The Green Forest tribune., 1909-04-23
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS.

PeNooS0 edly become a law, as it is generally believed that the governor will sign the measure, as it carries out the rec concentrations outlined in his message to the legislature and also follows out the suggestions of the Democratic platform. The bill provides that any two or more contiguous counties in the state may form a road and con- vict district at the July, 1909, term of the county courts of this state and every regular term following; that the county judges in the counties shall agree on the order necessary to carry out the contract; that the district will nave the power to work all prisoners convicted in the district for misde- meanorS and felonies whose term of sentence is five years or less and for all prisoners now confined in the pen itentiary upon the conviction of a term of five years or less; that the judges of the district shall employ the warden and the warden employ the guard, subject to the approval of the judges. After explaining the du- ties of sheriffs on the delivery of pris- oners to the district the bill reads: The road and convict warden shall work such convicts on the roads of the respective counties of the district under the orders of the county court, making the work in each county as nearly equal to the proportion of la Dor delivered by each county as may be practicable during the life of the contract" Provision is made for the death and pardon of the prisoners and the paying of his fine and costs after county shall provide equipment and maintenance and pay all expenses for each convict while he works for the county from any money in the county treasury appropriated for road pur- poses
 If the bill introduced in the Senate by the judiciary committee should be- come a law tax will be imposed on gifts, legacies and inheritances. It will affect all property passing by will or by the interstate laws of the state or by deed, grant, sale or gift. Prop erty passing to grandfather, grand mother, father, mother, sister broth CT, husband, wife or adopted child shall be subject to tax of $1 on each $100 worth of property, market value, except that any estate worth $5,000 or less shall not be subject to the tax. Property passing to an uncle, aunt, niece, n2phew or lineal descendant shall be subject to a tax of S2 on each S100 worth of property, except that estates worth S2,O00 Or less shall not be taxed. In all other cases the rates of taxation shall be as follows: Es- tates worth S10,000 or less, $3 per $100; S20,000 or less than $50,000, S5 per $100 estates in excess of S50,000 S6 on each S100. An estate not worth more than $1,000 shall not be taxed in any event.
 Appreciating the earnest work of Senators DeRositt and Patterson in defeating the bill to change the man. ner of electing the board of directors of the St. Francis Levee District the citizens of that district have, given these gentlemen handsome presents. Senator DeRositt received hand some gold-headed cane and Senator Patterson gold-headed umbrella The presents are highly prized by the recipients, who have made an earnest fight to maintain the integrity and safety of the district.
 The general appropriation bill for the maintenance of the Arkansas pen itentiary for the next two years, which was introduced in the Senate, pro- vides for the expenditure of about S400,000. It was stated that this sum is about S100,000 in excess of the ap- propriation made two years ago. The main item is $350,000, and provides for the building and equipping of a hospital at the state convict farm and for the feeding and clothing of and bedding for the convicts
 MT. Clerget of Conway has correct ed the report to the effect that he had stated that he did not believe any dis tories oher than the history of Ar ln- sas were needed at the University of Arkansas. Mr.. Clerget stated that he opposed the plan of the state pur- chasing any histories other than those of Arkansas on the ground that the other histories were bought by other sources and that it was not necessary for the state to buy them.
 The House attempted to learn ex- actly what elocution is during the discussion of the university appro- priation bill. MT. Collins wanted to know the difference between elocu- tion and physical culture. MT. Hurst stated that there were several mem- bers of the House who had taken elo- cution at the university and MT. Sha- fer asked if that gave them any undue advantage over the other members.
 The fact that bill has been intro duced in the Senate by Senator Rob. ertson to increase the tax in the St. Francis levee district for levcc pur- poses to 13 cents all acre, an increase of 5 cents per acre, has caused some strenuous kicking" in the district. One senator has received petitions and personal letters from many parts of the district asking that he work to defeat the bill.
 Perhaps the longest petition of the session was introduced by Senator Edmondson against the forest reserve. It contained more than 1000 signers and all the signers were from Stone county.
 When Senator Yopp introduced his bill to prevent the shipping of mus sel shells of the state, there was a