The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1909-01-21

the majority have after finishing in the higher
courses Of many of the Universities.
| recommend that there be established four
additional Agricultural schools in the State
two Of which, in accordance with the wish
Of the last State Democratic Convention should
be located, at the State Normal School
and at Fayetteville. the latter two being
considered in this message under the subjects
Of the State Normal and in the increased eff
cheney of the Agricultural Department of the
University of Arkansas.
But for the establishment of two of these
Agricultural schools to be specially desigpeS
to teach boys and girls how to farm -1H DO
housekeeping l recommend that .rspropria-
ton of Fifteen Thousand Dollars be made, the
same to be available only for the equipment
and maintenance of the said two schools and
they be located in the sections of the state
offering the best inducements for same. No
bonus should be considered containing less than
two hundred and twenty acres of land and all
necessary buildings for present purposes.
recommend also the creation by the Governor,
composed Of three members residing near the
respective locations and to both Of which
Boards shall be added ex-officio members
the Governor and Superintendent of Public In
struction.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND STATE UNIFORMITY
OF TEXT Boo1S
l recommend that you pass a law creating
State Board of Education who shall also com
pose a Board of School Book Commissioners
follows: The members thereof to consist
of the Governor, President of the University
of Arkansas, Superintendent of Public In
structon, President of the State Normal School,
the three superintendent of Public Schools
of the three largest cities in the State, and
four competent citizens to be designated by
the Governor, of whom shall come from
any district in which any other member of the
Board may reside.
The duties of this Baord should be, first
to have charge Of direct, and in all matters
look after the best interest of the entire Pub
lie School System of the State as is usually
done by similar Boards of other States.
In addition to its other duties, l recon,
mend that you make it obligatory upon this
Board to adopt efficient and uniform system
of school books for the entire State.
The members of the School Book Com
mission. not otherwise employed by the State,
should be paid mileage and $500 per day while
in service, and such appropriation as you find
necessary for carrying out other details, the
expense of which the system would incur,
should be made by you.
The Commission should be empowered espe-
cially to provide books at the expense of the
State for poor INDECENT children who, In
their judgment, would be deprived of the ad-
vantages afforded by the free schools of the
State If books were not supplied to them free
of charge.
CHURCH SCHOOLS.
There number of church schools and
colleges belonging to the different religious
denominations distributed throughout the State.
They are, in their way, rendering great
service to the State. Many of our brightest
young and women have been educated in
these Institutions and wherever they are found,
they are among the highest type of our citi-
zenship. The officials and leaders of these col
leges have been unstinted to me in their ex-
pressions of good will and promise of co-opera-
ton in the maintenance of high standards and
upbuilding of the educational system general
ly, of Arkansas.
STATE REFoRMAToRY.
Under this head, Governor Donaghey suggests
many Improvements for the benefit of the
inmates including the teaching of trades etc.
ARKANSAS HISTORY COMMISSION.
1t Is my opinion that this Commission is do
ing great service to the State. With the
limited means which 1t has had for defraying
its expenses it has so far made very re-
markable showing In results actually achieved.
1t is conducting exhaustive research for
the hidden material which is very valuable
to the State. 1t has already accomplished
much and and under its present organization
and leadership, 1t is better prepared for fn.
ture service than it has been. In my
judgment, the appropriation 1t will ask for,
when compared to the history 1t will develop
for the information of the State, will be well
worth of your consideration and should be
granted
UTILIZING AND CONSERVING OUR
NATURAL RESOURCES.
| 1t is well known all over the world that our
state has been. and is still, wonderfully rich
in It's native resources of both mineral and
timber. And yet 1t must be source of much
humiliation and chagrin to the well-informed
citizen to know that hundreds of millions of
dollars worth of coal. timber, stone and other
mineral is being shipped out of the State
without the States realizing any profit at all
from the same; but to the contrary, on account
Of the bad business management, the same
called resources of wealth proving actual
drawback to the States progress and otherwise
greatly Gripping its material welfare. For the
billions Of feet of lumber put the market
from forests the citizens have realized
scarcely anything. Those of them who have
engaged in work at the mills where lumber
is manufactured, In order to do SO, abandoned
their comfortable homes and little farms to
take up their abode in shacks. when after years
of such life they found the fruits of 1t AFFORD
ed but meager existence with assets
whatever for the future.
Conditions in the coal mines have even been
worse The output of stone and other minerals
has also assumed considerable proportions in
parts of the State, and is to develop very
great industries in the future.
After satisfying ourselves as to the con-
stitutional authority which according to my in
formation have, there should be adopted
some such methods these:
LIST plan by which tax could be levied
upon coal at so much per ton say ten cents as
1t is mined and shipped and tax the land
over it for its agricultural or other value, ex-
cepting the coal.
End. Tax all lumber manufactured and load
ed in cars or boats or otherwise moved at any
mill in the State say ten cents per thousand
feet, taxing the land from which its cut
above indicated.
3rd. Tax all crushed stone loaded and
shipped from the quarries five cents per cubic
yard taxing the land before mentioned.
4th. Tax all cut, scabbed or sawed stone
one-half cent per cubic foot, and all rough
stone quarried for other purposes and shipped
out from the euarries seven and one-half cents
per cubic yard.
9th. Tax all brick loaded boats
and shipped otherwise moved from kilns. ten
cents per thousand brick
9th. Tax all the manufactured and shipped
from the kilns at two cents per one hundred
pounds, taxing the land above mentioned
Set apart the total sum produced by the
above tax for the purpose hereafter mentioned
and allow the counties in which these materials
are located and from which they may be shipped
to avail themselves of the advantages afford
ed under the constitutional right and sta
tutes for taxing the same material.
Then let the total sum so collected by the
State be applied for educational purposes.
CONSERVATION OF WATER POWER.
Among other things under this head the
governor says:
This in the future. is certain to become a
great factor in the conduct OF the commerce
and of civilization. The water pow
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