The Newark journal., 1916-08-17

annually on valuation assess
ment of four hundred and fiji
ty million dollars. This bur
den the people are unable to
bear.
/ have letters now in my Of
flee from the sheriffs and tax
collectors of nearly every coun-
ty in the state asking me to
extend the time for the pay
ment of taxes.
/ This request has come from
over one half of the collectors
of the state every year since |
have been in the Governors
office, which shows the condi-
ton of the taxpayers. During
the session of the General AS
sembly of bill was introduce
ed and it was urged that the
time for paying taxes should
be changed. Members of the
legislature in discussing the
matter with me stated that
many of their constituents had
gone through the winter seas
on of the year deprived of
shoes and proper clothing for
themselves and family and
that they were unable to pay
their taxes, and then to think
of placing an additional bur
den of two and one-quarter
million dollars per year upon
those who are already stepped
because of the burdens of tax
alton, simply to crafty the few
who would be benefited by it.
| know that it is a popular
thing for a man to get up and
talk about educating the boys
and girls and how it is needed,
but when you get to yourselves
and think soberly and dispa-
tionaly and realiez the bur
dens you are placing upon
yourselves, you will decide
that this is not the time and
the way revenue should be
raised. You tell me you are
going to increase your earning
capacity, either by increasing
your assessment or by raising
the rate of your taxes. A blind
man can work out problem
OF this kind. It is contended
that the average amount paid
to school teachers is only $500
per year. Do you realize that
the average amount earned by
the men who present their
backs to the burning sun and
tills the soil is less than $500
per year, and we may talk
about education-we may talk
about preparation-but as sure
as you are born, some of our
Ipeople have got to stay on old
| Mother Earth, among the trees
where God whispers to his
children and where the birds
sing sweetly.
You may adopt this propos-
ed amendment. | would glad
ly contribute more than the
amount of taxes | will have to
pay on account of it to any
charitable purpose, but | know
that it will affect the people of
the state, and whether in pub
lie or private life, when | see
your interests involved, | am
going to do my very best to
point out the defects to you.
| want to venture the assertion
here that if you adopt this
amendment because the teach
ers are for it and because a
few directors from special dis
tricts, where they have become
involved, are for it, it will not
be the children who will be
benefited by it. The teachers
may get small amount of this
increase but the American
Book Company will get at
least two million out of the two
and one-quarter millions and
the only thing you will have to
show for this amount of expen-
diture will be a few charts, a
few globes, few desks, a few
black-boards and a little more
chalk, where they can talk the
directors of the districts into
buying them, and they are the
people who are behind this
proposition, instead of the tax
payers. If | had it within my
power, when the Legislature
of 1917 convenes | would put
the American Book Trust out
of business in Arkansas by en-
acting such laws as will make
them fair competitors with
other concerns.
| am in favor of removing