The log cabin Democrat., 1911-05-05
INVESTIGATION UP
TO BOB ROGERS
TONEY BARS RESOLUTION
OFFERED BY JACOBSON, CON
DEMNING LITTLE'S GRAFT
CHARGES.

Little Rock, May 5.-''Its up to Bob
Rogers" is the way legislators and
the public look upon the legislative
scandal that was sprung by Represen-
tative A. G. Little in the house last
Wednesday, when he charged that
there had been wholesale bribery in
the Arkansas senate.
Representative Little, who rendered
his resignation Immediately after his
sensational speech, is again in his
seat, but not participating in the de
De;~t.on q The body. BY the urgent
o!ic.tation Of many friends, he has
.unecntcd that his resignation be tenn
~rarily withheld from the house, but
ne ro .'ust to withdraw it, and will in
ist ltfoie adjournment that it be
acted upon.
Int he senate all reference to the
speech was prohibited by President
Toney. Senator Covington attempted
to refer to it in a speech, but a point
Of order against him was sustained
Senator Jacobson introduced a resolu
tion denouncing the speech as "a COW
ardly attack and requesting Mr.. Lit
tie to appear before the bar of the
senate and make specific charges con
,erning the use of money in infiuenc-
ng legislation. President Toney, how
ever, ruled it out of order, declaring
/ hat it was improper for the mem
Jers of one house to criticise the men,
5ers or the proceedings of the other.
He further declared that the speech
was "the vaporing of a diseased mind
that should have no consideration.
Senator Robertson and others contend
I'd that the charges are of most Sc
rious nature and the author of them
should be forced to divulge all that
ne knows, and present proofs.
Mr.. Little says that he is ready at
any time to appear before the bar of
the senate and answer any questions
pertaining to his charges, and that
he will tell even more than he told on
the floor of the house of alleged cor
ruption in the senate.
The state capitol occupied the at
tention of the house the greater part
of Thursday. After debate of nearly
two days, the following amendment
by Kerwin to the clause permitting
the capitol commission to issue prom
issory notes to expedite the business,
was adopted by vote of SO to 81:
"Sad notes shall not be issued for
any amount in excess of the total
amount of the appropriation herein
and no money shall be used in the
payment of said notes as the same
shall accumulate in the treasury
Representative Hurst offered an
amendments providing that the attor-
ney general shall bring suit against
Caldwell & Drake, former capitol con-
tractors, to determine what amount,
| f any, they may owe the state, en-
ploying George B. Rose and such other
assistant counsel as may be needed
He said the contractors have at least
semblance of lien on the building,
but that it might develop they really
owe the state $225,000 which should
be paid They cannot tie up construc-
ton on the building, but so long as
the question remains open, the state
capitol can never be taken out of pol
tics. There has been 81 100000 spent
o date on the capitol and this pend
ing bill will make the total $2,172,000.
No vote was reached.
The senate devoted the day to the
general appropriation bill, and finally
adopted it in committee of the whole
with a large number of amendments.
Senator Covington made an unsuc-
cessful attempt to cut out the appro-
priation for the railroad commission,
which he bitterly denounced as use
less. Senator Jacobson offered an
amendment, making which was de-
feated after a heated debate, making
it unlawful for members of the com
mission to accept passes or franks
from railroads or telegraph or tele-
phone companies, which he declared a
pernicious practice. He did not charge
bribery, but asserted that these favors
might exert an unconscious influence.
He said the whole principle of the
railroad commission is wrong, as it
might have power to regulate but not
to initiate rates.
BY the passage of the bill for state
aid to high schools in the house, bill
that has excellent chance of passing
the senate, the state board of educa-
ton has put through its whole pro
gram. The other two bills passed pro-