Judsonia weekly advance., 1915-03-03


 covering the investigation of the De partment of Land, Highways and I'm | provements. The report makes sc | rfous charges against the conduct of the affairs of the Department.
 w. B. Owen, state land commis sioner, said subsequently that the re- port does not properly reflect condi- tions In his department and emphat- ically 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 a 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 on | ly evidence we have of a 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."
 l It is also charged that from Novem- Der, 1913, to January 31, 1915, the sum of S640.31 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 1 find further sum of $986.11 for auto mobile expenses making total of $2,- 303.07, which we leave without fur ther comment
 It is charged that all but $5.41 has been expended of an appropriaticn of S1,250 in 1913 to pay the per diem and travelling expenses of the highway l 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 a trip made by members of the Com mission to Good Road Convention at Atlanta, at cost of $1,17705. This i trip" says the report, "cost the State of Arkansas about $100 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 i account shows loss to the state of $11,176.80. Charges were also made that during the year 1915 to date 43 official or free automobile tags have been issued, a clear loss of S10 each to the state, whereas there is no aJl- 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 trary to law, and gross abuse of power" The committee says the commissioners responsible for their is- suance should be made to repay the | SCdJS tll6 dmOuuC LuuS lOSJ.
 Appropriation bills introduced in the Senate carry the following amounts General, $814,360; For Pine Bluff Branch Normal, $48,100; state capitol, l S43,0S5; tuberculosis sanatorium, SS5,- 900; Deaf Mute Institute, $145,92O; penitentiary, S372,900. The capitol appropriation bill has provision to make the governor ex-officio custodian of the capitol. He is given power to employ a superintendent, who shall appoint other employees.
 Friday night, in two hours ses- sion, sthe house broke all records by reading thirty-nine Senate bills first and second times. The Senate also established a record in considering l bills in session lasting an hour and l a half. A total of 62 bills, an average Of two every three minutes, was con. sidered. Two house bills were passed 50 others were read first and second times and 10 Senate bills were intro ouCCQ ill LfiO OlilO WClS lOCdl, dS ull- der the resolution adopted Tuesday calling for the holding of night ses sions on house days, only bills of a local nature may be acted upon 8, these sessions.
 Warrants were drawn Thursday af ternoon upon the S40,00O appropriation for the Arkansas Exhibit at the San Francisco Exposition in the sum oi $23,75S.42. Representative Belote and others are continuing their fight upOI the appropriation and report that they have raised over $100 with which tc prosecute a suit in the courts to sci aside the Act The friends of the ap propriation, however, are confident that they will be able to successfully , combat any opposition that may arise q at this time, and that the appropriation will be fully sustained.
 Senator Edmondson led a determin ed fight in the Senate, in considering |