The Harrison times., 1912-07-27
NUMBER 4.

ATTY pCu' NOl WOuut are lClHlHR
from politics, at least temporarily,
and their most intimate friends do
not know when they will get into
the game again, even if they know
themselves. So they were not in
terested in the selection of partisans,
and with Secretary of State Hodges
were concerned solely in the selec-
ton of good men in the various
counties, The result seems to have
been satisfactory, as there have been
few complaints, if any.
Back tax and antitrust suits are
just now having a great vogue in
Arkansas, and the advantages have
been with the state up to the pres
ent time, In several instances cor
porations have pleaded guilty and
paid the penalties promising to be
good in the future. A number Of
important SUITS have been filed that
will be stubbornly contested. Spec
ial counsel is being appointed over
the state, and many other suits are
to be filed,
1t is expected there will be at least
fifty suits for back taxes, upon in
formation furnished by the State
Tax Commission When an, indi-
vidual has paid his taxes on an as
sessment made by the proper au-
thority, he cannot be held liable for
any error he may have made. But
not so with corporation In some
of the suits brought it is shown that
there have been unreasonably low
or even fundulent assessments made
rs long as ten years ago, and suits
are brought to recover the tax on
the excess
The statement has been made that
there is enough back taxes due the
state, if collected, almost TO run the
government Suits are to be
brought against all corporations
found to be in arrears Recently
back taxes amounting to $4,000
were collected from insurance COM
panies, Judgement was secured
against the Iron Mountain in Little
Rock for $500 on two lots that
had not been assessed, and 81 200
was collected from the same com
pany on unassesscd sidetracts in
TcXarkana Suits were recently
brought in Little Rock against local
trust and construction companies
for an aggregate of Sl76S0 80 due
on erroneous assessments for the
years l0O3.l000 inclusive,
The Helena Water Company has
been sued for Sl0,2l3 62, alleged to
be due for a period Of ten years.
The company was assessed at $12,-
6l5 in 1901, and it is alleged that
the assessment should have ranged
from Sl5O,000 III 1901 to 1915, 900
in 1911. Suits have also been
brought at Helena against the
Louisville, New Orleans and Texas
Railroad for SlS,33t4l, and
against the Singer Sewing Machine
Company,
The largest pending amount sued
for is Si6O, 255G2, which the state
alleges is due from the Little Rock
Railway aud Electric Co, which
will contest the payment Of u single
cent of back taxes. The Allen.West
Commission Co, is sued for S2l,-
1896, and the Lesscr.Goldman
Company for S25,26l,25 A suit
for the collection of Sl,l5000 from
the Memphis Bridge Company was
decided adversely to the state by
Special Chancellor at Marion, and
isnow pending an appeal in the Ar
kansas Supreme Court
Consent Judgment was recently
taken at Van Burrn against the
Arkansas Cotton OF Co, for 500
600, on a suit alleging that it was a
member of Il combine IN restraint OF
trade, in violation Of the antitrust
law Similar suits against the Dixie
Cotton oil Co, and the Southern
Cotton oil Co, will be tried at
Bonneville in August The Western
Union and the Postal Telegraph aud
Gable Companies have been made
defendants IN antitrust suits fled nt
Newport, for u few millions in pen
altics, alleging that they have shut
competing companies out of many
cities Of the state. The Waters
Pierce Co, has bcca sued at Fort
Smith for S2ls,O0O penalties, and
packing companies have been sued
N the same court for an aggregate
penalty of S3l2,OOO, The maxi
mum penalty Is $4,000 u day aud
forfeiture Of charter