The Russellville Democrat., 1891-03-12

sion of the rules to strike out the pen altv prescribed for the failure to deliver messages promptly. M
 Motions to adjourn were made everA i've minutes and voted down. But bel fore ang definite action was taken on Senator Williams amendment, an adz. journment was reached until 9:30 toH morrow morning. k
 HOUSE.
 When the house reconyened yeste3z3 day afternoon discussion was resum on Mir. Witt's apportionment bill. M Head got the floor ard said z
 HON. H. c. HEAD.
 MT. Speaker Article s, Sec. I. has ceen read by more than dozen mem- bers and construed in different ways. Now. sir, it reads that the 'legislature shall consist of not less than seventy three nor more than 100. Now, as see this, it just simply means that we shall not reduce the number below seventy three, and that we may increase to 100 if we see ifs. Uuder this bill we give each county one member. That places each county in the state upon an equal basis. My county pays her part of the taxes; she bears her part of the burdens of the state government, and l think she has and should have an equal part in the man. agement of the state, and not let Pulaski county, or any other, come up and, by numbers, sit down on us. 1 am, sir, in the interest of economy and reform. This bill will save the state from $40. 0J0 to $50, coo each two years, and that is certainly in the interest Of the people.
 Here MT. Otey asked if the gentle- man was always in-his seat and ready to vote.
 Mir. Head answered that he was not, buf that the gentleman from Lee was frequently behind the speakers stand on the lounge asleep when he (Head) was iu his seat ready to vote; that he (Hcsd) had not done all his duty, but that g glass house would not stand rocks, and tfiat1 ~other Otey mad best not throw them.
 Mir. Head went on to say that he thought the bill would do no harm: that it would put Little River county upon an equality with Pulaski and Phillips. That it would give each an equal chance; that it would take less money from tbe poor tax payers of the state, and that for that reason he favored the same.
 HON. ". A. EVANS.
 MT. Evans said:
 MT. Speaker-It has been alleged here, by tire opponents of this bill. that not in single inst tance have the friends of this bill offered good reason why 1t should pass. Now, Mir. Speaker, | offer two reasons why the bill should pass. CD There are entirely too many members in this house to expedite busi- ness. It is true that he more members we have on this floor, the more time is consumed in arguing pro and con. on bill, and each member is allowed ten minutes to speak on any measure. and every ten minutes thus taken m amounts to Sl9.40 of the tax payers money, when, if we had fewer mem bers we could get through with the business great deal faster. Take the senate for all example. They can and do keep ahead of the house in business, and do not keen as busy as we do. (2) By only having one representative from each county. if will curtail the expense of tie state thousands of dollars, and that is soma- thing worth taking into consideration when our state is in deot. The amount she is and has been for nt arly fifty years has now paying interest on indebted ness that has been hanging over it since lSA. Now, you good economists, you will have chance to show to the world whether you are sincere in wh. you have been advocating or not. MT. Speaker, 1t Is grand thing, must ad- !, init, that we have so many learned and lawyers upon this floor. Sir, notice that when any bill they dislike comes before this house on it's third reading, if they imagine that they cannot vote It down, they y begin to raise the howl: "lt is unconstitutional. Tn order 10 try to mislead some one who is not famii- lar with he constitution. Now, they harp nightly on Art. s and Sec. |, that 1t specifies that certain counties shall elect two and three representatives, and if we curtail from those counties a rep- resentative t is unconstitutional. Now. it is poor rule that won't work both ways. Again, in the same section. it says Sebastian county shall elect two but since that time the legislature has given her another one. Wasn't this unconstitutional? Un- doubtedly. If the constitution will al- low us to go over the amount that 1t specifics, 1t will nave the right to let us drop under tue amount thus specified. The constitution says that Pope county shall elect one rep esentative, and you are now trying to give her two. Now. If one Is unconstitutional so is the otb CT, and am for the bill.
 Now, gentlemen, you fellows who have three and four representatives from your county, if you think you have not men who are not c0mpetent to rep- resent your big county, just let North Arkansas know it. She can ship you carload of good men, who can and will make you a good representative, for we have that many good and brainey men who want to be representa- tives.
 HON. J. GRAY LUCAS.
 Mir. Lucas did not believe that the bill was constitutional. He thought if article $, section l, of the constitution meant anythi z it meant that the sey- eral counties should have representa- Iiun Tn proportion to the ratio of their population. He thought that, accord- Ing to all fairness, Jefferson county should have four representatives, but ne dld not believe that two wrongs made ! right, and, therefore, he was against he bill.
 If the bill should pass, it would place he election of a United States senator in he hands of minority of the people of he state. If the house passed this measure then we should take down the motto of our state "Regnant PopuR."
 The young king, George III, desired o build q palace that should rival that 't Versailles in splendor. In l763 bill vas iaro4uced in parliament which