The Mena weekly star., 1910-08-18
RAIN CUT SHORT
 HATFIELD PICNIC
u...a,.as Gathered iu Grove to Hear Speakers, Visit and Feast Ball Game Spoiled by
 Dow1pour.

Last Wednesday began like an iaeai .vfr q gathering in the woods such .. the people of Hatfield had planned. r..,v all was ready for the coming of ..o hundreds. who in Sunday best" .,;re came in by wagon and carriage ss' s'0m all directions. A big American sos flying from tall staff at the ..bool house made an attractive mar Lar sbowing the center eff the festivi- .;as and here the visitors gathered.
 C,u the grounds were circle swings. oold drink stands and the ever present doll baby rack, where the youth of the ,and practiced at throwing, perhaps s,tipd themselves for famous ball players in later years.
 A speakers stand had been provid- ed together with seats for the audi orce and about il o'clock the W. o. " hand of Cove sent forth to the hundreds strains of music that drew them within range of the voices of the speakers.
 Prof Joe Allen first introduced W. M Pipkin, Democratic nominee for penresentative from Polk county.
 MT. Pipkin made no effort at fiowery soeech making. but with few words oot reht down to iron tacks on what he believed constituted the duties of a representative of Polk county in the state legislative.
 MT. Pipkin said that in the early days of Polk county. before the com ine of the railroad, the fee system, as related to the county officers was all riebt. He stated that at that time the reward of the sheriff-collector did not exceed $500 a year, and other of fees in about the same proportion. Now since the large increase in tax able property, the same fee system then in force brought the sheriff, cir cult clerk and county clerk approxi- mately S3, 800 an year each. which, he ccntended. was far in excess of what the duties of the officers justi- fed. He thought that the assessors office, now paying about $l .000 year and requiring but three months work, could be just as efficiently filled for $500. He proposed. if elected, to use his utmost endeavors to have law passed that would place all these of fcers on a salary basis and have all fees paid directly into the county treasury. He took the offices up one by one, compared the recompense now received with that received by men equally efficient in commercial posi- tions, and showed that splendid salar- les could be paid to each officer and yet save the people at least $6.000 each year.
 He further stated that. as the pres ent holders of these offices had con- tracted for them under the present conditions, as will also the next In- coming officials, he did not propose to undertake to violate such contracts, and would undertake to have the pro- posed law go into effect two years hence.
 Mir Pipkin then explained the pres- ent cumbersome method of making the tax books of the counties. and said changes could be made with no loss to any one that would save in each county in the state at least S4O0 year. or the hand some sum of $50. .000 to the state, change which. he felt. if he were able to effect would alone well justify his eiectlon as representative. In this connection Mir. Pipkin not only based ms ideas on his own knowledge, se- cured while county clerk, but stated that W. L. Parker. the present holder Of the office. coincided with him in the matter.
 The speaker expressed his hearty approval of the state tax commission, winch last year succeeded in placing on the tax books 50 million dollars in pfoperty.mostly of wealthy people and 'oncerns, which had previously dodged .nelf just share of the burdens, there '0se making the burdens of the poor ana honest men greater. He said he proposed to assist Governor Donaehey ana others in upholding the work of "e commission in keeping this prop e''y on the tax books. (In this con acc'ion, 1t IS worth stating that the 'aA commission stated that Polk .ounty was one that was paying it's ,u'' snare. The counties in which are 'a,se cities, such as Pulaski, Sebas- 'aln' Garland and Miller are the ones mat have shirked more than half their burdens oftaxation-Editor).
 MT Blnktr, aa.I l. :