Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-03-08
HOWELL LED
 FIGHT AND WON Balch Bill Defeated In The House By a Vote of 55 to B After Hard Fight in Lower Branch. HUNT A ND PENNEY
the Measure-ROWeH De.
 clared That He Was Not Willing To Turn State Over to The Trusts.
 Neat Repeal of Antitrust Law.
Special to Graphic.

Special to Graphic.
 Little Rock, Ark, March s. Standing alone as representative from Jefferson county, declaring that he was acting strictly in ac- cordance with the wishes of the l2emocratic party, Representative Alex H. Powell of Pine Bluff yes t3erday led the forces in opposition to the Balch bill in the lower branch of the legislature and came, out with living colors. The bill was killed by a vote of 55 to 35. Representa- tives w. B. Pinney and s. J. Hunt voted for the measure and MT. Pin- hey made speech in defense of it.
 Just before the bill was placed to the members of the House to be voted upon, Representative Powell, who had remained in his seat dur ing the previous discussion which followed it's second reading, walked up to the speakers desk and hold ing the petitions sent to him by Pine Bluff citizens and the Board of Trade, and after addressing Speak CT Hamiter and his associates, in part said:
 "These petitions were sent to me by the Board of Trade of my home city. To them are attached the sig natures of more than five hundred of the best people of my county. All of them are friends of mine. I sincerely regret that I cannot grant their request to vote for the Balch bill. I am here representing not only these five hundred representa- tive citizens of my county, but all of the people of Jefferson county and the State of Arkansas.
 "At the Democratic primaries for the past six years my constituents voted on the antitrust measure and each time favored it. They voiced the sentiment that they wanted no backward step in the enforcement of the antitrust law which was adoped by the >Legtslatnfa several years ago. ..The :34et Springs con- vention of Democrats adopted the same sentiment1in 9. plank in its also.favoring. it's strict en- forcement. In voting against this measure I am standing squarely with the Democratic party and by their platform -
 The speech of Powell had it's effect. There was stiffness among the members when he concluded. Sev- eral tried to reply to him, but the Democratic platform and the sen- timent of the party itself seemed to stare them in the face. Some of the representatives were in the Leg islature when the famous Davis law was passed. They
 
 voted for it. They felt that they could not consistently vote against it now. The first roll call was de- cisive. The vote stood 55 nays and 35 ayes.
 In his concluding remarks Rep resentative Rowell said he was at all times willing to support some kind of measure for the relief of business men and merchants, if they wanted it, but he also wanted the privilege of reserving for the state the right to regulate corporations and trusts, and especially did he take the privilege to do so on this occasion, as the Balch bill does not give the people the right to regu- late.
 After beginning his remarks MT. Powell filed a petition from Jeffer- son county citizens asking for the passage of the bill. He said it was 3 two-edged sword, however, and as much as he would like to stand by his friends there were others to be considered. MT. Powell stated