The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1913-08-08
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT.
Chattanooga News.)


In Claiborne county yesterday the
grand jury returned indictments
against Revenue Agent J. Parks Wor
ley and two of his assistant attor
neys, who collected about $1,000 from
the American Company, Limited, in a
back tax assessment case. 1t will be
remembered that this fact was
brought out If the hearing before the
Williams Investigating committee In
Knoxville, and it was shown that this
sum was paid in cash to one of Wor-
ley's assistant, and receipt showed
that it was full settlement of all the
back tax Claims and no increase In
the assessment of the company what
soever was made. So far as we know
no record has been made In Clai-
borne county. or in the comptroller's
office in Nashville showing that any
of this money reached the county or
state treasury, In fact, an effort
was made to tax Claiborne county
with the costs in the case, but the
county judge disallowed these.
We have nc desire to do Revenue
agent Worley or his assistants any
injustice, but Up to this time we have
never seen any defense from him or
them as to their action in this case.
We presume they will say this en-
tire amount was charged up as attor-
ney's fees. There is good ground for
asserting that a similar collection
from a tax payment was made by
Worley in another East Tennessee
county and the facts in this case
would have been given out If the i'm.
munity bill had been passed. Woiley
and Worley's friends were very ac-
tive against the passage of the i'm
munity bill, Just as they were active
against the acceptance of the Will
liams' report in the state senate.
They succeeded in preventing the
passage of tie immunity bill and also
succeeded in preventing the reading
of the Williams report.
What do the people Of Tennessee
think of a condition of affairs when
a man under Indictment on such a
charge remains member of the SEN
ate of the state Of Tennessee, where
his own vote prevents fair and hon
est Investigation of his own conduct
in the position of revenue agen: un-
der the state government?
What do tie people of Tennes see
think of condition of affairs when
this same man occupies place on
the executive committee of what is
termed the majority party Of the
state of Tennessee?
What do lie people Of Tennessee
think of a condition of affairs when
this same man controls the election
of the member supposed to represent
the minority party on the election
board Of the State Of Tennessee and
through that member dictates the APP
pointments of election commissioners
supposed to represent the minority
party in counties like Hamilton and
others, and in so doing pays his rolit-
ical debts 70 representatives from
those counties who have helped him
avoid an honest investigation of his
own conduct?
What do you think of it, decent
citizens? Is there any hope for the
so-called majority party as long as
it stands sponsor for such conduct?
Right now the only real reason
for the refusal of the so-called rcgu-
lars to adjourn and permit an extra
session of The legislature is their
fear that the immunity bill, which
would provide for real investiga.
ton of the records of these back tax
attorneys, might be passed, and also
that Worley's side partner in the
lower house, The reputed leader OF
the regulars, might have to rise to
HE feet and vote on the law-enforce-
ment bills which he pretended to-
favor.