The Monticellonian., 1894-12-28
ARKANSAS MAYORS
Meet in Little Rock and Discuss
 Important Matters.
They Believe n New Constitution Would lie Good Thing for the State, and Will Ask the Legislature to
 Call Convention.

1 Call a Convention.
 The mayors of cities of the first and
 second class and incorporated towns
 of Arkansas met in the senate cham
 Der, Little Rock, December Is, pursuant
 to call issued by Mayor M C. Hall of Little Rock. Mayor Hall called the
 convention to order, and Col. A. $. Nor. l gan, representing the mayor of Cam
 den, was made temporary chairman,
 Mayor J. c. Edwards of Texarkana
 temporary secretary and Mr. (. F. | Fowler, of Little Rock, assistant secre- tary.
 The following municipalities, repre- sented by from one to four delegates, responded when the roll was called: Sloan Springs, J. l.. Crane, mayor; Eureka $ brings, z P. Freeman mayor; Philadelphia, J. E. Galloway, proxy; Morrilton, T. A Dowdle, mayor; Plummerville, G. ". $ mith mayor; Wynne, J T. Robinson, proxy; Conway, w. W. Martin, mayor; Hot Springs. R. L. Williams, mayor; Paragould, P w. Moss, re- corder; Washington. F. P. Hardness proxy; Malvern, Richard Clardy, mayor; Nashville, $. A. Downs, delegate; Batesyille J. E. Rose brough, mayor; Newport T. T. Ward, mayor, Hon. H. l.. Remmel, ]. M. Stayton and K. B. Fowler; Pine Bluff D. c. Bell mayor; Marianna, J. T. Robinson, mayor; Carlisle, l.. F. Arnold. mayor; TeXarkana, J. C. Edwards, mayor, and k. l.. Dollarhide Brinkley, A l.. Norman, mayor, and w S, McCulloch: Camden, Col A. S. Morgan and Col, J. E. Frictheim, proxies; RusSelville, R. A Ross, mayor; Little Rock, NJ c. Hall, mayor, Hon. M M. Cohn and Charles F. FoH1er; Forrest City, II w. EnVpttpNiiip Il mayor,and Alderman l T. Taylor. Becbe, T B. Babbitt, mayor. and ]. E. Rusk: Bald Knob. J. C. Cleveland, mayor; Judsonia, l. C. Kinney, proxy; Darlanelle, w. II. Gee mayor; Stuttgart, W. Nj. Price, proxy; Ben tonyille, r. G. Lindsay, mayor; Philadelphia, A. NJ Crow, proxy; Van Buron, Ben Decherd mayor; Dyer. J. E. Martin, J. r. LiYingSton Mulberry. F. D. Pyle, mayor; Ca bot, J. II. Jones; Texarkana k. l. Bartlett; Hagen, J k. Carlee. mayor Little Rock, A. R. Bragg J. B Cowpland; Benton. T. M, Mehaf- fey Fort Smith, J. X. Hoffman mayor Judge J. H. Rogers D. E. Sparks.
 Permanent organization was effected by the election of the following:
 Chairman. Judge John II. Rogers, Fort Smith; secretary, Mayor Edwards, TeXarkana, and C. r. Fowler, Little Rock, assistant.
 Judge Rogers thanked the conven- tion and expressed himself as heartily in sympathy with the movement.
 Mayor Hall, in giving his views upon the work before the convention, said:
 The first and most important work to be ac- complished is to induce the legislature to call constitutional convention to adopt measures to promote the interest and progress of all cit ies and towns of the state. He cited number of obstacles which now confront the ofIieial>, and without q new constitution he could see no immediate relief He wanted the laws changed so as to permit cities providing the people So declare at the ballot-box, to issue bonds for lo= cal improvements.
 The following committees were ap- pointed:
 On New Constitution-M. G. Hall, chairman W. s. Mccullough l.. P. Freeman, W. ". Mar tin and Senator l.. Mehaffy.
 on Municipal Government-H l.. Remmel, chairman; j. A. Huffman, J. B, iariedheim D C. Bell and w. II. Gee.
 Second Day.
 When the convention was called to order on the 18th W. <. Meculleeh. of Brinllev, on behalf of the committee on constitutional convention and mu. nieipal government, submitted the fol- lowing report, which was adopted without d ulSScIllnS Nolt'
 WHEREAS, Various amendments to the con stitution have been submitted to the people of this state at different times during is exist ence which, if they had been adopted, would have been advantageous to the people and were really what the people desired but being voted upon at the general elections in the height of political excitement were probably overlooked in the interest of candidates, and believing that very little relief can be obtained DF q t1atap tuition for the above reasons, and others that might be enumerated, and,
 WHEREAS, The present constitution of the state of Arkansas was adopted under peculiar circumstances at a time when the feelings of the people were excited by affairs of govern ment just preceding the adoption Of the same, and,
 WHEREAS The state has outgrown the re- striction and terms of the same, and believing there is as much patriotism and state pride | among tho people of Arkansas to-day there was twenty years ago, and that in the event of constitutional convention the people would choose their ablcst and most conservative men | to represent them; therefore, be it RcSoired by the convention, That we earneSt- | ly request and petition the next legislature to | call Il constitutional convention for the forma- tion of new constitution, ill keeping with the changed condition of the state and it's needs in order that our state, counties and cities may
 
 such erecting public buildings, erecting water-works, building sewers, grading streets and all the various improvements that are con stantly presenting themselves, and to make these Improvements as simultaneously as business man makes private contracts where at present nine-tenths of the improvements in state city or town made on the basis of depreciated currency at a cost of 50 to 100 per cent. in excess of what the improvements should cost Be it further
 ReSOlred, That committee of fifteen be ap- pointed to present this resolution to the state legislature to urge the call of d constitutional convention, and that this committee be and re main a permanent committee to present the re- of the state before the constitutional convention when called, five of the committee to be from cities of the first class, five from cities of the second class, and five from incorporated towns Mir. McCulloch in presenting the re- port said a large number of recom- mendations were laid before the com mittee, but the following were ap- proved and the committee to be select ed was instructed to advocate their adoption:
 In the Constitution-A clause permitting cities and towns to levy greater rate of taxa tion and to issue bonds for the purpose of mak- ing permanent improvements, the rate of taxa tion and amount of bonds to be issued to be recommended by the improvement committee or board of public affairs to the city council