The Mena weekly star., 1917-10-25
POLK CnINTY,s FINANCES.

POLK COUNTS FINANCES.
 The Star in this issue. publishes the list of expenditures of Polk county for the quarter ending Sep tember 30, iol7, as provided for by the Publicity Law, approved by the Quorum court and compiled by County Clerk Alexander
 The quarters expenses are very small, totaling S2,s2tO7, and yet The Star would urge that every tax payer study the items and if any reason for criticism is found, let it he known.
 The Star does not in this instance, nor in any of recent date, assume that the publication of the countys expense account has saved any money. IL believes that the days of wasteful use or misuse of the tax payers money in Polk county is about at an end. lt does not believe al this time that we have an officer who would make purchases or con- tracts recklessly or uselessly, and xei it does believe that so long as all items of expense are laid before the people at frequent periods, that very fact will'he a stimulant to ideas of economy, and check on extrava- gance And if, as has occurred in the past. some person or concern should be in a position to flagrantly overcharge the county for a service, the exposure that fhe publication would bring certainly would tenn per the desire to overreach justice.
 In yesterdays issue was report of the Commissioners of Accoulits These same commissioners have served for several terms, They are especially well versed in the coun- tvs affairs, and. asidesfrom their fe- port, they say that the eounty's bus mess never has heea so well and ef- ilciently cared for as now. and at no time have all amounts due the coun- ty been so fully accounted for and in proper hands It is generally conceded. in this connection, that the audit of the county records, made last year has had a most wholesome effect in this direction. It has established sound basis from which all records can be in- telligently checked and therefore any slack methods or errors can readily be traced and the responsi- bility placed,
 This report of the Commissioners of Accounts shows a balance in the several county funds of s7,526.96. with $ss7.22 in warrants outstand- Ing, or net balance of s6,639.7i. Thus 1t will be seen that Polk coun- ty is almost in class of it's own in Arkansas, in paving ready money to pay it's dehts and cash on which to carry on it's business.
 There is no gainsaying that this condition is the result of good busi- ness management and now the county is in position to make needed improvements on a i00- eents-on- the-dollar basis, and with out doubt these things will be taken up in the coming year.
 1t may not be amiss to give credit here to one feature that has been substantially helpful and that many might overlook.
 The salary bill for Polk county officers. passed in 1914 by Minor Pip kin has added apprpximaiely flve thousand dollars year to the eoun- tvs revenue, or say, S3o,000 since its passage, And, while. it has cut some big fat incomes from some of the oiiiengs, there sesah in be no dearth of men to take the places.
 MT. Pipkin also pushed thru anv other good measure. the depository law. which is producing from 5000 10 s3.000 a year for the schools of the county
 All in all, Polk county may we'll be pretty we'll satisfied with it's present condition and its outlook.
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