The Monticellonian. [volume] (Monticello, Ark.) 1870-1920, 1915-04-29

department OF Mines, ManuIhCIuTeS
and Agriculture, we desire to call at
tention to the fact that in addition
20 the expenses of the fertilizer in
spectors, amounting to many thou
sands of dollars, operating from this
department, there has been paid to a
chemist, said to be in Little Rock, the
sum of $2,210 for analyzing feedstuff,
and further sum of S3,735 for ana
lying fertilizer, making a total of
S5 945 paid To this gentleman for his
services, and no on knows better than
the farmers and stockmen of this
state whether, after the expenditure
OF such great amount of money,
they have had any better grade of
says the report. Hence, we submit
these facts"
The report of the committee on the
Department of Education, in full, fol
lows:
I'VE regret very much to report to
your eXeellency that. on account of the
recent decision of the Supreme Court.
in the case where judgment of the low
er court was affirmed. making the in
junction perpetual, and preventing this
committee from paying the expense of
the investigation of the State offices
and institutions, we are unable to re-
port our work that we have done un-
der the resolution continuing us as an
auditing committee by the General AS
sembly OF 1915 officially, but we are
unwilling for your honor and the peo-
pie of Arkansas at large, to fail to
know, or have the benefit of our in
vestigation which we have made since
the adjournment of the General As
sembly of 1915. and on which we have
not made any report because of the in
aciIon which prevented our paying
for the printing of five hundred (500)
copies, as provided by said resolution
we further regret the fact that the
decision of the Supreme Court makes
1t necessary for us to discontinue this
work, temporarily at least, from the
fact that We believe some few of the
State institutions wish investigation,
and we further believe that the peo-
pie generally. who pay the taxes and
would have to bear the expense of this
committee work, are demanding that
they be advised specifically as TO the
manner in which the State officials are
institutions expending the money ap-
propriated for their use.
while we realize, as we have said,
that some few desire investigation. we
the suit brought to enioin the further
continuance of our investigation by
the gentleman from the State at large,
was not prompted by the incentive
alone to save the taxpayers or the State
of Arkansas the expense of cur inves-
tigation. 1t is a matter of common
knowledge that our Investigations dur
ing the sitting of the recent legisla-
ture. heretofore reported, has not al
together shown, in our humble tudg-
mant that the maid hN the al
ready oVerhurdened taxpayers has
been expended judiciously or with
view of strict economy, to say the
least. and we dare say that some of the
State officials. and possibly some of
the State institutions, lent assistance to
the discontinuance of our investiga-
tions-if not financially, in a moral
sense.
I'VE believe that the democratic
government which has guided the old
ship of state so long in the State of
Arkansas has reached political
crisis, and when so guided by officials
who fear investigation and refuse to
lend their moral support to same, that
it is high time that the voters of the
great State of Arkansas be advised
and have an opportunity to say
whether or not they will continue to
honor such men with such exalted po-
sitions.
DO Not Criticise.
We have no desire or inclination to
critieise the judicial department of our
State government for rendering the
opinion that has discontinued the work
of this committee hut we are forced TO
the conclusion that the decision has
defeated the will of a great majority
of the people of the State.
I'VE further regret that we are not
able financially to continue the work
at our expense. and If we We're from
our previous observation we rather
think we would be enjoined from in
terfering with the books of the differ
emit State departments, as we could no
longer act officially, and as we have
stated before, we do not believe that
the parties desiring these investiga-
lions discontinued. care for the expense
We incur but rather they object to the
information that we gather being made
public.
I'VE base our conclusion that we
have reached in this matter from the
fact that the expenditure of the States
money In the offices that we have al
ready investigated Is inconsistent with
the fact that they are interested so
very much in saving to the State. but
seem to be more interested in their po=
htfeal future and personal gain.
Our certified accountants submitted
their report to us on the office of the
superintendent of public instruction on
March 10. 1t became necessary that We
write various letters over the State to
county examiners and county superin-
tendents. thus preventing us from pre-
pairing the final report for print until
the injunction was granted and we
could not get the report printed as di-
rected in the resolution without be-
coming personally liable for the cost
thereof; hence We submit you here a
condensed report in connection with
that Of the certified accountants:
Teachers Licenses.
Under the provisions of the laws of
this State there are three characters of
| licenses issued to teachers: State Ii
cense, good for life. requiring a fee of
$40 to be paid into the State treasury
professional license, good for six years,
requiring fee OF IS to be paid into the
State treasury; Statewide license
which is a first grade license issued on
examination by any county examiner
or county superintendent. The papers
of such examination are forwarded to
| the superintendent of public instrue-
ton for his examination. and when ap-
proved by him he has the authority to
give the teacher authority to teach in
any county in this State under this
license for a term of two years. for
which there should be paid a fee of 81
into the State treasury.
We find under the two former head
4 that in accordance with the books of
| the department there is a shortage of
/ 81. $50 (See page Ii, accountants re-
port, that has not been paid into the
/ State treasury.
I'VE further fine by correspondence
with county examiners and county SUI
| perintendents over the State, that there
/ are many State and professional IL
censes issued over the State that the
| records of the superintendent office
do not show; nor do the treasurer 5
books show receipt OF the money paid
| therefor. For list of teachers holding
licenses, whose names are shown on
department books, we refer YOU to ac-