Semi=weekly graphic., 1897-01-16

as individuals.
 ON THE GOVERNORS LAST
 MESSAGE.
 Gov. Clarke in his vaIedictory message to the Legislature shows a proper appreciation of the legisla- tive needs of Arkansas. While the scheme for the commonweal out lined by him is not without defects, it is on the whole an excellent text paper for the guidance of the pres ent recruits to the legislative ranks. In studying this eommendable poly gram of the retiring Governor, the novitiates to whom we made allu- sion should keep uppermost in their minds the stimulating fact that he who is most dilligent in effeeting the legislation said to be needfal by the Governor may some day be Governor himself. Perhaps it would be as well, at this juneture, to sur render most of our editorial space in giving an outline of the Govern or's suggestions.
 He opens with the recommenda- tion that special election be held to decide whether we hold a consti- tutional convention, alleging that ia general election is not a fit occa- sion for discussing and disposing of a matter of this import tance;" next he advocates the passage of law establishing a railway commission, shows the constitutional power for such legislation, and summarizes that "the whole idea of regulation by means of commission is fair, ' Upon the question of the States in debtedness it is said, that the State ought to liquidate the small rem nant of the debt now in the hands of private holders by restoring the levy of one-half mill for such sinking fund, repealed last session, and by crediting the common school fund on the books Of the Treasurer with the aggregate amount of principal and interest due-an actual issue of new bonds not being necessary and give directions to the Treasurer to credit annually this fund with interest at an agreed rate, to be paid out of the proceeds of this one half mill levy after the small balance due to private holders has been paid off, and that thereafter the. sum so credited as interest be added to the amount arising from the too small tax for disbursement for immediate use. Under this arrangement, concludes the Governor, in few years the State would find the school fund to be her only creditor, and then the matter will become a very simple one.
 Concerning collection of the reve- nue, it is recommended that the State be divided into three or four districts providing Q different time in each for collecting State taxes, and so remedy the mischief of an nually withdrawing a large sum of money from actual circulation.
 The Governor discovers that the military pension roll needs revision, as many of the pensioners whom the law did not contemplate assisting are on the roll, and thus those truly entitled to the States bounty are being robbed of their portion.
 The present penal system is de- clared by the Governor to be expen- sive, adopted and continued to es- cape 'the barbarities practiced un der the so-called lease system. ? He suggests the purchase of Q large tract of coal land having good top growth of timber as 2 means Of prof itably employing the convicts and placing the people in position to compete with coal mines owned and operated by railway companies. Hel also favors the construction, by con- vict labor, of a line of railways to connect with the several systems in Little Rock and to extend far west to reach the competing | systems to be found there