The Harrison times., 1912-01-06
Arkansas Politics Liyening.

sage-brush field a-hrc,'' writes Judge
R. W Chrisp of White county, of
the campaign which is on in Arkan-
sas for the restriction of the Legis,
laturc to session of sixty days at
Sc a day Could have gotten a
great many more signatures if !
had had enough blanks is almost
the invariable report of those who
have circulated the petition for the
Norwood amendment, Gen, Nor
wood has already received more
than FIVE thousand names, and in
another two or three weeks expects
to have the requisite twelve thous-
and, although he will not stop with
that. At this time there is no doubt
whatever that the amendment will
prevail and that the next session Of
the Legislature will last only two
months.
Cost or THE LEGISLATURE,
The tremendous cost of the pro-
tracted legislative sessions has been
the subject of frequent comment,
which has not been as n rule com.
mandatory of those responsible Tor
the great waste of public funds
For the first time, we are able to
give the people Of Arkansas the ex-
acted official statement of the cost
OF the last Legislature, the most cx-
pensive in the history Of the state
The total cost, including the print.
ing Of the journals after the session,
was $20O,07164, for 1876 days Of
the regular session and 20 days of
extraordinary session, The cxpcn-
ses were distributed as follows!
Regular session, 1875 days House
salaries and per diem, 100 members,
$SS, 165 50 House contingent ex.
penses $1S,6O3,59, Total $l06,.
5000.
Senate mileage and per diem, 80
members $35, GO, Senate con-
tngent expenses $4,000 Al, To.
tai S57, 962,0l
Grand Total $l60 1888,
Extraordinary session 20 days,
House mileage and per diem $l2-
10000, House contingent expenses
$3,623,04, Total $15,625,04
Senate mileage and per diem ST.
10000 Senate contingent expenses
$9,S52,20, Total $l4 052,20,
Grand Total 9,675,2f,
Aggregate both sessions $l0s,.
800 II, Printing Senate Journal
$03l,25, Printing House Journal
$1,2l0,62,
Grand Total all cost $2O0,97l,6f
An analysis Of these figures shows
that the contingent expenses OF the
House, for the two sessions, amount.
ed to $50, ,062,63, making an aver.
age per member Of only S2O0,62
At the same time the contingent eX.
penses Of the Senate amounted to
$23 ,602,5l, making the average per
member more than three times that
of the House members, or q total of
S676O2 The greater part OF this
expense was for the maintenance of
an army of clerks, Of whom there
was an average Of one for each
member. Each day the Legislature
was in session, whether at work or
attending baseball games, cost the
state $1,3s60 The most expeu.
sivc session preceding this was the
historic scssession Of 1905, which
spent $4,000 on itself, but many
of the individual members Of that
session are reputed to have been
well provided for, at least, it was
so charged in the Indictment
MEETING OF STATE COMMITTEE
The meeting Of the Democratic
State Central Committee this week
is the signal Of the official starters
for the most active part of the state
campaign, The passing Of the hok.
days finds all the various contests
lined up for the fray, and no further
entries may be expected in any Of
the races. From now on until the
primary, to be held March 9Th,
there will be no cessation Of the nc.
tiyity on the part of the candidates,
1t is a notable fact, however, ob'
served by the candidates themselves,
that up to the present time there
has not been as great an interest
among the people as usual in n
state election, The people seem to
be thinking but they are making
less noise than usual Even Senator
| Davis, who continues TO refuse TO
meet Col Brundidge in Joint debate,
is not having the large and cnthus'
iastic crowds attending his speaking