The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1911-08-22
URGES AGAINST
REFERENDUM
DONACHEY ISSUES PLEA
FOR PEOPLE TO PERMIT KEVE-
NUE. BILL TO BECOME LAW
WITHOUT A VOTE.

Little Rock, Aug. 22.-Another red
hot statement by Governor Donaghev
relative to the circulation of petitions
asking for the reference to the peo-
pie of the Turner-Jacobson bill. was
issued Monday afternoon. Governor
Donaghey said, in part: "In defend
ing this measure | have only the de-
sire, as governor, to do the best that
can be done for the people of the
state. | note that some good men are
going to be misled and go against the
but interests of the people of the
state, 1t might be best that we had
no taxes to pay at all, but since we
have them l am in favor of a system
which will compel every man to pay
his share, no more, no less. The Tur-
ner-Jacobson bill seeks to bring about
this end, and while it may not be per-
feet, it is the best that could be en-
acted by the last legislature, the best
men in which were for the bill, and
the worst against it. There were
some exceptions to this, but | speak
generally. Those who wish to check
up this statement will find, upon look
ing at the record, that the chief oppo-
sition to the bill came from that flock
of political vultures who fed upon the
blood which they pressed from the
sorrowing heart of the state during
the legislative days.
Il think the people do pay too much
taxes, but | have never been given the
power to enforce my recommendation
along this line | have recommended
that the state land office, needless
expense of $4,000 annually, be abol-
ished. have recommended that the
profit from the hire of the state con-
victs be put into the treasury instead
of the pockets of the wealthy contrac-
tors. | have recommended that econ
omy be practiced in all departments
of the state and vetoed extrayagant
appropriations of the legislature. |
have vetoed more than a million dol
lars in appropriations since l became
governor,but l will not advocate the
reputation of salary or other obi
cation of the state by the adoption of
a measure, such as the delay in the
Turner-J acobson bill reference would
amount to 1t would cause the pay
ment in deprecated scrip for all ser
vices rendered the state.
ut is the general revenue fund that
is in trouble. 1t pays the expenses
of all state institutions and branches
of government. The present l 3-4
mills is not adequate to raise revenue
to meet these expenses. All supple
mentary measures from indirect
sources have failed to supply the re-
quired sum. We have borrowed from
the future because the old revenue
law permitted it. This system is vi
cious and has been utilized in the
past 30 years for many purposes not
for the good of the state.
with this condition, why refer to
the people bill they have already ap-
proved? The people have obligated
themselves to pay the states obliga-
tions and further delay of the Turner
Jacobson bill means further trouble.
The actual cost of referring this bill
will be 100000 1t is a codifcation
of all the existing alws bearing on the
revenue question, with improvements
taken from states which have sys-
TENS of the modern times. Delay in
this measure will give the tax-dodger
two years more and the banks and
trust companies reap the harvest in
the purchase of the states paper. You
say reduce the expense. l asked the
legislature to do this and it shirked
the duty, appropriating more money
than before. Could you cut off any
of the existing levies?
"The initiative and referendum was
meant for the protective and construc-
tive government, not the destructive
as reference in this case would be.
After appropriating a million dollars
more than the state could pay, and
making provision to raise revenue
to meet expenses, some of the legis-
lators, taking advice from enemies
of good government, go home and
howl that it be referred to the peo-
pie, advocating the reputation of
their own act. This bill is to relieve
the small taxpayer, and if not passed,
annt hn,. xtill kn,-n u ho lnt,.. =,