The Dermott news. (Dermott, Ark.) 1910-1977, 1915-07-22


the state penitentiary. However, it is
not within our authority to interpret
or enforce the criminal statute of the
state, but merely call your attention
to the conditions as they are and
quote you the law bearing on these
violations, leaving the public to de
mand of the proper authority such &C
ton as the law demands.
This committee having learned
early in its labor that it was the Gus
tom of some of the state officials &c
be very careless in keeping a correct
accounting of all the moneys received
1t took the precaution to 90 beyond
the records in the office where the ac
countants We're at work and find from
the sources of revenue whether or not
q record of all such receipts was made
in the respective Offices. This com
mittee has obtained from the probate
records of each county of the state,
with the exception of some seven or
eight who failed to reply TO our in
quiry. the amount of the inheritance
tax settlements, as shown by the pro
bate records and given US by the re-
spective county and probate clerks.
Se,ee5 Not Accounted For.
We find from the probate records
that the attorney general has failed to
turn into the treasury S23 that
has been decreed by the said court
Upon calling the attorney generals at
tention TO this fact. and TO the fact
that his special counsel in the collec-
ton of these taxes in Garland county
had failed to turn in s1.21499 OF this
amount. the attorney general yester-
day sent for this attorney and col
lected the entire amount due from
treasury The attorney general also
informs us that $40 l90 that has been
decreed in Sebastian county and
should have been paid into the treas
ury some months ago. has not vet
been collected. because they are in
sisting upon him taking state war
rants for the amount. Deducting the
amount paid from Garland coun-
" and the $fol90 from Sebastian
county. that has not Yet been received
there is still balance of sl2.231 9S
not accounted for. As previously stat
ed. the attorney general has TO his
credit in the southern Trust Company
s. 236 sc. which he thought an over
plus. or more than he really needed
to square himself with the treasury.
peducting this from the amount not
accounted for leaves $9.995.02 due the
state Of Arkansas. for which he has
no accounting IN his Office and which
shortage he has been unable to ex.
plain.
Employed Counsel Unnecessarily.
We further note that the attorney
general employed special counsel to
collect the franchise taxes against the
st. Louis Southwestern Railway Com
pany for 1911 We find from the de
cree from the Pulaski Chancery Court
that it was agreed by counsel for the
railroad and state that the railroad
would abide by the result of this suit
for the 1911 and subsequent taxes.
The case was carried 10 the Supreme
Court of the United States and was
decided to be constitutional. and the
20 per cent attorney Zee allowed by
law in said suit amounted to $. 03356,
Yet the attorney general of the state
allowed special counsel to file similar
suit for the taxes OF 1872. 1913 and
1914, which We're paid by order OF the
Chaneery Court under agreement by
the counsel for the railroad and spe-
cial counsel for the state. and without
any contest whatever, and the same
20 per cent attorney fee was allowed
said special counsel amounting TO the
sum OF S7.29S f6 While il was abso
lutely unnecessary TO file the suhse
dueut suit. as the railroad had agreed
To abide by the results of the forme,
suit in the collection of all suhse
quent taxes, Yet If the attorney gen
eral insisted that suits must be- filed
We say that he should have done this
as II would have been but
few hours work n most To do all that
was done. and he could have saved
the state the lawyers fees. amounting
o S7.29S-46. Truly. the love of money
seems TO be the root OF all evil.
Dealings in State Warrants.
There seems TO be no law against
state officials dealing In state war
rants. Yet 1t is unquestionahly a rep
rehensih!e practice and detrimental to
the states welfare, because II has a
tendency TO keep down the price of
warrants. The attorney general al.
mits TO MS that he has purchased and
furnished TO the Iron Mountain rail.
road $4,000 in state warrants II
should be borne in mind that while
the attorney general was helping the
Iron Mountain railroad to get cheap
state paper TO pay their taxes. he is
constantly called upon in his Official
capacity 10 oppose the railroad in
protecting the states interest. This
may not be legally wrong. but is IL
morally right and Ia il possible TINT