The Forrest City times., 1911-01-20


 improSed In many cases lands of this class, after development, have increased in value more than 50O per cent The recent census shows the greatest increase in popu- latar in our state where levecs and drain age districts have been formed and efficient work done. This work has cnly fairly begun ia Arkansas. There yet millions of acres 10 be Ieveed and drained, which, when done, VII increase in value in the same proportion as above noted l am heartily in favor of a stlti more vigorous and effective policy in connection with this work The lands vet uHdrutned are among greatest assets and the sooner we drain them the more wealth we wltl create for the state.
 County Convicts
 Again I wish to eaH your attention to the abuses ss well as misuse of our laws on the county convict question. Some of the justices ot the peace of the state have so far lost their sense of justice and decencv that they have Invested themselves of auy Semblanee ef the judiciary and have entered Into the slave traffic a strictly business matter They do thiS without respect to race foI9r or previous condition of servt= tndes and in spite of our present safeguards of the rights of our citizens It k said that t matters not who the victim may be- Just so he IS unable to protect himself from ihe pirate, enabled by favorable conditions t9 seize and sell his sery3ets. It IS also said that many of this class of eouvicts are made tp serve sentence of more than a year before tAe satisfaction of a fine of a few dollars may be had. Or, that after once getting hold of them, the peonage sys=
 Q remedy for this illegal and inhuman system, l suggest that yau pass a law prohibiting any convict for any offcnsc, serving over SIX months Imprisonment on Q county farm. or any other compulsory servitude. over that length 6t time, outside of the peniteHtiarv- If anyone commits an ofense grave enough for him to be confined as a convict more than six months. he should be sent to the pehltenIIarX and not to county farm. where 1t appears there is no one to see whether or not he is humanely treated.
 Special Acts
 Article ,. section 24. of the constitution, provides: In all cases where a general law can be made applicable no special law shall be enacted - This section of the con satution has been so much abused by the passage of special acts that I have heard more complaints becauSe of il than from almost any other work of the legislature. Ia fact. special legislation has been aenomi. mated the bane of the Arkansas legisla- ture''
 recommend that for the purpose of say. ing time as well as useless expense thas you appeint a joint committee for the pur- pose of carefully examining every proposed speciaI act, and that the committee recom- mend the defeat of any such bill not in strict conformity with the spirit and re. quirement of the constitution.
 Laws for the Protection of Labor.
 Those engaged in work in mines quarries factorcs. on railroads and in other hazard 2as occupations, should be safceaarded by Provision shouid be made for inc use of every modern safety appliance in such work Those engaged in such occupations are en. titled te this legislation and Yeu= should see mat they got IL 1 believe, also. that you should enact a law whereby the assignment by any wage earHer in this state of his made illegal
 Employers Liability.
 The best modern thought recognizcs the dignity Of labor. which may well be called the cornerstone of industrial fife. -fo pro | ,- i occupations against iniary which hy proper afpataaefs cum be, II Hot wholly. at least a9t51a,.S PreS'nted ls a recognized sFatt1a Of law. To provide f7r suitable compensation to those wbo. without any tault of their own haye ia>t thrIr lives or have been seriously injured hy accidents which, by the exercise ef praD6r care can he prevented, has long been recognized by the iaws of onr state. Wfthta the last de eade the General Assembly If tLis state has enacted nan. beneficial laws for working men, erEascd 'a hazardous oreupati1rs 10 recover compensation for Injuries sustained Tor which at common law there could be no recovery he abolition of the fellow <erv. ants rule has been step in the right diree- mas arrived to take another forward step ana ProNtar by legislation f1r campuIsorv compensation for Industrial accidents re gardlfsS Of the rules of tho common lay known as assumption If risks and rautrihu= rory neg li-tuce. For the latter l would roe commend to your honorable body the enact HtHt oA a law based what $ known - t3ttaf aIatiFe negligence, ard in addition @ these would recommend to your favorable f'uSiuerau9n compulsory compensation law. providing in all caSes of inlurv fl, ,r enpleys, unless il IS ca4sed by His oq1n NlluI 9act. compensation based on Hs earn. mss If the iuiary results m des,h. a sUrn equal 10 the earnings et a certain r4-thrr oI years shanld be paid to the fsial+r of the deceased dgrcuicHt fIpon nm for ern port and similar pravjte. sAa44d ho made Tor hun in case of peru4a-Ht. ,4r ,..s.f4a.-.tr,. A fHf4 .3 entirely on the shoulders If the worEIHg men. those least atle ' bear it
 Temperance
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