The Harrison times., 1911-02-11
By Clio Harper.

80 N'>rN' ~ " ~ -
geant.at-armS will lock the House
doors to prevent any OF the mem
bers present from leaving and will
bring the absenteeS without leave to
the House, ordered Speaker Milwee
Saturday afternoon when the roll
c Ill showed no quorum present, 1t
was not a revolt OF the members,
but a Discrimination ot many TO
work Saturday afternoons.
Efforts were made to adjourn, but
the Sp aker, having the situation
well in hand, held them down, aud
in half an hour enough members had
come in to constitute a quorum
without reSorting to harsh meas
ures Speaker Milwec was deter min.
ed that there should be no Shirking
of duty, and is rapidly developing
into an expediter of business.
So far as the business actually dis
posed of during the fifth week OF the
session, there were no great issues
settled, the bills passed being largely
of a local character or OF minor I'M
portance,
Upon motion of Newton OF Lo-
noke, who made his campaign on a
platform of opposition to the local
bills, the House on SATURDAY. decided
that Saturday should be devoted to
local bills, to the exclusion of 2eu-
eral legislation, and the line is being
drawn closely. Bills for private pen.
Sions or for refund of school district
taxes, or any measure to app oprl-
ate funds from the state treasury
are put ON the taboo list and ruled
out exc .pt on that day,
Gov. Donaghev is also opposed to
local legislation, and during the
week vetoed a number OF measures
of that character.
The fight for the preservation Of
the old State House is now on in full
blast, and both sides are lining up
for the fray. Two bills, practically
identical, were offered bv Clarke Of
Lorokc, and Meador Of Clarke, pro-
viding for the preservation OF the
building as state museum and the
grounds as a public park, and these
have been combined. This is a mea-
sure that is supported by the com
bined power of the club women OF
the state. the teachers and the com
mercial bodies, who urge that the
hand of commercialiSm be stal ed,
and the building be saved to future
generations as a monument of the
past,
? On the other hand, while many
are being won to the preservation
idea, there is a growing sentiment
in favor of selling the grounds and
building and using the funds TO
defray expenses of completing the
new capitol This is embodied in a
bill offered Saturday BY Ilardage Of
Clarke, an administration measure
providing for the sale OF the prop
erty, providing for the appointment
of a commission of which the gov
e,nor shall be chairman, the sale to
be for not less than 80 percent of
the appraised value This is under
stood TO have the endorsement of
the administration
Meetings of the committee on pres
ervation are being held, at which
manv ladies have pleaded for the
old building, and at the last meeting
ex-governor Zones added his voice to
the general plea, declaring that it
would be n sad mistake to sell it,
1t is expected that this week will
see considerable discussion over the
Tax and Railroad commissions in
the two Houses, particularly the
Senate, where bills for their abol.
ition are pending, Inc biIl 70 aDol-
ish the railroad commission has re-
ccived the endorsement Of the Senate
Judiciary Committee. but the com
missioners arc not greatly worried
over the prospect. The fight is being
led by Senator Covington, who con-
tends that the commission has never
done the State any good, or lowered
a rate in the nine years Of it's exist
rnce The friends Of the commission
retnrt that it has reduced rates,
that it has acted as Il restraint on
the avarice of the roads and has
thereby encouraged iobbng business
in the smaller cities that were for
mcrly shut out by prohibitiye and
dscriminatlye rates.
There is also q BILL introduced by
Senator Keel, to abolish the Tax
Commission, but this has not made
much progress, and Judging from
appearances, has less support that