The Harrison times., 1911-02-18
LITTLE Rock, Feb. II

"Gov, Donaghey is inconsistent
in his night on special legislation,
declared Attorney General Norwood
Gle vetoes special acts, although
he went about the state advocating
the initiative and referendum. | OPP
pose the |. & K simply because |
saw in it an opening of the food
gates of local legislation, 1t one
law-making body enactS too much
local legislation, what may we ex.
pcct when every county aud munich
palitv in the state is clothed with
legislative authority? He is right in
the stand he is taking that no spec
ial or local act shall be passed when
general act will cover the same
ground. There should be more gen
eral acts, comforting increased au-
thorty over local matters upon
county Judges, railroad and other
officials. The present fight is CEN
tering on the special school acts
The general statute on the subject
is ample. drew the act and it was
passed in 1903, giving school dis
tricts authority to borrow money,
on vote of the taxpayers. This
was ammended in 1905 conterrin,s
the power upon the directors Men&
built a $40, 900 school house under
that act and Texarkana a $50, 900
house. 1t is a good law, but in
some instances greater safeguards
are demanded by those who loan
the money for its payment y
The contest between the Legislat-
ors and the Governor on the subject
continues and was resumed in the
Senate this week in the attempts to
pass school bills over his veto, and
to enact more specific general act
The two houses continue to pass
acts similar to those vetoed by the
governor, and Representative Glov-
er, in speaking on his Traskwood
special act said he wanted the House
and Senate to line up with him and
pass the act over the governors
veto should he disapprove, as he
thought it time the law makers
should protest against a surrender
of their legislative prerogatives.
The governor has jocularly remark-
ed in discussing the situation that
he NAV have to secure a "Veto" ."
stamp to save time if these bills con-
tinue to come to him.
The sentiment in favor of county
repositories of public monies is
growing and it is probable that a
general bill will be introduced to
permit any county to establish such
repositories. The House on Satur-
day passed a bill for Searcy county,
and a proposed bill for Pulaski
county was introduced this week.
The indications are that the AS
sembly has about reached the stage
when it can begin to work on gen
eral bills, a number of which are
now in committee, having been read
twice and almost ready for final
consideration. Among those in
which the state is interested is that
for the preservation of the old state
house, opinion on which is greatly
divided, but growing in favor con-
stantly, notwithstanding the adj
ministration is making a fight for
it's sale. The bills concerning the
State Tax Commission and the Rail
road Commission are also of great
moment, and the advocates of con
tinuation and abolition are lining
up. One of the most important
measures yet offered in connection
with the Tax Commission is a bill
by Senator Logan of Polk defining
the method of railroad assessment.
This bill provides that all railroad
property in the state shall be assess
ed for taxation the same amount as
may be fixed by the companies
themselves in statements made be.
fore the courts in the fixing of freight
and passenger rates. They have
represented to the courts that their
property is valued at an amount
which is more than double what
they have valued it for taxation,
and more than double what they
have been assessed. The Tax Com
mission is instructed to assess the
property at the amounts set out in
the bill at length for each line in the
state and not to lower same until
the roads reduce the valuations used
by them for rate making purposes.
Among the prominent visitors in
the city during the past week was
former Congressman S. Brundridge,
Of Searcy, who received warm
welcome among the politicians and
] o.L... -. A.. 80. WLa., .,,n,+.au.J