The Green Forest tribune., 1907-01-18

slons of corporations to singeness of pur- pose as at the common law
 would suggest that the legislature pass a law prohibiting a man or a corporation or other association of persons, who OVID stock in one corporation engaged in the manufacture of any article of trade. from owning stock in a like corporation engaged fn the manufacture or the producing for the markets like product because it tends to suppress competition at all points where the products of the two corporations could be sold in the same market Also a corpora ton should not be allowed to engage in any business except that provided for by its charter, and no corporation ought to be al. lowed to own stock in another corporation. 1 want to call your attention 10 the fact that at a common law corpora tion could not own land except so much as was absolutely necessary for it's corpo- rate purpose, but under our law they can become landed aristocrats, the landed aris- tocracy of this country. Therefore, l ask you to pass law absolutely prohibiting corporation from owning any land except such as is absolutely necessary for its cor porate purpose merely l do not mean to take from corporations the lands they already have, but to prevent further ,ac- quisition of lands by them except for purely corporate purposes.
 ALIEN OWNERSHIP OF LAND.
 One of the most important subjects to which I can call your attention, gentlemen, is the ownership of the landed Interests of our State
 As a resume and recapitulation of this subject gentlemen l insist that it is your Ju+v tn al any n-resdent or nonresident corpora ton from hereafter owning one foot Of land in Arkansas, except for corporate pur poses Second submit an amendment to the Constitution by which non-occupa- tion tax may be placed upon all land which is not actually occupied by it's owner. Third, pass law to prohibit land grabbing Fourth, so amend the Constitution as to absolutely exempt the homestead from taxa ton except for road purposes and make It impossible for the owner to cucumber 1t with any kind of lien except for improve ments or the purchase money. Give to every man the opportunity to acquire home. and exempt that from any kind of liability other than those which l havs suggested
 PROBABLE DEFICIT.
 great deal has been recently said b, the Arkansas Gazette as to a probable def eft in the general revenues of this State on ,, July 1st, 1907, in criticism of speeches made by me in the recent campaign. The general revenue fund Is the fund in which it Is insisted that there will appear deficit of S106 900 on the first of next l July. As l do not expect to exercise the 1 powers of the Governors office after this | day. I shall not be responsible for the | course of events after this time: but I i have this to say; that if any deficiency is l made to appear in the general revenue 1 fund of the State on the 1st of July. or l at any other time, 1t will be the result of careiessness and mismanagement, not to employ a stronger term. When 1 recom- mended a reduction in the general revenue i tax rate levy I knew exactly what l was doing. I neither acted in ignorance of the true condition of the finances of the State. nor with a reckless disregard of i the claims of her honest creditors. I knew that if the assessing officers of the State did their duty, as l had tried to do mine 1 in the mater of assessing the railroads there would be q largely increased taxing : basis from which to raise funds to supply ia some degree the reduced amount result | ing from the smaller rate levied. Then took notice of the fact that many of the more recent appropriations were for the erection of permanent State buildings which would not be made again for many years to come In addition to this there are many other items temporary in | character, which do not constitute perma nent charge against the general revenue | fund. Now gentlemen, there is nc occasion for a deficiency the 1st of next ] July. or at any other time nor is there the slightest excuse for seeking at the hands of this legislature an increase ir | the tax rate back to the old rate repealed by her last legislature. The tax ought not to be increased. If fairly tested, ant it appears that the amount of money raised by existing levies will not meet all tht present liabilities provided for by law then if will be the part of wisdom fol my successor to do what I did-go over the several items of liability and determine where, in the light of sresent day necess1 ties the same can be sedu,ed without i'm pairing the effectiveness of the State gov 1 ernment
 I desire to call your attention 10 th, l further fact that when I assumed th' duties of the Governors office on the 1Stl day of January. 1901, we had in the Stat treasury to the credit of the general rev enue fund-money turned over to my ad mnistration by my predecessor-S221 , 421 9S which is but $30, ,5S609 in excess of the amount we have on hand now. Now gentlemen. taking into consideration tha within the last two years we have spen upon public buildings of a permanent char acter S17S000, which will not again be g tax upon the general revenue fund, anC but for the erection of these buildings thi: money would have been in the treasury tC the credit of this fund, I feel that I car | truly say that I have turned over to my | successor a larger amount of ready cash l and permanent improvements than was | turned over to me, and at the same time taxation upon the people of the State has been reduced. And assuming that the ex g1irNar ming expenses of the State government will not exceed what has been usual and GUS tomary heretofore, with a wise and economi cal administration of public affairs. l see no reason for alarm about the question of a deficit in our public revenue at least gentlemen, I lack only S30,000 in round numbers of turning over to my successor as much cash in the general revenue fund 1 as was turned over to me and I also turn over to you these splendid permanent i'm provements which you will not again be | called upon to make; and if you cannot run the State government with this splen | did showing without having deficit on the 1st day of July of the present year. then the responsibility rests with you and not | with me.
 CONCLUSION
 In conclusion. I feel that it is not i'm proper for me to say that I am proud of 1 the condition of our State: that I am | proud of her achievements and the history 1 which she has made since l have had the 1 honor to be your chief executive The du- i ties that l have assumed as such have been | arduous, and at many times seemed greater than I could perform but with one single | object in view, which was to serve as best | could the people who have honored me | have made a record to which feel my | children in after years may point with just