The Russellville Democrat., 1891-03-19
BILLS ON SECOND READING.
HOUSE.


 three petitions asking the establishment of a permanent exposition in the city of Little Rock.
 Mir. VeDable presented a petition rel ative to the sale of intoxicants in Con- way county, which was referred to the committee on temperance.
 Uncer the suspension of the rules, Mir Russell introduced bill to borrow cer ssin funds in the state treasury and transfer the same to the general revenue fund.
 The bill was read the second time and MT. Hare offered an amendment striking out per cent in the bill and Inserting per cent.
 The amendment was adopted and the bill placed on the calendar.
 Mir. McBrayer gave notice that, OF tomorrow he would move to reconsider the vote hy which his resolution, look ing to the election of United States sen- ators by direct vote of the people, failed to pass the house.
 (MT. QuinDey in the chair.)
 Mir. Yancy offered resolution con- graduating the immortal stl01" Demo- cratic members of the legislature of Illi- nois in securing the election of John M. Palmer, and also congratulating Moore and Cockriil on their support of Palmer.
 The resolution was adopted
 Mir. Greer introduced a resolution, looking to the early consideration of the general appropriation bills, which was lost.
 By unanimous consent, Mir. Otey withdrew house bill 99 from the house calendar.
 House bill 161, regulating crop mort gages was taken up. T he bill is a compromise measure and dimishes the crop mortgage entirely in four years.
 Mir. Flippin thought the mortgage system detrimental and ruinous to the people. He could not support the pres ent bill. He believed constitutional amendment badly needed.
 Mir. King of Lonoke, believed it was enormous exemptions which had brought about the mortgage system. If, however. this body should pass law preventing men from mortgaging, many would suffer.
 Mir. Dunaway said:
 Mir. Speaker-When the bill under consideration the other day gradually abolishing the crop mortgage. several gentlemen took the floor against it. mink, sir, no bill pending before this house is of more importance to the farmers of this state than this one. It was argued the other day that this bill would dedrive the farmers of the bene- fit of his crop by not allowing them to mortgage it. No such thing will be done, for it does not deprive any one of all the benefits he now has as to mort gazing, but it gives him the benefit of one-quarter of his crop in cash when ever sold. This is so for the year 1892, and for each year following the mort gage loses one-quarter of it's grasp till the farmers are freed from it's power. A farmer who has to mortgage pays too much percentage for what he buys and and tLe farmers of this state are gradually getting poorer and is only matter of time till their liberty ekes out under this system of servitude. The opposition to this bill comes from those who have grown rich under it's oper ations, and not from those who have suffered under its unjust exactions. hope the bill will pass, and throw all men under obliga- ton to pay their debt for honesty's sake, and not have their honesty questioned and strained. The Alliance which met in this city few days ago, representing the sentiment of the farm CTS of the state, gave their sanction to the speedy abolition of the system.
 Pending further consideration of the bill, the morning hour expired and 1t went over.
 Mir. Sevier rose to a question of privi- lege. He said in justification of the ac- ton of the committee on ways and means, and of what he hin self had said on the floor of this house, he wished to state that he had just been notified by the auditor of state that the auditor had made gross mistake in his published report made to the gov elnor.
 In the published report, the auditor states that the net resources of the state for the next two years will be St,0l6,- 900. In his letter and statement to me this morning, as chairman of the ways and means committee, the audi tor now states that the net resources of the state for the next two years will be S740, ,000, showing clear difference of $276, ,000 in the two estimates of the auditor of the resources of Arkansas for the next two years. Now, Mir. Speaker, comment Is unnecessary. l was simply astoDished and paralyzed by this state ment of the auditor, and l cannot yet realize how state official, with the ex- perience of several years in his official capacity could make such terrible mistake, as over r-estimating by over quarter of million dollars, the re- sources of Arkansas for two years
 In connection with this shortage of resources will call your attention to the fact that the liquor licenses of the state, amounting to the sun of one hundred and fifty thousand dollars for two years, and the states part of land sales, amC uniting to thirty five thousand dol lars for two years, are payable in the sinking fund scrip. These amounts could be made payable in currency, and by that means one hundred and eighty five thousand collars could be added to the general revenue fund for the next two years. ! merely make this sugges- ton for fine consideration of the house.
 THE LETTER AND STATEMENT. Hon. A. H. Sevier, Chairman Ways and
 Means and Committee:
 SIR-Herewith hand you an estimate of the amount of revenue that will be placed to the credit of the general rev. enue fund in the next two years. beg to say that the estimate of the amount from privilege license and suudry sources is based on the receipts of the two years ending September 30, 1890, and think is safe one.
 Yours truly,
 W. s. DUNLOP, Auditor.
 By GLEN MCCoLLoCH, D. A.
 Estimated amount of revenue that will be paid into the state treasury dur ing the two years ending September 30, 1892.
 Estimated valuation of taxable
 property. SlS0, 900, 900
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