Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-01-19


 part of it, well regulated system of state banks of issue. It will therefore be our duty to place our state in a position where we may l avail ourselves of any relief which may be pro- vided from this quarter, and to do this we must abrogate section 10 of article 12 of the constitu- tion which prohibits banks of issue in this 1 state
 There are many other matters which will readily occur to any intelligent person who will l investigate our present constitution from the 1 standpoint of OUT present wants, and l shall leave to these the enumeration of such as hGTs 1 been omitted
 The sentiment in favor of revising our present constitution is by no means unlyef' sal Many good citizens sincerely believe that if convention should be called we would put upon the state all sorts of ''wild eat' schemes for the issue of public bonds in aid oi i private enterprises and that the meritorious l provisions of the present constitution would l be swept away. So far as the fear of the ln- auguration of any scheme to issue public bonds | or to increase taxation beyond present limits IS i concerned the assumption is wholly gratuitous. It is in defiance of the known sentiment ot every opinion former in the state and over looks the lesson of recent vote of the state on & very mysterious amendment, the only ob- | ieetion to which was the fact that 1t increased taxation. The history Of Arkansas when sht was ruled by persons who believed in booms and bonds is such as to forever make imposst- ble repetition Of this state affairs.
 We have the authority Of the precedent of every convention which has ever assembled in In this state, except that of S6S for saying that no convention will be held in this state which does not include in it's membership the ablest and best of our citizens It seems to be ser vice which attracts such persons particularly. | There is, therefore no room to fear that any convention now held will enter upon such op- V,H. ...aF #.E1 1-f5 .=IV1r Ff1I the people have il in their power to refuse to adopt any such propose constitution when sub mitted to them for ratification And that theT will do so, none have less doubt than myself Ii seems to me to be a far fetched fear to say that q convention called in response 10 de mand for reduction and equilization Of tax ation, aud the simpliticatiOn and improve ment of governmental methods would so far misunderstood or defy this demand as to convert the occasion into an ef- l fort to oppress the people There are changes which should be made in our system of tax ation, some of which I have indicated but 1 these call rather for a reduction than for an in 1 crease. The enforcement of the criminal laws i ot the state costs too much money The ex cess Of costs on this score is made the means of erippiiug every other function Of the govern | ment as admins tered through the county or ganization. h a county of this state, with 1 the affairs of which I am familiar and know them to be as intelligentIy administered as any l in the state B per cent Of the gross revenue collected for county purposes was required to defray this expense. In others the proportion 1 Is much larger and in some the entire tax levy ts not sufficient to pay the cost.
 | 1n this condition of affairs, every other inter | esI Of the county is made to depend upon thia branch Of the service. The county judge, ne matter how faithful and competent can not 1 control the condition Of his county since the ant WfnV Fr,-, ,.-fv- r,I I be regulated by produce, hut depends upon the number Of cases pending and the promptness with which the same are dispatched War 1 rants issned for the expense of prosecuting of l lenders are made receivable in payment foi any tax levied for any county purpose Thus roads, bridges and other matters of interna l Improvement are made of secondary rnportaDe, to debts created in the prosecution, or al 1 legged prosecution Of criminals never want to see time when criminal, are not vigorously prosecuted, but I think We sre now spending too mlBgh money for thii purpose. Improved methods of procedur, i would dispense with much os this outlay, and { specific tax levied for the phrpose, with pro l Tfst0n that warrants issued in excess of the sum thus produced should not be a charge upon the leyies made for other county i purposes. would cOnf1ne whatever de | moralization overlook county on thi, score to this particular fund. ant might therefore discourage many frivolous i prosecutions or impress judges with the neees stty Of greater promptneSs in disposinR of case, on the criminal callendar. There would ther be no fear that an excess of script issued fol 1 criminal expenses would cause additional de 1 morallzation in the price of other commodities i furnished to the county. nor could such be the result Tn the matter of the issuance Of scripl against the specific fund levied for criminal ex penSes, since these are regulated by fixed "a .s bri1
 i possible without additional taxation
 IL Is also sail that if the convention be called tne homestead exemptions will be abolished The class who make this irsistenc4 Is not very numerous It seems to take DO Lnore tanpfbIe form than the expression of an Idle belief thai some such thing may be done The allowance or reasonable homestead exemption seems now 10 be taken and considered as a rnatter og course Ill the formation Of constitutions for The several states of the union. time wheu a home IS about all the average voter has left would seem to be an inoPportune time at which 70 call upon him to adopt a constitution abol. ishtng the exemption.
 If any change in this particular ia desHr.h hlo It IS in ,he direction es making the exen,ntton more effective by denying the right to mort. gage the homestead except for purchase money or for improvements thereon. AritansaS has always made liberal provision in favor q, homesteads and personal property exemptions. anu Sau oISCOR6E no desire to abandon 1ha policy.
 Some also express the fear that a eonst,tY. tlonai convention would abrogate our usurv law This might be disposed of bv the su9. gestton that If the convention should do hi. 1t would do no more than the courts have already done Why any one should desire repeal of the usury law where the penalties are to attach ony to contracts where the rate ot interest reserved is in excess Of 10 per cent per annur2 is a matter Of amazeinent The condition T anyone who is willing to become debtor on those terms is notice 10 the other party that he has reached a position in his affairs where he is no longer n a position to conduct negotiation. The fellow with tbe money names the terms as to security and tbe rate of interest and the necessities of the other require their acceptance No legitimate business which Arkansas is now inviting nar. sons to enter will bring returns that will enabla the borrowers to pay more than 10 per cent per annum for the use of money with which tc carry on the same. Persons shrewd epouoh to have money to lend know this us well as apv one To take advantage Of unfavorable eondi. tion and unfair combinations to exact more than a commodity s worth when put to lepiti. mate else, is form of extortion which shopla be prohibited by law
 Any argument that will justify the repeal n. ths usury law where the prohibited rate ia 2 excess Of 10 per cent. will be Il good argument