The Mena weekly star., 1909-01-21

ut1bk ~ the present system of board or ganizatiou, and place the management oi the institution Tn the hands of board of thr' c members appointed by the governor, the dutics of whom shall be so adjusted as to dispense also with the penltentiary superintendent, aud then make your penitentiary board your good roads commission.
 The declaration that the state has the right to fix intra-state freight rates, Eff it has any sovereignty over state matters at all, met with the most pro- uounced indication of approval, as did also his recommendation for the appropriation of s4o,ooo to continue the fight against the iuiuuctions of the railroad com. misslon's rates.
 His announcement that he be- lieved the party platform calling for a special election on the ques- ton of statewide prohibition dur ino )09 should be carried out seemed to meet general approval, and bis reference to the necessity for eliminating special legislation secured the strictest interest from the law makers. "Leave alone special legislation, when 1t can De covered by erallegislation. "
 ..I believe we should estab blish a system of schools for the teach ing of the boys and girls of the state how to farm and keep house, sad the new governor, and this frank confession almost at tue outset of his message. SC. eured both attention and much approval.
 One ot tho unique recommenda- lions, and one, by the way, which IS likely 10 be among the mooted questions growing out of the mes sage in the two houses. due to its novel nature, is the proposal to place a tax on all coal mined ID the state and all lumber loaded for shipment our of the state. The tax proposed is small, and the governor believes it will be thoroughly constitutional and absolutely just, bringing in, at the same time, large revenue to the state to pay, in some measure. he says, for the privilege of de- nuding our forests and honey combing our coal deposits. Lime and stone are also proposed to be taxed.
 la discussing the necessity for tax revision and the increase of state revenue, MT. Donaghey sub mitted the whole situation in a lump, with this parting com nent: "Gentlemen, you've got to do something-it's up to you, " and hows the somewhat abrupt but very pertinent way the new executive can synopsize a prcpo- sition. He declared the present tax-producing system radically wrong, and was warmly applaud ed when he recommended the ere ation of a state tax commission to have full charge of the work of digging up property that has never yet been placed upon the tax books and of generally adjusting the alleged inequalities in the tax-assessmeut system.
 His analysis of the present mud dle over the construction of the new state house is very detailed, aud, whatever the opinion or his hearers as to his recommendat ons in the matter, he was listened to with the most careful interest all the way through. He declared that the contractors now owe tho state, according to the expert, report, oyerdrafts amounting tC many thousand dollars. instead oI the state being indebted to them and recomm nded the dismiSSa of the commissioners employed {, have charge of the work of build ing the new state capitol. II, likewlSe recommended the dis