The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-05-14
Lead Companies
Must Pay Taxes


Last week when the report reached
Pennington that U. s. Judge Faris
had held against st.. Francois county
in regard to the big suit for practic-
ally 100000 against the several min
ing corporations in this county for de-
linquent taxes, The Times had
"hunch" that such a decision was
wrong-that there was some mistake
and this paper failed to make any
mention of such report, desiring to
wait until the true story came out.
And now the true story in regard to
such decision is out, which places an
entirely different construction Of that
decision to what has previously been
published. Later information disclos-
es the fact that U. s. Judge Faris
had an altogether erroneous under
standing as to the status of this tax
suit, and by his decision, with the
necessary corrections as to the for
mer status of the case, the matter
could not be more favorable for an ul-
innate decision in favor Of the county.
The fact is that Judge Faris was
in manner mislead as to the standing
of the case before it reached his court.
In other words, his idea was that Coll
lector Croke's compromise of taxes
due from the lead companies had the
endorsement of the County Court;
whereas it is the County Court that
has waged such a vigorous fight for
the payment of full taxes by the lead
companies affected in this suit.
With the idea of getting correct
An4 af 4ha in, noe
as they now appear, Times reporter
on Tuesday interviewed Hon. o. L.
Munger, of Piedmont, one of the at
torneys employed by the County
Court to look after the county's inter
estB in this matter. Mr.. Munger had
just arrived in Pennington to attend
circuit court, which is now in session.
He made the following statement, and
authorized us to state, for him, that
it is true, to the best Of his knowledge
and belief
"Judge Faris held that Collector
Croke had no legal authority to make
compromise settlement with the
lead companies; but he further held
that the County Court had ratified
such settlement, making such action
Ndllu. Up 10 LHdL LllHe ble pledulIlSS
county will be amended, embracing all
County Court with relation to it's ef-
forts to prevent such compromise, and
its action in refusing to approve of
the Collectors conduct in making such
compromise, and to this date has fail
ed to approve of his final settlement.
"The petition on the part of the
county will be amended, embracing all
the conditions and actions of the
County Court in its refusal to join in
suc' compgumise, and If the lead COM
paifies afe to profit by reason Of their
compromise with the Collector, they
will have to secure the approval of
the Court of Last Resort"
According to Mr.. Munger, Judge
Faris has, by the decision already rem
dered in this case, burned the bridges
behind him." and when the very appar-
ent error in regard to the County
Courts approval of such settlement, is
corrected, there will be nothing left to
do but to render verdict altogether
favorable to the county. Such de-
cision will be in accord with the posi-
tion The Times has fought for, against
large odds; therefore the present sta
tus of this case is exceedingly pleasing
to the management of this paper.