Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1912-03-20
AN OPEN LETTER 10 HONEST GEORGE GEORGE w. REAVES ASKS A FEW QUESTIONS OF GOV.
 DONAGHEY.
HE ANSWERS THEM ALSO
The Chief Executive Has Not Been Sincere or He Is Not
 Sincere Today.
February 24, 1912.

February 24, 1912. Governor George W. Donaghey, Lit
 tie Rock, Ark.
 Dear Sir note in your late epistle 10 the people of Arkansas you said "l have not promised you anything that I did not do or try to do.' Let us see, governor. You will not deny that during the state convention at Hot Springs, Ark, when Hon. John s. Lit tie was nominated for governor, you scattered posters or pamphlets in all public places saying that you could complete the new state capitol for $250,00O. You denounced Caldwell X Drake as grafters when they asked for an additional appropriation of sS00,00o, agreeing to finish the capitol and beautify the grounds for that amount
 I have nothing to say in defense of Caldwell & Drake except that, if they were grafters and boodlers, IS you charged, you should have caused them to be sued and prosecuted and punish ed according to law for that offense. In open court their attorney said: We cannot sue the state, but you can sue us. If We have done anything wrong sue us and let the case in all it's details be settled in the courts This you would not and did not do. Why, governor?
 They had good bond and could have been compelled to finish the state capitol under their contract in an artistic and. workmanlike style, but, instead of compelling them to do this, the people, at your solicitation, l accepted your proposition and elected you to the high office of governor. | Caldwell & Drake were deposed and you and your commissioners took pos session and have now expended on the new state capitol $695,o00 in cash, in addition to the temporary heating plant and the use of convict labor, and you now insist that it will take l $750,000 more to complete the job. So, in place of it's taking $250,000 to finish the capitol. as you said at Hot Springs, 1t will take about S1,500,000 to complete it under yoElr administra- tion. You miss the mark too far to l inspire confidence in your promises and when the good people of this state swapped Caldwell & Drake for you, as financial proposition, it was like going out of the frying pan into the fire.
 Governor, why did you pay an archi- tect $50,000 for less than ten days work connected with our new state capitol which was nearly thousand dollars per day? Why, governor?
 Governor, on page 9, among other things, you used this language: Tt has now been worked down to dem- onstration that the whiskey men are determined to rule this state against the interests of the people, This is true. They control the politics of our state now, and this condition has been brought about under your administra tion with the saloon people or gang" helping to further and boost every DO. litical ambition of your life.
 Did the whiskey people vote for you in your last race for governor? Yes,
 Did the saloon people vote for you in your last race for governor Yes.
 Against MT. Kavanaugh, an avowed friend of local prohibition? Yes.
 And, governor you know that they are not going to destroy the bridge that has carried them over safely.
 Governor, l am not whiskey man. I do not frequent saloons, but I now venture the assertion that the whis. key men, the gang" the machine" is for you now. Why shouldn't they be? They were built up and have thrived under your administration.
 Governor, in your epistle, on page :, you say, in substance, that a cer. tain senator was complaining bitterly because he had lost $l,50O by voting for q certain bill, and that an attorney for certain large corporation said his corporation had been assessed over S10,00o as it's part of a poodle fund to defeat certain legislation.
 Governor, why don't you, as the peoples governor, take the people into your confidence and tell them who that senator is and the name of the large corporation that was assessed for more than S10,000 as a part of poodle fund so the people would not re-elect this senator? Why, governor?
 Governor, why didn't you go before the grand jury, or have the proper party go, and indict these boodlers? You could at least tell the people who they are, so they will be warned. The people are entitled to this information from their governor.
 Governor, from your epistle, I know you are well informed as to the cor rupt practices going on during our last legislative session.
 Did you, in any of your messages, call attention to this corruption dur. ing the regular session of the legisla. ture? No.
 Did you call attention to this cor. ruption during the sitting of an extra session in any of your communica. tions or messages? No.
 Governor take the liberty of say ------' '---,...----=.