The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1912-08-30
AMENDMENT NO.
IS wins FAVOR
Voters Will Give Cities Right
to Issue Bonds, It Is
Believed.
WILL BE SUBMITTED SEPT. 9
Measure is of Vital Importance to
Cities and Towns Of State,
IL Is Declared.

OF all the measures that are to be
submitted to vote of the people of
Arkansas at the coming general cleo
tion, none is regarded of as much i'm
portance to the material development
OF the state as the proposed constitu-
tional amendment No. Is, which, il
adopted, will give the cities OF the
state and all Incorporated towns OF
more than 1000 population, the right
to raise money for public improve
ments by issuing bonds.
1t is believed that the prejudice
grew out of conditions which existed
nearly half century ago, is practical
ly dead and that the people of the
state are now willing to remove the
many ways the advancement of The
cities and towns of the state. An
amendment of similar nature but
without the restrictions and safe
guards of the present amendment, was
defeated by small margin four years
asa only because of the discovery OF
features which were said by some TO
render the measure unsafe. Very lit
tie. if any criticism has been made Of
Amendment No. l.. which will be sub
mitted at the election September ..
For that reason il is moi believed that
there will be any serious opposition
10 this measure All that is needed to
insure its passage. it is believed. is
to make its provisions known to the
voters who will be asked 10 pass iudg-
ment upon it on September p
Realizing that Arkansas is the only
state in the entire Union that prohi5-
its its cities and towns from issuing
bonds under proper restrictions, and
believing that as long as this condi-
tion exists Arkansas cannot hope to
Keep pace with the other states OF the
Union in any phase of development,
many officials and representative citi-
zens of the cities and towns Of the
state have Joined hands in an effort
to cast off the bonds that have held
them in check so long Responding to
calls from all parts of the state, Mayor
Chas E Taylor of Little Rock issued
call for a meeting OF mayors. city
attorneys and other officials and citi-
zens OF the cities and towns of Arkan-
sas. and at this meeting the amend
ment which is to be submitted in Sep.
tember was drafted. The amendment
reached its final form only after a
lengthy discussion of all the proposed
features and. as il was finally approx
ed. II is believed by those who are
standing sponsor for il to be surround.
ed hy all the safeguards that could
be desired by the tax payers.
The work OF securing the submis-
sion of the amendment and Of making
the campaign IN its behalf has been
in the hands Of an executive committe .
composed OF Mayer Chss. Z Taylor
OF Little Rock. Mayor Pagan Bour-
,and of Fort Smith, Mayor A. c. Jor.
dan of Pine Bluff. Mayor W. W. Wat
ers of Hot Springs, Mayor J. p. Fau-
cette of Arsenta and Mayor Thomas
Burress OF Jonesboro. This commit.
tee has the assistance Of The execu-
tiyes OF ell cities and towns tn the
state and the members believe that
The only campaign required Is one Of
publicity. in order that the voters may
be fully informed upon all the features
Of the proposed amendment. They
have sought to turn the light on TO
eyery phase Of the measure 80 that
the people may know Just what they
arc veting for when they cast their
ballots for Amendment No. Is.
Stress is laid upon the fact that
after Amendment No. 10 is adopted,
not dollars worth OF bonds can be
issued and sold until after a majority
Of the qualified voters of the city or
town affected have decreed by their
ballots at an election held for that
onrpose. that such bonds shall be is
sued Amendment No. Is merely re-
moves the iron clad restriction now
onhodied in the constitution prevent
ine. the issuing of bonds in any form
md aives cities and towns of the state
ne right 10 issue bonds for certain
,urposes if they desire to do so. If
majority of the voters of a city or
fown are not in favor Of the issuance of
,onds for certain purpose or for any
,urpose. they can say so by their votes
md the bonds can not be issued. II Is
laclared 10 be merely the apple"
# the principle of self govern,
matters that affect only th''on'
particular community. ...aL