The Harrison times., 1911-01-21
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
TO GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Banking Law.


suggestions and enacted q good banking law;
several banks which have since failed would
have still been in existence. The deposltors
would not have lost their money and conf
dences would have remained to greater
degree in the banking institutions Of the
state.
I would recommend the passage OF a bank
ing law that will encourage and upbuild the
banking interests of the state and will also
protect those who place their money IN
banks. l recommend that there be created
the Office of state bank examiner, whose duty
it shall be TO direct. take charge of when
necessary, and otherwise control the entire
banking business of the state Said sxaml
ner to be appointed by the governor.
That for the payment of all expense neces-
sary for the carrying out of this law, taN
be levied upon the banking interests of the
state.
Insurance Department,
Under our present system of handling th>
insurance matters of the state, the auditor
is the insurance commissioner. The audi
tors Office is one of the busiest of all the
state departments, and in addition to keep
ing the accounts of the state he has the
Confederate pensions and insurance matters
10 look after With the exception OF an
extra stenographer there is practically the
same office force in his office now as there
was when the population Of the state was
one.half what il is now. The matters con
nected with the enforcement OF the lave
relative to insurance companies have assumed
such proportions that it is almost impossible
for the auditor to give them the attention
they should have. l believe you should
provide for a deputy insurance commissioner
to work in connection with the auditor and
under his supervision. and whose entire
time should be given to looking after insur-
anee matters. This would work TO the ad.
vantage of the state as well as to the ad.
vantage of the insurance companesi would
enable us to employ new methods in hand
ling such matters and to look into and rec.
ommend better laws; would relieve the au-
ditor of great deal of work that he does
not now have time to attend to properly
and would. in this way, give him more time
to more efficiently perform his other duties.
l believe you should give this matter your
careful consideration and provide for this
deputy.
Initiative, Referendum and Recall,
The General Assembly of 1909 provided
for the submission TO the people Of q pro
posed amendment 10 our constitution author
izing the invocation, when necessary, of the
initiative and referendum. This proposed
amendment No. 10. was voted on Of the
September election. 1910. was carried by
constitutional majority, and will be so an
nounced by your body. To carry into effect
the provisions of this amendment il will
be necessary for you TO pass an enabling act
setting forth in detail the manner of putting
to practical usage the initiative and refer
endum, | recommend that this enabling act
set out fully the form OF petition for both
the INITIATIVE ana reterendun5 the form OF
the sheet for securing signatures; who may
sign said petition; the publication and dis
tribution; of the text of the measure to be
initiated or referred; the sample ballot the
argument for and against; the canvass OF
the vote on the measure; the duties OF the
secretary Of state. the governor and other
officials, together with such penalties for yio-
lation of this act as you may deem Just
and proper. This act should so carefully set
forth all these details that they may be
easily understood and that future frOMble
in connection with the same may be avoided,
l also recommend that you provide for the
submission Of an amendment to the eonsti-
tuition providing for the recall.
Better Revenue System.
Prior to 1909, no department was charged
with the duty Of supervising the administra'
tion of the revenue laws Of the state. The
state had a Department Of Mines, Manufac'
lures and Agriculture, an Auditing Depart
ment a School Department Railroad Com
mission, and various other departments, each
dependent upon taxation for its support.
A department TO see TO the enforcement of
the taxing laws and TO study the revenue
system with the view Of correcting existing
evils was believed 10 be urgently demanded,
and upon my recommendation the legislature
OF 1909 passed law creating Tax Com
mission and imposing upon 1t the following
duties:
/, The work of assessing railroads, tele.
graph express and sleeping car companies,
., The supervision Of the enforcement
Of the taxing laws OF the state and Of the
local assessing and equalizing officers.
The power TO equali1e the assessments
OF the state as between counties and parts
{ counties, and as between the several
classes Of property subject TO taxation.
4. The Investigation Of conditions in this
and other states with the view of finding
the causes of existing evils and the remedies
that ought TO be applied
The legislature adjourned without making
provision for the maintenance Of the com
mission Incidentally the Tax Commission
law repealed the old law providing for the
assessment Of board consisting Of the gov
ernor, secretary OF state and the auditor,
Of the property OF the railroads, express,
telegraph and sleeping car companies.
/ succeeded in finding three men who
were willing TO take the appointment as
members Of the commission, assume the bur.
dens and responsibilities incident thereto,
and wait until the meeting Of the next legis'
lature for pay for their services. On May
Is 1909, l appointed as members Of the
commission, for the term Of two years,
J. E, Hampton, Of Dallas County; for the
term OF four years, Dr. A. +, Moore, OF
Faulkner County and for the term Of six
years, David A. Gates Of Desha County.
The commission at once organized and took
up the work Of assessing the railroads. In
August, 1909, DR.. Moore resigned and l
appointed TO the place vacated by him,
L, NJ Burge, Of Benton County.
Game and Fish Laws.
There still remains in the state OF Ar
kansas some FISH and game and II should
be preserved both for the profit 70 ourselves
and for the enjoyment OF future generations.
Ii is in many instances being ruihlessly
destroyed We should learn Z lesson from
the destruction and practically the eGiermi.
nstion Of the prairie chickens which were
formerly found on our prsiries in large
numbers few years since all Of our wa
ters were teeming with the finest Of game
FISH There were quail in all the fields and
squirrels In all the woods. In the more un,
settled portions deer and other large game
sbounded. Today there are not 50 many FISH
in our streams; quail are becoming scarce
and there are fewer squirrels. IL is seldom
that we hear Of deer being killed We
should profit by the experience OF the Older
states IN this regard. At one time there
were plenty Of game fSh in all Of them, but
they were practically destroyed before the
people woke up 20 the situation and passed
suitable legislation on the subject We
should al this time take the proper steps
to protect the FISH snd game OF Arkansas
Railroad Demurrage Bill.
II the railroads are allowed 10 charge
their patrons demurrace on freight left IN
their cars over a certain time after delivery
ar place Of destination, the railroads them
selves ought 10 be liable 20 their patrons
for the nondehvcry Of all freight within
reasonable time after delivery TO them.
trust that you will examine this subject care.
fully and IL You find there are any defects
in the law We now have in connection with
this matter which prevents the practical
working Of the act. thet yuu correct ssme