Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-02-19
STUTTGART GETS
 ITS COURTHOUSE Bill Creating Two Judicial Districts for Arkansas Co.
 Passes Senate.
$ ONGLY OPPOSED
Dewitt People Objected to plan-May Settle Bitter Political
 Fight.

Little Rock, Ark, Feb. lS.-House Bill No. 2S0, by Representative Ben nett, of Arkansas county. giving Ark ansas county two judicial divisions, was passed in the senate today after a spirited fight The vote was 2 to 6 in it's favor and it was taken after a motion to place it back on it's sec ond reading for amendment was fought out and lost.
 The passage of the bill will mean a court house for Stuttgart and regular court terms there. It was introduced as a compromise measure when the agitatio nstarted for a new county: with a plan to make Stuttgart the county seat The Dewitt people strongly opposed the new county plan and also went on record as favoring two judiciary districts for Arkansas county.
 When the bill, which had already passed the House, was called up in the senate today, Senator Smith mov- ed to place the bill back on it's second reading for purpose of amendment
 Senator Harris was recognized to oppose the reconsideration of the bill on it's second reading. Echoes of the Bennett-Purdy contest, which absorb cd interest in the House at the begin ming of the session, were heard in the statement of Senator Harris.
 The local issue for the securing Of two county sites in Arkansas county was presented. Ut is an establish 9d fact he declared, that the people of Stuttgart want a district court house at that place.
 Senator Harris read a number Of af- fidavits relative to the local issue. He was asked whether he objected to hay ing the bill referred to the people o1 Arkansas county for their approval.
 Would Rdier to People.
 Senator Smith then took the floor and stated that he wanted to offer an amendment to refer the bill back to the people, He read a number oi affidavits relative to the local issue at the last election, when Mir. Bennett was returned. He stated that he has 33 petitions from nearly 1000 quallfi- ed voters of Arkansas in protest against the passage of the bill in its present. form.
 Senator Going was recognized to de fend the bill. He stated that the pas sage of the measure would settle a bitter political issue once and for all time without causing the struggle tf he renewed with a reference of the bill to the voters of Arkansas coun- ty.
 ''The fight has been waged and the issue was clearly drawn and the peo- pie of Arkansas county returned MT. Bennett on the court house proposl- tion. and with the understanding thai Stuttgart should have district court house the same as Dewitt, the present county site,' he said.
 Senator Lunday urged that the bill be placed back on it's second reading so that the Senate might have an op- portunity of considering the bill and determining what action shall be tax en on the bill as whole or the amendment to refer the measure back to the voters of Arkansas county. N The previous question was moved by Senator Moore and carried. De- pate was then limited to thirty min utes on each side.
 COyingtOn FayOrs Bill.
 Senator Covington agreed with the contention of Senator Going. At the last general election the voters of De- Witt voted the Democratic ticket, and on this issue, which was carried at the Democratic primary, and l don't think there is any need for keeping this scrap up before the people Of that county he declared.
 Upon roll call on motion to place back on second reading the vote stood as follows: Ayes 8, noes, 26. So the motion lost.
 Third reading of the bill was in or