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$1 Per Annum
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Newark, Independence County, Arkansas, Thursday, February 8, 1917
1 - - - ■ . ' ' ..■■■■■■ .■■■■■■ Ml. .— - I ■ II
Vol. 16, No. 45
Three Million Dollar Debt
Facing Taxpayers of State
Income Not Sufficient to
Pay State’s Expenses
Coming two Years
In Addition to $750,000 Bond
Issue, State Will Owe Two
and Half Million on
Jan. I, 1919
If the present session of the
Arkansas legislature makes all
the appropriations that are
asked for by thi various de
partments of the state govern
ment, and passes the laws cre
ating the new oftices that are
asked for by Gov. Brough, the
state will be nearly three mli
lion dollars in debt at the end
of the present biennial period
when the next legislature con
venes in January, 1919.
The total revenue of the state
for the next two years, accord
ing to -estifnates made by the
State Auditor and the State
Treasurer, will amount to $2,
866,000, as follows:
State taxes_$1,900,000
Insurance fees_ 300,000
Inheritance tax_ 150,000
Franchise tax_ 400,000 j
Sec. state’s office fees 100,000
Com. of lands, fees 6,000
Miscellaneous _ 10,000
Total_$2,866,000
Bills have already been
drawn and filed with the Bud
get Committee of the legisla
ture, and some of them have
been introduced and passed,
asking for appropriations
amounting to $5,624,969.
The various appropriations
asked for are as follows:
Governor’s office __$ 23,444
Sec. of state_ 34,869
Auditor’s office_ 39,668
Treasurer’s office- 24,969
Superintendent of in
struction's office 32.308
Att’y general’s office 25,168
Com. of labor_ 14,800
Com. of agriculture 49,480
Tax commission_ 31,167
Railroad commission 27,768
Board of Health_ 21,980
History Commission 11,060
Mine inspector_ 6,516
Supreme court_ 90,596
Circuit judges_ 129,000
Chancellors _ 75,000
Prosecuting Att’ys__ 8,600
State’s share of fees
to county tax as
sessors _ 85,000
Expenses of General
Assembly _ 100,000
ArkansasNat’l guard 166,550
Tuberculosis San.__ 192,000
Board of control-- 13,000
School for blind __ 113,812
Deaf Mute Institute 245,300
Confederate Home.. 145,295
Hospital forjNenous
Diseases_ 989,796
First District Agri
cultural school__ 180,438
Second District Ag
ricultural school-- 95,800
Third District Agri
cultural school_ 85,000
Fourth District Ag
ricultural school__ 85,250
State Normal School 261,140
University of Ark_ 700,000
Expenses new offices
asked for by Gov.
Brough _ 600,000
Tick eradication-._ 50,000
General hospital_ 200,000
New Digest _ 36,000
Cost of Caldwell & /
Drake arbitration 30,000
Printing plant for
school books_ 175,000
Cost of Bond issue_ 50,000
Deficiencies _ 200,000
Total_$5,474,969
The estimated cost of run
ning the state government for
the two year period is $5,474,
969. The total income of the
state during that period is es
timated at $2,866,000, which
will leave Ihe state in debt $2,
608,969 on January 1, 1919.
The talk about pulling the
state out of debt and reducing
taxation is a pipe-dream some
body is trying to palm off on
the people of Arkansas.
Squirrels HAVE because they SAVE. You can
have if YOU save. Come in and let us show you HOW
to save. We will give you, FREE, a little bank book
so you can join our “Christmas Banking Club.”
You put in 5 cents the first week, 10 cents the sec
ond week and so on increasing your deposit ONLY A
NICKEL a week and in 50 weeks you have $63.75.
We also have clubs where you begin with 1 or 2
cents or 10 cents or $1.00, $2.00 or $5.00 and in 50
weeks have coming to you from $12.75 to $250.
Have EVERY member of your family join the club.
It means saving MONEY and making a SUCCESS.
YOU CAN START TODAY
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
NEWARK, ARKANSAS
U. S. COURTS CANNOT
FIX TAX VALUATIONS
Assessments Ordered in Sev
eral Counties in Conflict
With State Constitution
Decisions of the United
States Circuit Court of Appeals
compelling various counties of
Arkansas to assess their prop
erty at a 100 per cent valua
tion to meet outstanding in
debtedness, were declared in
conflict with Arkansas’ con
stitution in a decision of the
Arkansas Supreme Court hand
ed down at Little Rock last
Monday.
“This court,” said the Ark
ansas’ Supreme Court’s deci
sion, “is the final arbiter on
construction of the Arkansas
constitution and laws of the
State and <s not influenced in
those matters with decisions of
other courts further than the
persuasiveness of views ex
pressed in ihose decisions.”
The case ruled upon was ap
pealed from Johnson county,
where the circuit court had re
fused a mandamus filed against
W. A. Meek, county assessor,
and the Board of Equalization
to compel an assessment of 100
cents on the dollar on the coun
ty’s property.
The Arkansas Supreme
Court’s decision held that the
Arkansas constitution demands
uniformity of assessments but
does not demand assessments
on 100 per cent valuations. The
legislature, the decision said,
has the power to determine the
basis of valuation and how that
basis should be ascertained. It
is the function of the Arkansas
commission,the opinion further
held, to preserve the uniform
ity.
The supreme court holds
that if tax assessments in Ark
ansas are not uniform, it is the
duty of the State Tax Commis
sion to remedy the defect.
o—
SOLDIER LEFT NOTE
INDICATING SUICIDE
An army coat and hat were
found on the Newport ferry
boat Tuesday morning, and a
note found in a room at a
hotel in Newport which
had been occupied by David
Meeker would indicate that
the writer committed suicide.
Meeker had been in Newport
only a short time, and some
are inclined to believe that he
is a deserter, and wrote the
note and placed his clothes on
the boat as a ruse. The note
follows:
“To whom it may concern.
I, David Meeker, am about to
commit suicide by drowning
myself in the river. My life has
been one of failure and I do
not wish to live longer. I am a
soldier of the United States
army. I played my last trump
when I enlisted and lost, so the
river is the easiest way. I have
relatives, but I would rather
they would not learn of my
disgrace. Please notify the
military authorities.”
-n
AGED MAN DIES. .
IN LIVERY STABLE
James Young, aged about 80
was found dead Tuesday night
at the Loftin livery stable in
Newport. Death is supposed to
have resulted from an attack
of heart disease. Young had
been permitted to sleep in the
stable by the owner, and little
was known of him in Newport,
but he was a man of some edu
cation, and had evidently been
in better circumstances in for
mer years.
.<-o
NEWSPAPER INSTALLS
LIGHTING SYSTEM
The Journal has just install
ed an electric generator and
now makes its own electric
lights. The Joural is probably
the only country newspaper in
the state that has its own light
ing plant.
JUDGE SAYS COUNTY
IS IN DEBT $59,250
Judge J. H.Jimer&on Asks Peo
ple to Assist Him in Re
ducing Expenses
That the outstanding indebt
edness of Independence county
has increased rapidly during
the past few years, is shown in
a statement issued yesterday
by County Judge J. H. Jimer
son of Sulphur Rock who has
just completed an exhaustive
investigation of the county’s fi
nancial affairs.
The total indebtedness of
the county at the present time
amounts to $59,250.44, accord
ing to Judge Jimersop’s state
ment, and he asks the people
to co-operate with him in an
effort to reduce the county’s
outstanding indebtedness and
put the county again on a cash
basis. Judge Jimerson’s state
ment follows:
Judge Jimerson’s Statement
To the Citizens of the County:
Below is given what I find
the financial condition of the
county to be at the present
date:
Total indebtedness, $59,
250.44.
This includes warrants is
sued for expense of those at
tuberculosis sanitorium, circuit
court fee bills and expenses,
county health officer, paupers,
county demonstration agent,
■etc. Of this amount, $13,334.67
includes warrants issued prior
to May 13, 1916, and register
ed prior to October 2, 1916.
The balance is for warrants is
sued since May 13, 1916. How
ever, some of this balance was
for circuit court expenses in
the spring term, 1916, bills for
which did not reach the county
court for allowance until after
May 13, 1916.Total taxes,1916,
county general, bridge, pau
per, approximately $28,973.10.
This will leave the indebted
ness of the county, after the
present taxes are collected,
$30,277.34.
I feel sure that every tax
payer appreciates the situation,
and will help me cut expenses
wherever possible in order that
his indebtedness may be wiped
out. I also feel sure that no one
will file claims or expect allow
ances made except where ab
solutely necessary.
Very respectfully,
J. H. JIMERSON,
County Judge.
MRS. CLYDE EDWARDS
DIES IN CALIFORNIA
Mrs. Clyde Edwards, form
erly of Newark, died last Fri
day at S^wtelle, Cali., where
she and her husband were
spending the winter with rel
atives.
Mr. and Mrs. Edwards and
little son, Clyde, left Newark
about two months ago, going
from here to Clarksville, Ark.,
and later to Sawtelle, Cali.
Mrs. Edwards was stricken
with appendicitis and was sick
only a few days. An operation
was performed and she died
the day following the opera
tion.
Mrs. Edwards had many
friends in Newark having spent
the past summer here and was
for a while employed as oper
ator in the telephone office.
She is survived by her husband
and one child.
The remains were shipped
to her old home at Clarksville,
Ark., and the funeral will take
place there Friday.
-o
Jno. M. Martin’s cash groc
ery is the place where you can
buy the most for your dollar.
SENATE ENDORSES
WILSON’S COURSE
War Like Attitude Toward
Germany Approved by
Vote of 78 to 5
Washington, Feb. 7.—Presi
dent Wilson’s severance of dip
lomatic relations with Germany
was approved formally by the
Senate today.
By a vote of 78 to 5 the Sen
ate adopted a resolution sub
mitted by Chairman Stone of
the Foreign Relations Commit
tee endorsing the withdrawal
of American Ambassador Ger
ard from Berlin and the giving
to German Ambassador von
Bernstorff his passports.
Senators who voted against
the resolution are: Democrats,
Kirby of Arkansas and Yard
man of Mississippi. Republi
cans, Gronna, North Dakota;
Works, California, and La Fol
lette, Wisconsin. Hours of de
bate preceded the vote, but
the only active opposition came
from the five senators who vot
ed against the resolution. Re
publican leaders joined the
Democrats in declaring their
whole-hearted support of the
president. 1
Senator Kirby made his first
address to the Senate, an im
passioned declaration that he
would not support the resolu
tion.
“I regard it as a preliminary
declaration of war,” he said,
“if the resolution shall be voted
upon favorably today. I do not
believe the time has come in
the history of this country when
we shall side with Germany or
when we shall side with the al
lies. The time has not come, in
my opinion, when we should
commit ourselves by the adop
tion of this resolution to any
policy that the president may
hereafter pursue. Under the
constitution and the law he has
no power to declare war, but
he has the powder to plunge the
nation into war and to make
it necessary for Congress to de
clare it, and he has almost
done so.”
JOY RIDERS HAVE
A NARROW ESCAPE
Car Turns Over, Seriously In
juring Will Dearing But
Others Escape
What came near being a
serious accident occurred in
the western edge of town late
Wedensday evening when a
Ford touring car, driven by
James Dearing, turned over.
There were seven occupants
in the car but all except Will
Dearing escaped with only a
few slight bruises. He was pin
ned beneath the car and was
pulled out by others who were
occupants of the car when the
accident occurred. He was
badly bruised about the head
and face, his back was injured
and he was unconscious for
some time. He was removed to
the home of his father, T. H.
Dearing, by Drs. Roe & Rod
man where he was igven medi
cal attention. It was said this
morning that he is improving
and no serious results are fear
ed.
Those who were occupants
of the car when the accident
occurred were Will and James
Dearing, Roy Craig, Misses
Orena Long, Pauline and Vo
lena Dearing and Lawrence
Dearing.
The car was being driven by
James Dearing and when they
reached a good stretch of road
just on the outskirts of town,
he speeded up a little too fast
and lost control of the car. The
machine turnecr completely
over, throwing some of the oc
cupants several feet.
The accident occurred about
7 o’clock near the residence of
Gross Qualls and was witness
ed by members of Mr. Qualls’
family who were standing on
the front porch at the time.
Mr. Qualls ran to their as
sistance and the car was lifted
off of Will Dearing who was
pinned beneath the wreck.
The car was badly damag
ed, the windshield being brok
en, the fenders badly smashed
and the too wrecked.
FURNITURE
By far the most beautiful
lineof furniture ever shown
in this county at North
Arkansas’ greatest furni
ture house, now on dis
play at our Store.
Moderate prices and terms
to suit you. We invite
you to call and inspect
this big line of furniture
C. W. MAXFIELD CO
THE BEST FOR THE MONEY
BATESVILLE