The Green Forest tribune., 1911-11-17

l Will not m Cn1S afIlcIe Cfy to eldD- crate upon the Turner-J acobson Bill. 1 will not try to write of it's superior merits, or dwell upon it's numerous de- fleets. It has both. The people will hear it analysed in the coming cam paign before the March primaries. One aspirant for office may tell the people that the Turner-J acobson Bill is a panacea for all of the ills of the state and the Lord knows there are many; while the other may tell them that it is direct thrust at the down-trodden sons of toll who are already taxed to the limit.
 It will no doubt be presented to you as a great drama in which the leading characters will be the over-burdened taxpayers and the tax dodgers. It will depend altogether whose tent you go into as to winch of these characters will be the ring. In this as well as other shows you want to keep your eye on the ring-master, and be sure that you do not play the part of the clown yourself
 But. above the din of the hustings; back of your favorite candidate for governor, or other state officials, there will rise to the sight and knowledge of those not blinded by partisan prejudice and ineXcusable ignorance, condition in Arkansas financial affairs, to say nothing of the practical workings of her most infamous election laws in many high places, that should cause them to halt, hestiCate and consider seriously the conditions as they now actually exist and look about for a remedy.
 In time of unparalleled prosperity far removed from war or disaster, Arkansas finds herself on a scrip basis with only b cents in the general reve- nue fund. Verify he was a prophet who said more than two years ago, Arkansas is jam up against bank Why this condition? Why the as sessed valuation of the state only S381, 900, GOO? Why a higher tax rate than in all the states history, the period immediately following the civil war not excepted, when more had to be done and less to do it with than in any crisis the state has yet faced.
 The federal census of 1910 shows that | Arkansas has property values to the extent of S1, 700, GOO, GOO, or more than four times as much as shown by the returns of the assessors and the cen 1 sorship of the equalization boards. l Where is the $1, 319, 900, GOO not ae- counted for? Is it in the hands of the 'spoor man, or in the hidden pos sessions of the tax dodger? Let those who would justify Arkansas present revenue laws answer.
 These are questions upon which the people are not really ignorant. They can, as rule, give a satisfactory an swer to any Of these questions and car suggest probable remedy 35i days in ! the year. But at the end Of heated campaign, after an exhibition of the "bloody shirt" and the ghosts of tic past: after listening to the past-masters in the art of arousing political prejud ice, they walk up to the polls anC | blindly vote to continue Arkansas 1T the same rut that has brought her tt 1 her present financial straits.
 do not mean to say that Arkansas ] is without men in public office today who would keep the state in this pligh out l do mean to say that such men art seemingly, not iD the majority.
 Fer more than six years the state :! revenues have not been equal to tht | GAIJCliQL GliI " llC CllCl Illio 10 tilC S suit of a poor revenue law, or the re suit of needless and wreckless expendi lures, or the result of both, it does no effect the figures in the deficit column As Grover Cleveland said it is q condi ton and not a theory. 1t is self ! evident proposition that either the ta2 rate must be increased or more prop erty must be placed upon the tax books Even the application of simple econom, l will net wipe ont the deficit that nov exists.
 Notwithstanding the fact that Cover nor Donaghey vetoed items in the varl ous appropriations bills of the 1909 ant 1911 sessions of the legislature, amount ing to more than Sl, 000, coo, the stat, today is facing million dollar deficit
 Seeking to remedy the state reVenu system, the legislature of 1909 createt the state tax commission, whose duty it was to inaugurate a uniform assess ment throughout the state. This com mission found that property values il some counties were assessed as low q 20 per cent, and but few of them as sessed as high as 50 per cent. The com mission also found that there were mil lions of dollars escaping taxation alto gether. To correct these evils the Ia, Commission prepared a bill to be rec commended for passage by the las
 legislature. The more salient feature of this bili had been m ade public by tn commission and was generally discuss ed by the legislative candidates in tn campaign of 1910 and early in the ses sion of 1911 the bill was introduced i the lower house and was general known as the "Bradham- Hurst Bill.
 The bili was printed and copy place in the hands ot each member and man copies sent out over the state. The bi was referred to the judiciary committee consisting of IT members and after si weeks continuous consideration the bi was reported back to the house wit something like 100 amendments wit the reccommendation that it pass a amended, and the bill passed the hous with only six or eight dissenting votes
 1t was transmitted to the senate. Tn senate referred 1t to a committee an there it slept till near the close of tn regular session when it was re-calle from the committee and tabled withou single amendment being offered,
 The bill had not been seen in the SCI ate very long until it was currently re ported that the senate would not pass ii or even try to amend it, or otherwis amend the present inequalities of tn revenue law The feeling grew tha undue influences had been used in tn senate to defeat the bill until it migh be sad that the relations between tw bodies became somewhat strained,
 and an insurgent element in the senat was now and then in evidence.
 About one week before the reguia session adjourned Senator Keel passe through the senate bill providing for straight raise in the present state levy It came to the house. On account c