The Harrison times., 1912-09-21

papers OF the state, AT ItaSl one ~
each county. Yet there were thous.
ands of men, many of them intell-
gent citizens and not alone the ig-
norant corn-held negro, who had
very hazy notion as to what they
were all about when he went into
the booth to cast his ballot. 1t is
safe proposition that not more than
ten per cent of the 100000 voters
ever read all the measures in full.
With the great mass Of voters
there were two subjects that stood
out boldly above all others The
statewide prohibition act over
shadowed everything else, and
everybody was thoroughly drilled
as to the meaning Of Act No, 2.
And yet in many instances ballots
were cast for prohibition and for
license at the same time Some
counties, even, gave a majority for
the prohibition Of liquor traffic in
every county of the state and also
gave a majority for the licensing of
saloons This crossing can be eX-
planned in no other way than by the
ignorance of the voter.
More votes were cast on the state.
wide question than for anything
else, even than for governor There
was another question upon which
everybody seemed inIormed-thcrc
was not negro who went to the
polls who did not know that his
right to participate in future ccc.
tions depended upon the defeat of
Amendment No II, "the grand
father clause" AS a rule, the ne
grocs voted against that amend.
mcnt and against Act No, 2, and
cared nothing for anything else on
the ticket, One notable variance
from this rule is Pyeattcr township,
Pulaski county, where there are
three white voters aud 81 negroes,
which returned 40 votes for the
grandfather clause voting to
disfranchise themselves Thcy had
become confused in marking their
ballots.
THE NEWLY ADOPTED LAWS.
Out Of the chaos came Mt least
four new laws, an amendment pro.
yiding for bond issues in cities and
towns, an amendment providing for
the recall of elective officers inelud,
ing the judiciary, an amendment
limiting sessions Of the Legislature
to sixty days, and an amendment
cxcmpting cotton factories from
taxation for a term Of years, All
four acts, the revenue bill, the text
book bill, the election law, and the
statewide prohibition bill were de.
lcoted by various majoritics,
The least popular measure, the
revenue, or urner.lacobson BILL
and the most popular chat limiting
the legislative sessions have It di.
rect bearing upon the last Lrgislu.
turc, and the vote upon them may
be taken us a rcbukc to that session,
The revenue measure, written by
David A, Gates, OF the Arkansas
Tax Commission, aud the remedy
urged by Gov Donoghey rs a sol.
ution 60 the states financial condi.
ton, was passed by the cStra.ordi.
mary session Of 1911, after the reg.
ular session had defeated it, It's
enemies were even more bitter than
It's friends were enthusiastic, and
senator IjricdclI Of Miller led the
movement which resulted in 10000
people signing a referendum pete
ton It was referred and the ops
position to it waXcd warmer
through the cgmpoign The press
was practically 4 unit against IT,
with q few notable exceptions
among those who saw in it a step
in the right direction Of revenue re,
form Mr. Robinson, the guhcfna.
torial nominee, opposed it, and It
scarce had n friend on the stump
except Gov Donaghey and It's ou.
thora, II was lore,doomcd to de-
feat
Then the short session amendment
was inevitable after the record made
by the session of 1911, which was
IN session 90 days ot n cost 20 the
state of O,0OO Attorncygen
cral Norwood initiated the amend.
mcnt, which has carried the state
three 90 one, the lnrgcat majority
given any measure since the ulop,
ton ol the l'ishhack amendment for
the repudiatlon Of old reeonstrues
iion bonds. Dy the terms of this
amendment, and there ia no way to.
get around IT, members Of the Lrgis-
laturc shall receive pay Of So a day
for only sixty days, and shall serve
al ,p that t,p,r ,AItt knut Ygn,tHnaI,-