The Green Forest tribune., 1915-03-05
AUDITING COMMITTEE MAKES CHARGES AGAINST ADMINS
 TRATlON OF LAND OFFICE.
w. B. OWEN ENTERS A DENIAL
Committee Charges That There Have Been Many Irregularities, Which
 the Commissioner Denies.
Little Rock

 Departments of State was made in the house and Senate Thursday afternoon covering the investigation of the De | partment of Land, Highways and I'm provements. The report makes sc rious charges against the conduct of the affairs of the Department.
 w. B. Owen, state land commts- sioner, said subsequently that the re- port does not properly reflect condi- tions in his department and emphat- tcally denies all charges of irregulari- ty that had been made by the commit tee He said there mad been no mis- use of funds and that the rock crusher has been run at a profit to the state rather than as at loss as charged by the committee.
 It is charged that it has been the custom of the department:
 ''To receive money on state accounts for services and matters pertaining to that department contrary to law. This disobedience of the law absolutely de- stroys an accounting and checking system, their own books being the op ly evidence we have of part of the money received by the department. | The committee assumes that all moneys belonging to the state have been accounted for, but it has no way to verify this assumption"
 The committee charges that the de- partment spent $1,275.75 for an auto mobile, lin defiance of law and with out precedent in our state govern ment."
 It is also charged that from Novem- Der, 1913, to January 31, 1915, the sum of S64031 was expended for gasoline and $675.75 for automobile repairs out of the rock crusher fund. This" says the committee, illustrates the fact that automobiles are expensive" They find further sum of $986.11 for auto mobile expenses making a total of S2,- 30307, which we leave without fur ther comment"
 1t is charged that all but S541 has been expended of an appropriation of $1,250 in 1913 to pay the per diem and travelling expenses of the highway commission. In addition the commis- sion drew from another appropriation for the same purpose the sum of S3,- 402.67, which they alleged was "con- trary to law" Attention is called to trip made by members of the Com mission to Good Road Convention at Atlanta, at cost of S1,17705. This trip" says the report, cost the State of Arkansas about $1O0 a day. What good was done by the trip is not stat ed and your committee is not specif- cally advised"
 It is charged that the rock crusher account shows a loss to the state of S11,176.80. Charges were also made that during the year 1915 to date 43 official or free automobile tags have i been issued, clear loss of S10 each to the state, whereas there is no au- thority ill law permitting the issuance Of free tags to any person, anywhere, at any time. The committee submits that such conduct is unjustifiable con-
 
 power" The committee says the commissioners responsible for their is- i suance should be made to repay the state the amount thus lost.
 The Senate passed a bill by Senator Cabaniss permitting the Arkansas Railroad Commission to investigate the conditions of independent rail roads operating less than 25 miles o1 road and to raise the passenger rates for such roads to 3 cents per mile il the investigation warranted. The on l ly road affected is the Memphis, Dai las and Gulf which runs between Ash down and Hot Springs, and is 1ls miles long. It was said that at cents per mile the fare would be about DO cents less between the two points than by way of the Iron Mountain.
 Appropriation bills introduced in the Senate carry the following amounts General, $S14,360; For Pine Bluf Branch Normal, $48,100; state capitol s43,085; tuberculosis sanatorium, S85, 900; Deaf Mute Institute, S145.92O, penitentiary, S372,90O. The capito appropriation bill has a provision tt make the governor ex-officio custodian of the capitol. He is given power tt employ a superintendent, who shal appoint other employees.
 The house passed the bill appropriat ing S47,260 to carry out the provision of the Smith-Lever bill. It is for agrj cultural extension.
 The house by vote of 55 to 31, in definitely postponed the bill by Sena tors Garrett and Ashley, providing fo the extension of the time for the pay ment of taxes from April 10 to Noyen] Der l.
 Senator Bnsa withdrew his bill s1 tending the law of libel.