THE INDEPENDENT
PERCY H. VAN DYKE
Publisher and Editor
front St, NEWPORT, ARK.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
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la city, by mail in country.
Weekly—$1.00 per year, payable ta
pdvance.
Entered at the posteAoe, Newport,
Arkansas, as tecond-class mail mat*
tar.
ANNOUNCEMENTS.
For County Judge.
The Independent is authorized to
announce the candidacy of W. D. Mc
Lain for the office of county and pro
bate judge of Jackson County, subject
to the action of the Democratic pri
mary.
For Treasurer.
The Independent is authorized to
announce the candidacy of John II.
Camp for the office of Treasurer of
Jackson County, subject to the action
of the Democratic primary.
The Independent is authorized to
announce the candidacy of Jesse W.
Shuford for fhpj»ffice of Treasurer of
Jackson ('ountyintajuect to the action
of the Democratic pHmary.
No Steps Backward.
Recognizing the assessment
of property values to be higher
in Newport than in any other
part of the county, the Board of
Equalization is now contemplat
ing their reduction in order
to place property all over the
county upon the same basis of
33 1-3 per cent of its real value
While the law calls for an as
sessment upon the full value of
property, the law has been vio
lated so long in this and every
other county of the state, that
no assessor and no board of
equalization has ever attempted
to place property upon the tax
books at 100 cents on the dollar
valuation.
The tendency of recent years
at least has been to assess prop
erty at a higher per cent of its
value. The financial condition
of our city, school districts,
county and state demanded it
Nor was this condition and ten
dency peculiar to our own coun
ty, but general over the entire
state, and as a rule met with the
support and not the protests of
tax payers.
In Newport, most real proper
ty is taxed at 50 per cent of its
value, while according to the
best posted local authorities, the
assessment of lands over the
county will hardly average over
25 per cent. The property of
the railroads, the compresses,
□banks, public utility corpora
tions and other large interests
pays taxes upon an assessment
that is almost double the gener
al run over the county, but in
• line with the city.
The present board of equaliza
I
tion to follow their duties in the
equalizing of assessments deter
mined to make the assessment
uniform at 33 1-3 per cent of
actual values, which if carried
out will bring more revenue to
the county and state, the other
towns and school districts of the
county but reduce the income of
| this city and school district sev
! eral thousand dollars.
The tedious work of other
boards and assessors in gradual
ly bringing assessed valuations
to 50 per cent of actual values
will all have been lost in one
stroke and it will be years be
fore we regain the ground lost.
And in the meanwhile, what of
our schools? To secure a mod
ern and adequate building, to
bring Newport schools up to the
standard of other progressive
cities of the state, this district
j issued bonds in the sum of $45,
j 000 and is now threatened with
'a reduced assessment that would
make the district unable to meet
the interest and retire this
bonded indebtedness as it be
j comes due and at the same time
I continue our schools. Such a
course would be a public calami
ty to this city and district and
the situation ought to arouse
the public spirit and patriot
I Ittlll UI UU1 111 a uv-iuui*M
that our valuations stand as
they are and the board confine
its attention to equalizing the
burdens of similar classes of
property in our district.
The county is on a scrip basis,
the state treasury is empty, the
Confederate soldier is paid only
a per cent of the pension allot
ted and while no man enjoys
the payment of taxes, their in
crease is necessary to support
our state and county govern
ment. All over Arkansas the
people are meeting these con
ditions by an increase of assess
ments, not only because the
revenue is needed, but by reason
of our growth in wealth and the
increased values of our lands.
When these are the conditions
confronting us, the better course
upon the part of our tax equal
izers it would seem, would be to
bring valuations up in the
county instead of reducing as
sessments in Newport. Bring
them up gradually, not to work
a hardship upon the people, for
great results are not accomplish
ed in a day, and with Newport
willing to pay taxes upon her
present assessment in order to
support her schools and city
expenses, let the assessments
stand except in equalizing the
bui'dens among ourselves.
The tax payers and citizens of
this district if they have an in
terest in our schools and of this
we are confident, should urge
upon the Board of Equalization
now in session, the maintenance
of present assessments in this
district, and they ought to do it
now, before too late.
ELEPHANT FINDS
PIG AFFINITY.
Massive Beast Learns Humble
Porker Is Much Needed
And Worthy Friend.
Animals widely diversified by
nature often form queer attach
ments and find singular affini
ties when thrown together in
one aggregation. No where else
in the world is this more vividly
demonstrated than in the case
of an elephant and a barn yard
hog, comprising a part of the
menagerie with Gentry Bros.
Greater shows, which will ex
hibit in this city, Saturday,
September 20.
When Gentry Brothers, the
pioneers in trained animal
shows, began their career they
had but little more than confi
dence in themselves and their
ability as trainers and business
men. They started with the
lowly animals. Their first
troup numbered nothing more
than a few ponies, a few dogs,
and two common house cats.
As trainers they became
great students of animal nature.
From that small beginning they
have enlarged and improved
their exhibition until now the
elephant of India, with his
greatest adversary, the leopard,
are found in the menagerie.
After acquiring two elephants
years ago their greatest task
was to teach them English, and
then train them. This was done
after long practice and great pa
tience. The pachyderms from
Asia were willing creatures. As
they went through their little
courses they became quite
Americanized.
When the elephants were
first introduced in Gentry Bro
thers winter quarters the other
animals held aloof from them.
But after a few months of con
tact the creatures in that great
performing family came to
know each other.
“Casey,” the trained pig, be
came an inseparable companion
of “King,” the elephant. One
day a trainer noticed “Casey”
walk deliberately up to the ele
phant- The largest of all creat
ures was lying down.
After a couple of grunts,
which the elephant returned,
the pig got busy. With his
rough nose he began scratching
the elephant s duck- ine pacny
derm was in his seventh heaven.
Now whenever “Casey” is un
leashed he spends most of his
time in the elephant’s ring.
When the elephants go for wa
ter he goes with them. When
they are fed their bran and oats
“Casey” eats with them. In
fact, “Casey” and “King” are
the staunchest friends around
the zoo. Both will be here when
Gentry Brothers Shows exhibit
in this city next Saturday, Sep
tember 20.
Muddled.
The lecturer arose and said la*
presslvely “Every time I see a young
man coming out of a saloon, I want
to go right up to that young man and
say, ‘Turn right around, young man;
| you’re going the wrong way.’”—New
! York Mail.
Cheerful Men Succeed.
The men whom I have seen succeed
best in life have been cheerful and
hopeful men, who went about their
business with a smile on their faces,
and took the changes of this mortal
life like men, facing rough and
smooth alike as it came.—Charles
Kingsley.
Speech in Marble.
Rodin says of the antique master
pieces: They “speak to me louder,
move me more, than human beings.
In its turn, may the new century medi
tate upon these marvels, and may it
try to ascend to them through intelli
gence and love.”
; Look at these two men. The have been to market their I
cotton. One put his money in the bank and the other did
Mt. They were held up on their way home. The silly fel
low who wanted to take his money home had to “deliver”
to the robbers. The other was able to give them the laugh
—his money was in the bank.
ARKANSAS BANK & TRUST CO.
sen i
1 To Have You Call and See our New Fall Goods j
Or At Least The Part Which Have
Arrived.
BrocadedV elvet,
Brocaded Paon Velvet for trimmings. j
The new Mandaline light weight. j
Duryea stripes.
Diagonal Serges, 52 inches, all colors.
We cau Show You All The New Silks
in Corticelli and Pine Tree Mills.
cil II'—11 Ht-*! liczi Uc=J uc=j ut=j ——
_ ' —
Good for Honing Razors.
People who hone their own razors
will be interested in the statement in
one of the magazines that what is
known as “cuttlefish paper” makes
an ideal material for the rapid honing
of razors, surgical instruments, etc.
This paper is made for use by dentistf
for polishing gold fillings, and is
coated with an abrasive substance of
remarkably fine grain.
Examine Strange Personality.
A Frenchman, named Marguy. said
to possess the hide of an elephant,
Instead of the ordinary human skin,
and therefore believed to be an ab
normally constituted person, not ac
countable for his actions, is to be
medically examined at the request ol
the French attorney general to de
termine his responsibility for a theft
for which he has been imprisoned
some months.
WAIT—Coming' Soon
NEWPORT «-itI AA
Saturday vBpii faU
NOW the GREATEST TENTED EXHIBITION in the WORLD
4 BIG SHOWS IN ONE
Times Its Former Size
EVERYTHING NEW THIS YEAR BUT THE TITLE
Will Positively Exhibit Twice Daily—At 2:00 and at 8:00 p. m.
20 - BIG FEATURE ACTS -- 20
I fillli HIM
2 Herds PERFORMING ELEPHANTS
100 Beautiful Horses 100 Shetland
Ponies
EXTRA! ADDED! EXTRA!
Ihe Largest and Costliest Collection of Wild and Domestic Ani
mals carried by any show is now to be seen with GENTRY BROS.
ALL NEW FEATURE SHOWS. .4 if
A FORTRUNE EXPENDED Cnrr . Fi A Ik A Fkl^
In our MAGNIFICENT NEW iKEt StfCCt PARADE
Which POSITIVELY takes place rain or shine, 10:30 a. m., show
day.
A SOLID MILE OF GOLD AND GLITTER.
Doors Open for Inspection of Me nagerie at 1 and 7 p. m.—Per
formance Commences 1 Hour Later.
j 1
w. A. MINI
CONTRACTOR
and BUILDER
Solicits an Opportunity t
Make You A
Bid
cTrTgra*
physician m
AND SURGEON I
EARL BUlLdB
OFFICE HOURS: I
9a.m.tolU»B
2 p. m. to 5 P- ||
Office Telephone
ioTSI
IsashTw»®®B
shingles, w
doors, bb^B
NEW LUMBER
Lower End f j
$ ESTIN? VTES Fl^B
g TelephoneJB
No.'Six-Six?!
Five or six doses w ^ MHH
if taken then as •« ^ ,ivet W. v
return. . Il .“jig not
Calomel and do flF