The Harrison times., 1911-02-04
LITTLE Rock, las 80.

THE General Assembly may pro-
vide bv law for the establishment
of the office of commissioner of state
lands" is the declaration of the Con-
stitution of 1874, and upon that
optional provision Commissioner
X G Dye bases the assertion that
he has no fears whatever of the alb
oliShing of the State Land Office,
There is a bill under consideration
in the house, bv Toler of Grant, that
seeks to establish a state bureau of
public highways and land surveys,
absorbing the land Office in 1914,
and appriating 100000 for the
construction of series of eight
state highways radiating from the
capital This commission, to con-
tinue for period of twenty years,
shall be in charge of an cngn, ering
expert at a salary of $4,000 a year,
and he shall have supervision Of
all the road building throughout
the state 1t is provided that con-
victS may be used on the roads.
This is the most notable measure
vet offered in the legislature took
ing to the specific realization Of the
good road plans that have been ad-
vocated in the state for years 1t
is probable that the Good Roads
Convention which will meet here on
February 9th will take up this bill
for conSidera ton and revision if con-
Sidered necessary. So far as the alb
sorption of the land Office is con-
cerned that is matter that has
been brought up in some manner tor
several sessions, and the proposition
has never been received with much
favor. The project for the inaugu-
ration of a series of state turn-pIkes,
which shall in time cover the whole
state, meets with general favor, and
if feasible plan can he devised in
the multitude OF counsel it is prob
able that the movement will be
started by this session.
The question of repositories for
public funds is once more engaging
the attention of the law-makers,
For some time there has been grow
ing = sentiment in the state that
public moneys should be earning
something, rather than be kept idly
in the vaults. Senator Robertson,
of Phillips has introduced in the
Senate a bill providing for the de-
posting of Is per cent Of the states
available funds in the various banks
and trust companies of the state,
with capital exceeding 500, 600, at
3 per cent interest Proper guaran-
tv bonds must be made bv all de-
positorieS. There are in addition to
this a number ct bills creating coun-
ty repositories, some of which have
already passed, and it is not likely
any of them will fail of passage 1t
is even probable that a general act
will be passed enabling any county
to establish a depository. Among
the counties pending bills are pro-
viding for are Polk, Craighead
Cross, Cleveland, Mississippi, Nev-
ada, Ouichlta, Crawford, Franklin,
Lee, Monroe and Scott counties
Representatives from. counties where
the repositories are already in oper-
alton are a unit in commencing the
system as an admirable one.
The agitation against the local
measures appears to have borne
very little fruit, as the members con.
tinue to crowd the calendar with
such bills
One member, however, who made
his campaign against special leg's-
lation, says he has reduced the num-
Der - per cent Others declare that
while they are opposed to such a
volume of local bills as has been
considered by previous legislatures,
there are great many local con-
ditions that cannot be reached by
general laws, where the people IN
tercstcd are entitled torelicf, and it
would be unjust t, deny them lcgis,
lativc aid,
Bills introduced during the last
few days that are being received
with favor and that provide for the
appointment Of state boards are
for q State Board OF Education
lBradham) and a State Hortlcu
tural Board (3radham). 1t is be-
lieved each will pass, although with
some possible notifications. The
Horticultural bill is the one drafted
bv the State Horticultural Society,
and provides for the appointment
by the governor of seven members
to constitute a Board, to serve with