Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1911-04-06

constitution, but even the most learh- ed lawyers are uncertain as to what
 stand the Supreme Court will take
 when the question is put up to 1t Co
 be defined. If the Supreme Court
 upholds the law then the people of
 this county can vote to build the
 bridge with county funds.
 He suggested the passage of bill
 by the present Legislature, giving tl e
 people an opportunity to tax them
 selves under the Initiative and Refer
 endum feature of the new amendment.
 If they vote to make the improvement
 themselves then the bridge car be
 built. He then outlined the measule e creating an improvement district. Ii
 the two bills are passed at once and
 the Legislature adjourns, one bill
 may fail to answer the purpose in-
 tended of 1t and then the people of
 Jefferson county can fall back On their
 second measure for relief. By the time one of the questions Is disposed
 of, said MT. Can't, all the legal tan
 gles will have been done away with
 and the bridge can be built without further delay or the necessity of waiting for another Legislature to
 convene
 J. c. Taylor favored the drainage of
 swamp lands adjacent to Pine Bluff.
 the building of good roads, and an interurban road to Watson, Ark, but
 he said the time was not ripe for the
 Bluff.
 Chairman Alexander told of the great accomplishments by the build ing of bridges and good roads in his old home county in North Carolina,
 where Improvements of this chara,- ter had increased the value of land from $6 to $100 an acre He declared that he believed the bridge would more good for the county generally
 than Pine Bluff. but he favored il
 just the same. Build the bridge, Ls said, then build up the roads.
 E. A. Howell took issue with Mr
 Taylor, who said all the big planters on the north side of the river were opposed to the bridge. MT. Howell
 said 1t was not the big planters tha' the people wanted to help with ire
 bridge, but the numerous small far mers, who want to get their cott y
 and other products to market prompt. ly. It is the small farmer, he sa'f who spends his money literally fir Pine Bluff.
 C.. F. Lytle, Ben Well, General IL M. Knox, J. c. Chestnut, V. 0. Aley | ander, Edgar Brewster, Major H. A Mccoy and Charles F. Moore wert heard in order. They all with th4 exception Of MT. Moore, favored the
 bridge. General Knox declared that if the bridge was built farmers and planters could get their cotton tt market in short order, while at pres ent they are compelled to ship their fleecy staple into this city and tha.
 sometimes 1t requires four or five days for the railroads to get it here "All this talk about two-bits bale tc ship it here,' said General Kn,x Sounds alright, but it is not for the interest of the cotton grower and the , small farmer"
 J. c. Chesnutt said the bridge was
 the thing. When 1t comes." he sad "the Rock Island will come and then the $4 an acre swamp land that Mir. Taylor talked about would be worth v
 foot, when the first whistle fron tae engine is heard" Major Mccoy said
 the free bridge would result In the immediate construction of an internr : ban railroad from Pine Bluff to Llt' /, tie Rock, and V. 0. Alexander took oc- casion to jump on the knockers CT . this county. He said that the peopie
 ought not get discouraged because or opposit' on to the free bridge. for some men knock everything that is for the
 good of their own city and county.