Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-05-02
HOLDS BRIDGE ACT UNCONSTITUTIONAL Judge Elliott Makes Injunc- tion Against Bridge Com
 mission Perpetual.
A DE M o MS T R ATION
Was Made in Court By Taxpayers - Will Be Appealed to the Sm-
 preme Court.

T am inclined to hold that your Free Bridge act is unconstitutional You are undertaking to do something indirectly that you cannot do drect- ly under the State Constitution. l will give you my final opinion before May g."
 This Was the oral decision handed down in the Jefferson chancery court yesterday afternoon by Judge J. M Elicit, after hearing arguments on motion filed by the Jefferson county bridge commissioners in which they sought to dissolve tem- porary injunction, issued by Judge A. B. Grace of the Jefferson circuit court, in the absence of Judge E1- liott a few weeks ago, which was SC cured by T. H. Collier, of Altheimer representing the Jefferson County Taxpayers Protective Association, an organization of anti-Free Bridge people,
 The decision of Judge Elliott's, was met with 9 storm Of applause from members of the Taxpayers associa- tion, who had crowded into the cour; room throughout the day with many who favored the bridge and the mem- bars of the Bridge Commission Judge Elliott rapped for order and declared that he would not tolerate any elk hibition of feeling in the court room At about the same time D. w. Boyce an anti-bridge man, rushed upon the bench and tried to shake hands with the jurist.
 "I don't want any of that" quickly cried Judge Elliott as he threw his hand back of him.
 The arguments required much of the day, during which Attorney Asa c. Oracle and .A H. Carmichael of Little Rock, counsel for the Tax payers, presented arguments for a peruetual injunction and Attorneys w. F. Coleman and M. Danaher, of this city, and former Congressman c. c. Reli. of little Rock, argued to dissolve the injunction.
 Judge Elliott will probably haAd down his written opinion today He haSad hic -,lino If upoorctitutionaltv on Section 1. Article 16, of the Stae Constitution, which says: "Neithc: the state nor any city, county, town CT other municipality in this state shall ever loan it's credit for any purpose whatever; nor shall any county, city, town or municipality ever issue any interest-bearing evil dence of indebtedness, except such bonds as may be authorized by law to provide for and secure the pay ment of the present existing indebted ness, and the state shall never issue any interect-bearing treasury war rants or scrip"
 Although Judge Elliott did nc: hand down his final ruling orally he intimated that he would make the temporary injunction perpetual. It is generally believed that counsel fol the Bridge Commission will carry the case to the Supreme. Court without delay.
 The temporary injunction was s. cured by the Taxpayers association to prevent the Bridge Commission from meeting on April "A, on which day they were to pass on the ma jority of the signers (property own er-) in humber, acreage or in value for or against the Free Bridge, as provided in the special act authoriz, ing the Free Bridge district, which includes all of the property assessed in Jefferson county.
 The constitutionality of the Free Bridge Act was attacked in an amended petition, that was filed when court convened for the day, by Attorneys Oracle and Carmichael The arguments of the attorneys iii the case was based on previous de cisions of various courts and tech nicalities.
 Counsel for the petitioner declared that the Bridge Commission was about to meet create an improvement