Newport weekly independent., 1903-01-23

UVTITNVT the original amount taken together with the amount that you should appropria- ate at this session, will equal at least SlO00o0. We can make fairly cred itable exhibit there for this amount of money; with less than this I feel that we cannot. I feel that this would be money well spent.
 Overdue Taxes Against Railroads.
 It affords me grea! pleasure to say to you that the present board created for the purpose of assessing railroad and other corporate property in this state have increased the essmcnt upon that character of property mcrc than S5.000.- 900 during my administration, over aud above any other assessment that has ever been made in this state Tljs ts not an unjust raise or increase upc ca that character of property; and wh,,A making the investigation necessary to an intelligent discharge of my duty in act was passed by tho legislature (ses Acts of 1SS3. page 229), providing for this board. consisting of the auditor. secretary of state and governor to as- scss railroad property for taxation. and in the same act exempted from taxa ton that portion of railroad property consisting of 'cmbanltmcntS tunnels, was in fact virtually an exemption ot all railroad property from taxation, and should have been an net to exempt rail roads from taxation rather than to provide for their assessment. The su- preme court under the administration governor of the state of Arkansas. in lSSo, in the case of the Little Rock x Fort smith Railway ys., ,Worthen, 46 Arkansas, 3l@. declared this act uncOn- stituttonal (which decision was subse- auently affirmed by the supreme court of the United Statcsl, and upheld the for taxation of the character of proe- erty attempted to be exempted by the 2c6 c5rt or lSSS, iSS$ find that during the of property was collected. I find that lao5i. m the e, various % settlcmems, with rail settlement or adjustment with the rail- roads for the taxes in the years 1SS3-S4 on that toS eharacter ct, of railway property namely, embanlzments. tunnels. cuts ties, trcstles and bridges
 i have given this, item consider proper act provide for the collection of these back taxes and authorize your governor, to employ an attorney at e thls character of property during the years lSS3-S4, to the end that the bur den of taxation to some extent may be placed where it rightfully and legiti- mately belongs.
 State Beer and Coal Oil Inspector.
 Another fruitful source of rcvcnue that the state has not availed herself of is beer and coal oil inspector. The state of Missouri has a most excellent law on the subject of the inspection of
 
 which you will find in the acts of Mis- sourl of 1889: page FPS. Not only this. but respectfully refer you to the ques- tion of coal oil inspectors, provided for by the statutes ot Tennessee. The oil in our state is of such a character that needs our careful attention.
 Convict Labor contracts of the State.
 We have at present two contracts for convict labor which I think are bad, contrary to public policy and the best in- th1n c4S rf t,tA T ;.Nt, be absolutely abolished and set asida by this legislature. 1t smacks too much of the lease system. the state is vr products of the labor of the convicts to private individuals. who arc growing fat and sleek upon the states loss and in my judgment, had no power to make. l refer especially to the contract made between the state of Arkansas and the Arkansas Brick t& Manufacturing Con- pany, and w. T. Reeves. one contract running for ten years from the date of ahsginning' begin , the other for four years say should be abrogated.
 State House.
 The members of your honorable body are more or less familiar with the ac- tion of the legislature relating to the building of new state house.
 ,o As you anoW, under the provis, four commissioners. viz. Thomas Cox. James r. Eagle. N. ". Norton and J. F.. Martin. who Immediately upon tary, opened correspondence with the supervising architect at Washington City looking to the employment of an architect to revise the plans and submit an estimate of the plans and specified tions of the architect George R. Mann, for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not in the judgment of said expert architect the state capitol as proposed by said plans and specifications of George R. Mann could be built for on. architects suggested by the supervising architect at Washington, P. C., ths 6faTa who Frank M f tS Day l of Little Rock, examined the founda tion as far as completed and discussed at and specifications of George R. Mann He finally took home with him to his office said plans and specifications ami in writing, which is now on file In the governors office subject to your exami- nat ion and inspection, showing clearly buildins I could o not be built Ht for o@ptiDs the amount of money provided in the act of the the last o,I general assembly. viz, one ccongratulated that she has escaped tion with the loss of so little money. and that she is now at a point where me legislature can proceed intelligent ly and economically and erect a stat, house suitable to the needs and necessl- ties of our people, and to this end I would respectfully recommend, first. that the law be so revised as to prevent as nearly as possible the reckless and extravagant expenditure of public money. and that all necessary safe guards be thrown around the law as to make. the construction of this building an absolutely honest transaction and for the least possible cost oDtainable: second. that you empower the board to advertise for a suitable set of plans and specifications for q building to cost not more than one million dollars. to be submitted by competitive bidding by competent architects. and that if the board is in doubt as to which set of plans, after a careful examination. is the more suitable, then it be empowered to employ an expert architect to pass upon this matter for said board, said expert architect to be paid a reasonable compensation for his salary not exceed. ing $1.000; third that said plans and specifications of George R. Mann be ab- solutely rejected and he as architect be discharged from further connection with the building and erection of state house; fourth. that the architect when