The log cabin Democrat. [volume] (Conway, Ark.) 1901-1982, 1912-10-03
HOW TO ESCAPE
LOCAL ACT CURSE
NORWOOD ISSUES LITTER
SAYS GENERAL LAWS NOW IN
STATUTES RENDER LOCAL
BILLS UNNECESSARY.

Little Rock, Sept 26.-Attorney
General Norwood, author of the con-
stitutional amendment limiting legis-
latve sessions to 60 OF rs days. to-
day addressed communication to the
senator's and representatives suggest
ing mode of procedure under the
new law. He says:
"Since amendment No. Is in effect
limits the session of the legislature
to 60 days, your constituents Will
know that you will not have time to
pass so large a number of special
acts as has been the custom for the
last four sessions of the general as
sembly, and they WILL in many IN
stances, obtain what they wish by
proceeding under the provisions Of
the general law instead Of requesting
you to introduce special bills.
you know that for the past sew
eral sessions of the general assembly
at least three-fourths of the meas
ures enacted were what is known as
special legislation. Measures for the
creation of fencing districts, school
districts, drainage districts, improve
ment districts, road improvement dis
tricts, authorizing school districts to
borrow money, extending the corpo-
rate towns to cities of the second
class, and cities of the second class TO
cities of the first class, requiring rail
roads to build depots and to stop
trains at certain stations constitute
the bulk of this special legislation.
Il would suggest that if your con-
stituents request you to introduce an
act to consolidate school districts that
you refer them to act No. 16 of the
acts of 1911. That if they want an
act creating a special rural school
district, tell them to proceed as pro-
vided in act No. 321 of the cast Of
1909 If town or city school dis
trict proceed under section 1868,
Kirrby's Digest. If they want to bor
row money for school district, see
if it cannot be obtained under act No.
248 of the acts of 1905.
"A number of districts borrowed
money under this act and the act OF
1903. If this general law authorizing
school districts to borrow money is
not sufficient, then an act should oe
Immediately passed which would be
as effective as special act II some
of your constituents request you 20
introduce special act for fencing
district, request them to see if fthey
cannot, upon a petition to the county
court, create such district under the
provisions of section 1878, Kirby
Digest, as amended by act No. 29l,
acts of 1907. If they want a special
act for the creation of a drainage
district, examine that part of chap
ter 46, Kirby's Digest, relating TO
drains and ditches,' as amended by
act No. III of the cast of 1907. In
stead of special acts for the creation
of improvement districts, they should
proceed under chapter lis, kirby's
Digest, with the several amendments.
If they want town declared a city
of the second class raised to city of
the first class. their remedy is under
section 5426, kirby's Digest. When
they wish to extend the corporate
limits of town, proceed under sec
tons 55l3-5521, Kiroy's Digest.
Road improvement districts should be
created under act No. DAT of the acts
of 1907. If they want depot OF
train to stop at certain station, or
the railroads to perfofrm some other
act of this character, they should see
the railroad commission, which has
complete jurisdiction in the premises
The per diem and contingent ex-
penses of the last legislature amount
ed to $198, ,957.62; a 60-day session
will cost approximately $4,000,
saving or more than $12O,0OO