The log cabin Democrat., 1913-03-01
HOUSE PASSES
HIGHWAY BILL
LITTLE ROCK TO MEMPHIS
FIGHT WAS LED BY RAGON OF
JOHNSON AND PATTERSON
OF WOODRUFF.

Little Rock, aMrch AFTER the
most spectacular parliamentary fight
of the session, the house Friday aft
ernoon passed by a vote of 60 to 8,
the senate bill by Harris for the con-
struction of a Little Rock and Mem
phis highway. The proposed road
passes through the counties of Pulas-
k, Lonoke, Monroe and St. Francis,
and a commissioner is named for each
county. 1t is provided that Pulaski
county shall contribute $4,000 to-
ward the cost of the road, and that
the people are to have a right to vote
whether they want it or not.
The fight on the bill was led by Mr.
Ragon of Johnson, Mr.. Patterson of
Woodruff and Mr.. Jackson of Ran
dolph, whose counties are not affect
ed by the district, and who offered
amendments which the friends of the
bill contended would have the effect
| of killing it. There is not sufficient
time left in which to consider and
adopt the amendments in the senate.
they asserted. Mr.. Laney and Mr..
kidder bore the brunt of the defense,
charging that Mr.. Ragon was actual
ed by spite because his Little Rock
Fort Smith highway bill was defeated
Monday night by an amendment of
F, fered by Mr.. Martin of Pulaski. Mr..
Ragon retorted that he was actuated
only by the purest motives, and he
proceeded to score Little Rocks rep
resentatives roundly, to which Mr..
kidder responded in kind. 1t was
turbulent and tempestous scene that
was presented on the floor for cou-
Pile of hours, and it required the ut
most firmness of the iron-man who
wlelds the gavel to restore a SEM
blance of order.
All the amendments were voted
down, and the bill was then passed
The house also passed senate bills
fixing tax of l 1-2 per cent of the
gross premiums of life and fire insu-
rance companies, in lieu of the 2 1-2
per cent on the net as at present.
There was hard fight on the fire in
surance bill, as it prescribes tax of
. per cent on inter-insurance poll
cies carried by cotton dealers, lumber
men and other industries.
Little Rock, March 1.-The senate
did not adjourn until p. M, and
then until Saturday morning. For the
first time this session, the upper
house is meeting on Saturday.
Among the bills passed by the SEN
ate was the Webster bill, providing
that the people of cities and towns
may have the right of referendum on
ordinances passed by councils, upon
the petition of 10 per cent of the vot-
ers; the long -drawn-out controversy
over the Sebastian county salary sit
uation was brought to termination
by the passage of the Heartsill bill.
from the house, fixing the salaries of
county officials, effective October 81
1914. The senate passed, after amend
ment, the BaXter-L Ludwig bill, declar-
ing water power the inherent right of
the state, and assessing q tax for its
use. The bill by Davis of Columbia
for the inspection of cottonseed meal,
was passed by the senate.
1t was a parliamentary wrangle
over the house bill by Wilson, amend
ing that Pine Bluff free bridge act
that held the senate for an hour later
than usual. Amendments were offer
ed to the bill limiting the bond issue.
One was adopted and the other start
ed the music. A point of order was
raised and sustained, that it destroy
ed the intent of the bill and was not
admissible. An appeal was taken
from the chair and motion made to
table the appeal, the vote resulting Ia
to IA. The question was then on sus-
tanning the appeal of the chair, and
after two hours or argument, it was
tavorably acted upon at 6:10 The
senate then adjourned until Saturday
morning, step which has not been
taken by senate, at any time, for
the past decade.