Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-06-25
DRASTIC REFQM'GS, Q'G,,,, TN 'IIVllCIDENyEV WORK
 xge Adds $5,- Missouri X Tolls by Go- ,000,oOo tter Dodgers.
 ir1
Ad, Mo-, June 23.-Frank P

Acted attention throughout the %te. is not of the type of reformers familiar to the public. In fact re- forming is not part of Judge Divil- biss' proeram and what he does in that line is merely incidental to his duty as he sees it.
 1t merely happened that his atten- .tion was called to tax lodging by a single tax campaigner and the judge would not stand for the taunt that the tax laws were not enforced. As re- suit more than $5,000,000 hidden prop erty was listed for taxation in his three counties and score of men were fined $2O0 each for making false returns.
 j Several Liberty women school teach CTS returning from St. Louis were greatly annoyed that the tables in the dining car were being turned into bars for the accommodation of holiday travellers. They told the local editor about it and Judge Divelbiss read of their complaint in the weekly paper.
 ''The railroads will have to stop that bootlegging business" remarked the judge and no more liquor is sold on trains in Missouri.
 Quickly Ousted a Resort. The closing of the Irwin Hell' of Richmond was just as incidental. The two old buildings had stood for the climax of evil resorts in the county town for a generation and a typical reformer remarked to Judge Divelbiss, "isn't it a shame we can't stop that o1.1y iO1n judge and unwilling to admit that any gambling and liquor resort was more powerful than his court, when form al conn aint was entered in his court, he issued an order that the two buildings be not used as cafes, lunch rooms or residences. The owner re- paired them and they are in use as garage.
 Incidental to the tax lodging re- form, Richmond is getting it's long desired $100,000 courthouse and the county tax rate has been reduced. One farmer, alone, has listed $375,O00 on mortgages he was concealing and a banker, postmaster and several mer- chants have heen fined.
 Divelbiss did not become a candl- date for the judgeship with an idea of changing the order of things. He was lawyer and has served two terms as prosecuting attorney and two as probate judge and decided with out urging to try for the higher place.
 He Makes Campaign Pledge.
 It was after his nomination that he came in contact with the single taxer on the stump. The basis of the argu- ment was that mortgages, notes and similar property escaped taxation while land could be hidden
 "But why should such property es-' cape taxation?" demanded the candi- date for judicial honors. 1.-The law says that all property shall be re- turned for taxation and prescrlbes manner. To return a false list con- stitutes. And this is the specific duty of every judge who calls grand jury to see that taxation frauds are sift- ed out"
 Nice in theory" the single taxer came back. Mice in theory, only the judge never has the nerve
 "Well, if I am elected" Divelbiss answered, there's one that will do it."
 
 grand juries Judge Divelbiss opened this question of ta Xdodging and he told the jurymen where their sources of information were, of some schemes at tax lodging that he had investigat- ed and how to return indictments. The grand juries went to work with will, but it was a big task and indictments were not reached until the second and in some cases the third sessions, then they came with rush. Some of the men who paid $200 fines were sup pOrters of Judge Divelbiss and they are yet.
 Wabash Receivers Indicted.
 The railroad bootlegging system was not as easily broken up as it might seepo. Most of the seventh judi cial district is dry and after Judge Tivelbiss had noted the school teach CTS complaint, he ordered the grand jury to invf stigate and to indict the man really responsible for the prac- tice, and to ignore the train porter, who was merely holding his job.
 The first persons named in the in- dictments were the federal court re- ceiverS for the Wabash railroad. War rants for their arrest were sent to the St. Louis sheriff but no return came Then the St. Louis coroner was asked to send the sheriff to consult witt, Judge Eivelbiss. The coroner did SC and the sheriff was fined $50.
 Soon thereafter the federal receivers took notice. They escaped fine oi promise to quit selling liquor. Other railroads have followed their example
 Beware of OintMeDtS for
 Cafarrh That Contains Mercury