The Harrison times., 1911-04-29
Our Little Rock Letter.

that did not have the unqualined
endorsement of the professional tax
dodger and the tax-evading corpor-
ations. They had said the Brad
ham-Hurst bill should not pass, and
their word had prevailed over that
of the people themselves and their
repre- sentatives. He was in favor of
fadiourning at once, returning to
their constituencies, and placing the
blame where it lies. Just what Mr..
Going meant by his references to the
work of the special interests has
been the source of no small comment
in legislative circles. The attitude
of the Senate has been shown by the
indifference, and worse shown tow
ard House measures, which are be-
ing delayed, postponed and buried
in committee with startling regular
ity.
Both in Senate and House, appro.
priation bills are being given right
of way, and should there be no fur
ther complications Of legislative
courtesy, it may be possible for all
these bills to be gotten out of the
way by May s. But the Battle-ax
brigade in both houses is hard at
work, and many measures, often
possessing merit, are ruthlessly
slaughtered through personal spleen
and without proper consideration
Of their merits. The prospects are
that the last few days will See a
great rush of the most important
business, and it will be a great
wonder if some of it is not lost in
the confusion and the deliberate
intent of inimical interests.
I The prospects of an extra session
are being freely discussed, and there
is prospect that the lawmakers,
when they have finished their pout,
may see the necessity of extending
few days in order to do the work
that is absolutely necessary. 1t is a
notorious fact that of the $50 acts
already passed there are not a doz-
en- laws of a general character that
will help the state, and 80 percent of
the acts are local IN their nature.
Much needed general legislation has
been lost in the weeks oftime. killing,
hlbustering and attention given to
the frivolous and unimportanty
There seems to have been more of it
than has existed in any session,
and many new members and some
old ones have expressed their intense
disgust at the situation. The hope
is freely expressed by many that the
Governor will be forced to call them
back to transact such specific busi-
ness as may be necessary to carry
on the affairs of government.
First of these questions is that of
finance The legislature met with
the state facing bankruptcy, and
even its fund for the payment s. of
mileage, and per diem had to be
borrowed from another fund. Since
that time the state treasury has
been constantly on the verge of de-
pletion, being saved only bv
trickling stream Of small fees and
advances made by sheriffs which
have thus far prevented the state
from going on a scrip basis.
Appropriations aggregating So
100000 exclusive of others for
which specific levies are made, have
been passed, and nothing has been
done to provide the means of rails
ing revenue to meet them, Much
has been expected on the Bradham-
Hurst bill, which sought to raise
assessments to the full value and re-
duce the tax levy to about 10 mills,
with sliding scale that would adjust
revenue to aggregate assessment,
ana more equltaDly distribute the
burden. But the Senate did not like
the bill and killed it by the following
vote:
Ayes. -Clerget, Deaton, Dill, Fri
dell, Glover, Holland Hughes, ia
cobson, Johnson, Keel, Logan, Rob-
ertson, Owens, Watson, Williams
and Tony-14,
Nays-Carl Lee, Christian, Gov
ington, Fletcher, Green Holt, Mar
tin, McBee, Oldham, Raney, Rogers
of Benton, Turner, White, Woods.
-12.
The defeat of this measure leaves
the only course to be adopted to be
an increase of the tax rate on the
present assessment, which is pro-
vided for in a pending bill by Sen
ator IfriedelL This bill increases
the rate for general purposes from
ia mills to 9k mills, and leaves the
school tax at 3 mills. 1t is est-