The Harrison times., 1911-12-02
Needed Legislation.

| have been strongly solicited to
becolae a candidate 70 represent
Boone county in the lower house. of
the next General Assembly Of the
State Of Arkansas.
Iwantt to state just here that there
has not been a time since the days of
Reconstruction that demanded a
more serious consideration by the
people Of the state in selecting their
representatives and senator's for the
session Of 1913, as there is great
need of retrenchmcnt and reform;
and to accomplish good for the
masses the members must of neces.
sity, have the interest of the people
at heart, good practical bay horse
sense, and backbone to stand by their
convictions of right,
know from experience that there
can and must be n great reduction
in public expenditures; and | ques.
ton whether the legislature will
make the retrenchments the people
are demanding,
made an effort in 1909 to secure
the discharge Of ;he clerks Of com
mittees, who were feasting of the
state, and had practically nothing
to do, The bill was continued from
day to day, from week to week, and
from month to month
When there is no place for the pet
Of the political demogoguc they
manag to make place; hence so
many positions that ought TO be
dispensed with, | spoke TO our
Speaber of the House in regard to
the discharge of those clerks He
said the committee had charge of
them and was responsible for them
But when the members have so little
interest in the masses as to put their
pets into fat positions, just to leach
the taxpayers, it is not likely that
they will discharge them, but will let
them continue TO draw your money,
rendering the state no service in re-
turn,
The number Of pages in the House
is a nuisance The last session made
an effort TO increase these from eight
to twelve, but G,iled in the attempt
The number should be reduced to
five in the House, and from eight to
three in the Senate,
There is n vast amount of extra
printing done A man becomes n
candidate for Representative, gets
up his little platform, is elected, in
PRODUCES his bills, and moves to have
maybe 500 copies printed Hun
dreds of these bills amount TO moth.
ing yet the taxpayer pays for them,
There are members elected and
sworn in, who are absent perhaps
one half the session. but if they have
no interest in the people, it may be
best that they absent themselves;
but a member should not be allowed
pay when absent except in case of
sickness of himself or family, or on
duty in the interest of the state
During the session of 1909, there
were but few Saturdays when efforts
were not made to adjourn the as.
sembly so the members could attend
the baseball games, do not sup.
pose they included that in their littlc
platform when candidates before
the people,
And have YOU noticed the number
Of special or local bills that were
passed the last session, they make u
volumne containing 1865 pages
while the acts cover ga pages
Consider the cxhorbitunt cost 60 the
taxpayer
There il a very dangerous side,
In local legislation, as n rule, it is
left to the wishes of the member In
Producing the local bill, and should
he be treacherous to the masses or
the poor man, and working in the
interest Of the wealthy (and let me
say just here that ! will try to legis.
late so as not TO burden the poor
man. and will never do an injustice
20 the wealthy, IN many instances
the common people are made to
suffer carr,ine the heavy burdens
n nrnl nnnn Ihnm