The courier-index. (Marianna, Ark.) 1917-current, 1919-05-23

being government property. 1t is
estimated that this will reduce the
assessment of the railroads in Ark
ansas, which is about $4,000, 900
by about one million dollars. The
five big roads, the Missouri Pacific,
the Cotton Belt, the Frisco, the Kan
sas City Southern and the Rock
Island, were last year assessed for
material and supplies $796,416.
j. M. Seibert, real estate and tax
commissioner of the u. S. Railway
administration, has advised the state
tax commission that ''the taxing au-
thorities in other states have recog-
nized that material and supplies are
the property of the u. S. govern
1ment and therefore not subject to
taxation and no assessment so far
has been made covering the value
of that property in any of the
states"
\ There is no recourse or appeal,
and the state taxing authorities must
acquisce, although it will mean a
considerable loss in revenue.
Arkansas, as a rule, favors are re-
turn of the railroads to private own
ership. Director General Hines, in
an address before the business men
of Little Rock last week, said that
in his opinion this would have to be
done, and he was loudly cheered.
He said that he considered the re-
turn to private ownership as inevi-
table, although it must not be under
>the same regulations as prevailed
before the war. Some other more
equitable system must be devised
that would restore the competitive
plan, and be equally fair to the large
and the small road.
He favors, among other things,
compulsory consolidation into Is or
20 big competitive systems.
In 1918 about two thousand farm
ers of Arkansas entered into an
agreement with the government to
grow castor beans, and more than
4,000acres were planted in fields of
one to ten acres. The seed was
furnished by the government, which
agreed to take all the product The
farmers were sub-contractors, and
7. o. Branch of Little Rock was the
general contractor for the state. The
crop was practically a failure, yield
ing an average of only one bushel
to the acre, whereas the average
should have been twenty-five. The
government is pledged to reimburse
farmers for their losses, and the
Claims must be presented on uni
form claim blanks, which will be
furnished by Mr. Branch, upon ap-
plication to him, in the Southern
Trust Building. The claim must be
in by June s.
So much attention has been given
to the probable candidates for u.
IS. senator and governor, that polit-
ical slate makers have given little
attention to other Offices. Harvey
Parnel of Chicot county is a prob
able candidate for commissioner of
state lands and highways. o. S..
Ref of Russellville, deputy oil in
spector, is a prospective candidate
for auditor of state, to succeed Ho-
gan Oliver, who will probably retire
from politics. Mr.. Ref is well
known throughout the state, having
been formerly in the auditors Office
as deputy.
Two Arkansas men in the Goth
Division, the Texas-Oklahoma Ma
tional Guard Army, are among the
So members of the Division who
were decorated with the distinguish
ed service cross for bravery in bat
tie. They are Corporal Jesse w.
Grisham, deceased of Holland, Faulk-
ner county, who was a member of
Co. L, 359th Inf, and Private Andy
Keeton, of Ozark, a member of Co.
G, 357th Inf.