the first thing be did when he thought of building bridges Was 10 write to county judges all over the state and get their experience and tbat practically every one oi them hal huilt their bridges the