The Mena weekly star., 1911-11-16
NORWOOD SPEAKS
ON STATEI|SSUE
cnes Out Strong for Statewide
prohibition and Dodges No
Ouestions-Let Capital
Rest Awhile.

General Norwood, candidate 10
oovernor. spoke here Tuesday il
.onort of his candidacy. He wa
hoard bg a large number of Pop
.ounty voters, and his speech wa
III received. He outlined his pc.
.aion on state issues, and didn't at
,oo,ni TO avoid any issues, from fl
nance to prohibition.
Mr. Norwood devoted most of hi:
limo 10 discussion of retrench-
mout in the states expenses, anC
smong other things advocated q
Consolidation of the Arkansas TaN
Commission and the Railroad Core
wission. insisting that one board
aould easily do the work of both
boards. and that the consolidation
wnnld save the taxpayers thirty
,bousand dollars biennially.
He stated that provision should
bo made that members Of the leg
stature should draw no per diem
,fter the constitutional limit of a
sO-day session. He said that in
virginia. the members of the leg
stature are paid $500 a session,
$500 in Mississippi, and 5000 in
smith Carolina, regardless of the
lengih of the session. If they can
serve for these amounts in the re-
spective states mentioned, they can
afford to serve in Arkansas for 5000
4 session. He said that there are
20 states where the members of the
legislature are paid upon a per
diem basis, and that % of these
states pay less than Arkansas, and
only three states pay more than
Arkansas.
Discontinue Printing of Journal.
He said the state would save $780,
900 bennially if il would discon-
tinue the printing of the journal of
The legislature. He said that any
one wishing TO see the record of
the proceedings of the legislature
could examine the written journal
on file with the secretary of state.
That the printed journal is seldom
ever examined, except to look up
the record of some member, and
that practice has grown up here of
late of waiting so long to print the
journals that they are not very
for this purpose.
Mr.. Norwood criticized the prac-
lice that has grown up during the
last two sessions of the legislature
Of allowing money appropriated
for one item TO be used for another
item. He favored the old system
# making appropriations whereby
/ was provided that money appro-
)fiated for one item should not be
Used for any other purpose.
Let Capitol Rest Awhile.
In a discussion of the state cap
toll, he said that we had already |
pent in cash and convict labor al
most two million dollars on a
'uilding that was originally to have |
ost one million. He favored US
ng what is now on hand in the
apitol fund and what will be col
ected next year as far as it will
o on the capitol and then not
pend any more on it until the
tate's debts are paid and proper
made for the insane OF
he state. He said that the next
legislature should discontinue the
apitol levy, and if necessary, add
hat one-half mill to the levy for
'eneral revenue purposes. That he
vas as much in favor of a beautiful
'apltol as anyone, but thought the
natter Of decorations, Ornamental
ions and other embellishments |
ould very we'll be deferred until
matters more urgent received prop
r attention.
lie spoke enthusiastically in ia
or Of good schools and good roads |
nd congratulated the people upon
ne advancement that had been
lade along the educational lines,
nd the improved conditions of the |
Dads.
Mr.. Norwood declared for state
ade prohibition by an act of the |
aglslature. and opposed the sub |
Mission of this question to the peo-
le at the general election, for the |
eason that he believed by the as
stance of the negro vote the |
leasure would be defeated. He
urther urged that if it was sub
nltted, both sides would be clam
ring for the vote of the negro and
ald that elctioneering with a ne
70 would make fool out of him
tucker than anything else, and
nat the submission of this ques-
on would get the negro in the hab-
OF voting again. He said that
lere is nothing to the argument
lat prohibition would ruin town
no quoted from the census reports
the United States in support of
IS argument. Upon this matter |
9 said:
rrohibiti0n Does Not Carry Ruin.
you have often heard it argued
,at prohibition would ruin a town.
nat 1t is best for the business in
rests to have licensed saloons,
~ these statements are not borne
u by the facts. The census re-
Dfi shows that Little Rock and Ar
sa'a, located in the center of the
ale' with more railroad facilities
' "a, any towns in Arkansas, and