The Russellville Democrat., 1884-04-10
He thinks that the State shoul,

an. intelligent, practical farmer, and in connection with it an experimen. tal farm, suitably located, to test the various crops adapted to this State.
 AWhat are your views upon taxesy'
 II am of opinion that the state tax can be materially reduced. The state tax proper is now mill for general purposes. ] mill for insane asylum. and 4 mills for the payment of the public debt. The mills school tax is levied by the constitution. The gradual accumulation in the sinking fund. and the collection of the judge. ment against the Memphis and Hft tile Rock Railroad company, has en. abled the treasurer to pay of the ten years bonds. and the increased revenue bill of 1883, will pay off the Loughborough bonds, except what belongs to the school fund, by the meeting of the next legislature. The scrip has been virtually redeemed. According to the report of the col 1 lector ofinternal revenue for Arkan. SITS, 1344 liquor licenses were issued in the state during the year ending 30th April, 1883, and the collector says that, judging from the number of licenses already issued, as many will be taken cut for the present as during the past year: but says that, owing to the high license, and other causes, perhaps, but 800 are likely to be issued upon which the state will collect her tax. This will real
 ze$24O, 900 the penitentiary will pay $25, ,OOO; other privilege taxes, insur. ance etc., will produce $l0,000; fees, sale of books, and sale and redemp. tion of lands in offices of secretary of state and commissioner of state lands will pay $30,00O, making, in the az. gregate, s3O5,000.
 "How do you feel on the amersi- ment?' sIt has been charged in some quarters that I favored the payment of the class of bonds em. braced in the amendment. Hereto. fore 1 have remained silent under these aspersions, feeling that my views ss to the Railroad Aid, Levee and Holford bonds were plainly ex- pressed whilst was editor of dem- ocratic paper, during the time that the radical party dominant in this state, in which period the attempt was made by legislation to fasten these fraudulent claims upon the state. It is in the memory of those now living, who were actors in the trying times of reconstruction, how bitterly I opposed such legislation. 1 stated then, I state now, that not only the bonds, but the legislature itself, was neither morally nor legal. ly bound to pay them. Our supreme court has decided that the state is not legally bound for payment of the levee nor railroad aid bonds, and from the time of the hypothecation of the bonds tue state has ever re- fused to recognize the Holford debt.
 "The question of the payment of these claims has for years been the absorbing one in our local politics, and the people consider It of such vital import that it dwarfs every oth- CT measure looking to the pubic good for these various reasons shall vote for the amendment.
 How about the count or the amendmentp
 "Thc constitution of 1874 pre- scribes infinitely the mode by which amendments thereto can be made it must be proposed in one of the branches of the Legislature, and majority of the members elected to both houses must vote in favor of it; it must then be submitted at the next general election. at which senators and representatives are to be elected, and if a majority of the electors vot- ing at such election adopt it, the same becomes part of the consti. tuition.
 The statute regulating the mode of proposing and voting upon amend ments to the constitution provides that at the next general election after the amendment IS proposed by the legislature, such aniendment shall be submitted to the qualified electors, and if it be found that majority of the voters of the state voting at such election have yosd for such amendment, the governor shall issue his proclamation amour cling the adoption of such amend ment. The governor, astorney-gen- eral and secretary of state constitn- ted the board for the counting the votes upon the amendment. As q member of the board l honestly be- lievd, and yet believe, that to legally adopt an amendment to the constltu' tion requires that majority of the voters voting at general election, not only of those voting upon the amendment, but of all the votes cast should be in favor of it -so believing l acted"
 His entire interview in last Sun days Gazette is worth reading.