The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1909-04-22
LEGISLATIVE ITEMS.

The Patterson convict bill, which
has passed the House, will undoupt-
| eddy become law, as it is generally
believed that the governor VIII 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 road and con-
vict district at the July, 1909, term OF
! the county courts of this state ana
| every regular term following; that the
couAty judges in the counties shall
agree on the order necessary to carry
out the contract; that the district will
have 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
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 or
the judges. After explaining the du-
ties of sheriffs on the delivery of prls
oners TO the district the bill reads;
The road and convict warden shall
work such convicts on the roads Oh
the respective counties of the district
under the orders of the county court
making the work in each county as
/ ~ of
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
being delivered to the district. Each
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 a tax will be imposed on
gifts, legacies and inheritances. 1t
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 a grandfather, grand
mother, father, mother, sister. broth
err, husband, wife or adopted child
| shall be subject to a tax of 81 on each
| 500 worth of property, market value,
except that any estate worth $4,000
or less shall not be subject to the tax.
Property passing to an uncle, aunt,
niece. nephew or lineal descendant
| shall be subject to tax of 81 on each
| 500 worth of property, except that
estates worth $4,000 or less shall not
! be taxed In all other cases the rates
of taxation shall be as follows: Es-
tates worth $4,000 or less, SO per
! 800: $4,000 or less than $4,000, So
! per $100; estates in excess OF S50OO0
| Sc on each 500. An estate not worth
more than 81 900 shall not be taxed
in any event.
Approaching the earnest work of
Senators DeRostt 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 a hand
some gold-headed cane and Senator
Patterson gold headed umbrella.
The presents are highly priced 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
S400,0 900 II was stated that this sum
is about 100000 in excess of the APP
preparation made two years ago. The
main item is $350000, 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.
Mr.. Clerget of Conway has correct
ed the report to the effect that he had
stated that he did not believe any ais-
tories oher than the history of Arm
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 MIR. Collins wanted to
know the difference between eloeu-
ton and physical culture. MIR. Hurst
stated that there were several mem
bers of the House who had taken elo-
! cution at the university and Mr. Sha-