The Brinkley argus., 1914-07-31

~rns state sssshues VIII ez0v~end tho leaks will stop.
 "The newspapers will be getung soune of this mon ey. but the gfafeefs and plunderers win lose.
 'The newspapers will be giving the ktate service, while the grafters and Dlunderers give it nothing but bod Same and bad taste in the mouths of the taxpayers.
 "Take your choice!
 "Act No. 8 and PUBLICITY THAT YOU MAY KNOW; or,
 "The Freedom of Grafters and DARKNESS THAT YOU MAY NOT KNOW"
 Then appears a thorough expedition of Act No. 3, section by section. The cost is given wherever possible. to compute or estimate 1t. Where im- possible to estimate, the publication expense Is shown to be very light and inoonsequential, in consideration of the results to follow.
 Under Section 1. relating to the pub hcation of !. & R. measures. the ex- pense Is reduced by the fact that the period of publication is reduced from thirty to twenty days tmeaning six to four weeks in weekly newspapers). It ,s shown that under Act No. tho4pub- hcation of the & R measures this year would cost $1SS.75 per county, as nsainst $265.00 per county under the existing law. The I & R measures two years ago would have cost under Act No. 3 45525O per county instead of s8o5 % per county. The importance of the thorough education of the voter on all measures requiring his "intelli- gent ballot is advanced as the req son for publishing such Acts and Amendments in the newspapers which are read, rather than in pamphiets, which are seldom read. Besides, eacn publication in the newspapers Is shown to be cheaper than in pamphlets.
 Section 2 provides for the publica- ton of synopsis of all General Acts of the Legislature, the synopsis to De prepared by the Attorney General. AS only the meat of tho law will be con tained in the synopsis, the publication expense is shown to be comparatively light while the benefits are great. A synopsis of all General Acts of the 1913 session has been prepared ny competent lawyers, such as would be expected of the Attorney General and the expense of publishing thisFsynop- sis figures s202.00 per county undeT Act No. 3. The brief argues that it is easily worth $15,000 to the state for it's citizens to know the law which they are expected to respect and obey. That ignorance of the law excuses no one. and ignorance results in quite aa many law violations as criminal m tent.
 Section 3, requiring the publication of all general orders of the Railroad Commission, is claimed to be one of the strong features of Act No. 3. There are two sides to every proposition be- fore the Railroad Commission, the rall- roads on the one side and the people on the other, and 1t is not good idea, says the brief, for only one side to a controversy to have full and accurate information as to the proceedings of the court. Publication of orders Tn 1913 would have cost, under Act No. 5. $3800 per county.
 Tax dodgers are hit by Section 4. re- Quiring the publication of the proceed ings of equalization boards, showing the increases and decreases in assess ments, etc. It is argued that this sec tion will result in a marvellous in crease in the assessed valuation of property in this state, and bring about reduction in taxes, accordingly, to those who made honest assessments. It is believed that the effect of this section will vastly more than offset the expenses incurred by all of Act No. 3, and it is shown that the ex- pense under this particular section. will annually reduce-though small at first -j just as tax dodgers quit dodging and the work of the equalization boards reduces.
 Section calls for published report of all disbursements in counties and road districts. showing to whom each claim is allowed and for what pur- pose. It is argued that this section will save the taxpayers many thou sands of dollars from graft and extra vagance.
 Other sections of the bill call for . report of the commissioners of ac- counts, improvement districts, munici. palities, etc. all of which means a vast saving annually to the taxpayers.
 The slogan of this campaign is ''The Public has Right to Know" Act No provides for turning on the light. x
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