The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1908-current, 1912-12-30
39TH ASSEMBLY
HAS MUCH WORK
LIMITED TO SIXTY DAYS
ARKANSAS LEGISLATURE WILL
MEET JANUARY 13 IN BUSY
SESSION.
BY CLIO HARPER.

Little Rock, Dec 30-One week
from next Monday the 39th general
assembly will convene. 1t is fore
ordained that it will be working
body. They will have to work if they
get all the necessary business done in
| go days. That is all the time they
will have, unless they take Is days
! more on half-pay.
There has been some talk in certain
quarters about probable effort to
have the Norwood 60-day amendment
declared not adopted on the ground
that it was not properly advertised
Attorney General Norwood contends
that it was published in all respects
in compliance with the provisions of
the enabling act and he insists that
he can see no possible loop-hole for
the legislature to escape the 60-day
limit, He says that those who oppose
it are mistaken about six months be-
ing required to advertise it, as that
was changed by the enabling act
which was provided by the |. and r.
amendment itself. Under the present
law he says, but four months is nee
essary. 1t may get into the courts,
however, should the question be rails
ed, and it is possible for it to be de-
ferred long enough to extend the COM
ing session to the usual length, even
should it be finally declared adopted.
Under the law, the speaker of the
( house declares amendments adopted
or defeated after the canvass has been
made by the legislature in joint ses-
sion. An injunction might be issued
against him, which would raise the is
sue in the courts. 1t is opined by
many, however, that since l03,242
voted for the amendment, and only
34,193 against it, the popularity of
the measure was so strongly empha-
sized that it would be political suicide
to oppose it,
"The enabling act" says the attor-
ney general, author of the 60-day ses-
sion amendment, ''under the authority
of amendment No. 10, has, in detail,
prescribed the manner of proposing
amendments by the people. 1t had
the authority to prescribe the method
of advertising proposed amendments
under the initiative, because amend
ment No 10 authorizes the fling of
petition for the inhalation of an
amendment within four months of the
time such an amendment is to voted
upon. Since amendment No. 10 chang
ed the constitution in reference to adj
vertising iniatiated amendments, the
Legislature had the right, under the
authority of such amendment, to pre-
scribe the time and manner of adver-
tising such amendments The en-
abling act has prescribed four months,
and therefore the opponents of the 60
day session, which the people have
emphatically declared they want, will
have to seek elsewhere for a flaw to
nullify it."
There are premonitions of the usual
lirruption of bills of all kinds, with the
usual number of freaks, and a proba-
BILE diminution in the number of local
measures, if pre-legislative pledges
may be accepted as a criterion. 1t is
generally conceded that if much is to
Iislation must take a secondary place.
islation much take a secondary place.
AS has been said, it will be a work
ing body and less time than usual will
be taken in organization. The first
week viii doubtless see the calendar
loaded with proposed measures from
calling constitutional convention to
making three-fourths majority capa-
bic of returning a verdict in civil
cases, The appropriation bills will
probably get in early, and much at
tention will be given to the financial
recommendations to be made by Gov
Iernor Robinson. The last few weeks
has seen a remarkable increase of sen
timent in favor of his proposition, for
instance, of mill tax for educational
purposes, and the absolute divorce of
all educational institutions from polit-
ical influences. His message, offering
a solution for the financial ills of the
state, is being awaited with great in
terest all over the state. The friends
of Governor Donaghey say that he has
laid the foundation of condition,
Through the operation of the tax com
} Imission, that is restoring the finances
of the state to a sound basis, but it
must be carefully guarded. 1t is