The log cabin Democrat., 1911-05-12
GOVERNOR PLEADS
FOR HOUSE TO ACT
WANTS KEEL BILL PASSED
WILL QUIT OFFICE BEFORE
HE'LL PUT STATE ON A
SCRIPT BASIS.

I'm the name of God Almighty,
men, what do you intend doing?
What do you intend shall become
of the state? This bill is the states
only salvation"
In this vigorous language Governor
George w. Donaghey is quoted in the
Gazette as having addressed members
of the lower house of the Arkansas
legislature, whom he had called into
his reception room to urge upon them
the necessity of passing the Keel rev.
enue bill.
"There is absolutely no revenue law
passed by this legislature the gov
ernor said, "and you have only 4S
hours left. The entire citizenship of
the state is awaiting your action en-
tomorrow. The maintenance of the
insane asylum, the state university,
the normal school, the agricultural
schools, the Confederate Veterans
home, depends upon your action. The
only measure which can possibly as
sist, | understand, has met with scant
courtesy at your hands. 1t has been
told me that the bill escaped tabling
yesterday only by your adjournment.
This morning you refused to advance
the bill to its third reading.
This bill is absolutely the only sal
walton. The Senate has no other rev.
enue bill pending and the house has
no substitute. Do you intend ad
journing without making provision
for the revenue of the state? 1t is in
my power, l know, to call an extra
session, but it would be absolutely use
less to do so if you refuse to pass the
! Keel bill tomorrow. | am absolutely
powerless to act if you defeat that
measure, but if you do defeat it |
! shall cut every appropriation to fit the
revenue. | give you my word of hon
or that shall leave this Office forever
before | consent to put the state on a
scrip basis
| The governor commended the action
of Attorney Dave Gates in working for
the bill, declaring that he was in the
interest of the state and an agent of
the state.
He condemned the action of the
house in the rapid tabling of some Of
the last measures and said, A man
told me only today that he had voted
, to table bill without knowing what il
contained. This is no time for action
like that. Some of the most import
ant legislation is still pending
Referring to the bill for the con-
demnation of the two blocks in front
of the capitol which had been tabled
in the house the day before, he said
while this bill was not of the ut
most Importance, it would have been
of great value to the state. That
| land would have been an extremely
good asset. Had it been purchased in
five years the state could have real
lied dollar and a half for every dol
lar of the purchase price. l have not
insisted upon it, and had it passed, if
| had found after careful investiga
tion of the finances that the purchase
was not advisable, would have We
toed it."
The governor then declared his ap-
peal ended and asked that anyone in
doubt of any provisions of the bill, ask
information. Attorney Gates, who
had drawn the revenue bill, together
with the governor, answered several
questions from the legislators as 10
the working of the measure, after
which the meeting broke up. The
Keel bill is on its second reading and
will have to be read twice today for
passage. A motion to advance it to
two-third reading yesterday was vot-
ed down.