The log cabin Democrat., 1913-08-28
COUNTS FINANCES WORRYING JUDGE PLANS RETRENChMENT COURT WILL CUT EXPENDI- TURES TO MINIMUM UNTIL
 DEBT IS REDUCED.
from Fridays Daily.

at the lowest price recorded since the Populist administration, 1890 to 1894, County Judge J. w. Holt has resolved to pursue policy of retrenchment land vigorously cut down every possi- ble item of expenditure until the countys debt is substantially reduced and the price of scrip brought back to e price approXimating par. This, Judge Holt believes, can be done with in three years, if the county court re- Eceives the cooperation of the county officials and all extraordinary outlays of county funds are discontinued. Eff ty cents on the dollar is the top price for county scrip today, and some has sold recently as low as 35 cents.
 According 60 the financial statement issued by County Clerk J. A. Lea for 1 the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913, the outstanding indebtedness of the county was $63, 3,991.54, an increase of s11 ,000 during the fiscal year. The increase was principally due to the expenditure of about 5000 for steel bridges and considerable amounts for other improvements.
 While these improvements were badly needed and others are still needed, Judge Holt believes that be- fore any further expenditures are made the county should be pulled out of debt Tt is simply matter of business" said Judge Holt today, "and a question which would not take a 1 usiness man a minute to decide. If man in business became so deeply involved in debt that his due bills and notes were not worth more than 50 cents on the dollar, he would not, if he ever hoped to restore his credit, go ahead spending more than his income. Yet that is just what Faulkner coun- ! ty has been doing, and it is just what am going to try to stop"
 The county's annual income is about s20.000, and out of this must be paid 1 the expenses of circuit, county and magistrates courts, keeping prisoners end paupers and various other neces- sary expenses The county is now Ialout three years behind it's revenue, but if two years could be caught up, scrip would be worth practically par as the warrants could be cashed the following year after issuance.
 With the prevailing prices of scrip, juror receives from 60 to 80 cents a day for his services and pays his own expenses; witness receives from 50 to 5 cents day and pays his own ex- lpenses. and the county is forced to pay two or three prices for every thing it buys.
 Until this condition is remedied .Judoe Holt declares that not dollar lvI 9e expended out of the county funds for roads, bridges or other inn lprovements. Of course, this does not affect the expenditure of the three mill road tax, but the judge positively l says that no scrip will be issued for any purpose except absolutely neces 1 salv expenses until substantial re- duction has been effected in the coun- tvs debt.
 l The expenses of circuit and magis- trate's courts are by far the largest Iitem in the county's budget, but Judge 1 Holt believes that some economies may | be effected in these. He is especially anxious that the justices of the peace l shall take up and try all misdemeanor cases in their respective townships and settle them without allowing them to go to circuit court. Another prac- tice which Judge Holt hopes to see discontinued is one which has been very general in justice of the peace courts. IL consists of arreSting per sons on felony charges when there IS no Likelihood of sustaining qonvic- ton on such a charge, holding a pre- liminary hearing, dismissing the .,fel- ony charge and re-arresting and tn- | ing the defendant for misdemeanoi. The township officers thus get double costs, the county being liable for the costs in felony hearings, while the de- fendant is taxed with the costs in the misdemeai or case.
 Judge Holt advises all who are in possession of county scrip not to sell at the prevailing prices, as he feels