Pocahontas star herald., 1915-02-19
WEEKLY NEWS LETTER
FROM LITTLE ROCK

no measure has yet been introduced
looking toward an increase IN the
anoaal receipts of the states, aud
unh GOV. Hays opposing an increase
of any kind in taxation, IL Is hardly
likely there will be, unless another
TJ bill IL introduced, aud there Il
every indication that such a measure
Will be forthcoming before the ses'
zion j. much older. Senator Toler
has agreed To draft blll along the
lines ol the revenue measure which
created 20 much comment few
years ago, aud which will eliminate
the features which were objection
able.
Unless a revenue measure along
The old T J bill lines Is introduced,
a bill providing for a bond issue
may be looked for. This will hard
~ be adopted, however, for sent'
ment has not yet reached the point
where il will permit OF the States
business being attended to as is that
Of the individual or the corporation.
The bond issue is coming however,
and IL not adopted by this Assemb.
ly, " i'll be by the neat.
The question of Constitutional
Convention was not considered seri'
ensly until it was fought out on
she floor of the House last week and
passed. Now the Senatorial wise
acres are scratching their heads to
determine whether or not they favor
= revision Of the ancient foundation
for government upon which the
State has stood for so many years.
The only fear there is that the right
Kind Of men will not offer for mem
bership in this convention, and that
tbe constitution, prepared by poll
iicians and weaklIngs, would be a
irayesty. II Is realized, on the
other hand, that the constitution Is
4 Bit out Of date, and growing more
so each year, aud that this risk will
have to be taken sooner or later, so
II might as well come now.
The real evidence Of the strength
of sentiment in favor of Cons,itu'
iional convention is displayed in the
announcement of well known citi'
Eens OF Arkansas tor appointments
within the convention, James e..
Higgins, assistance chief clerk of
the house, aud for number of
terms the chief clerk, is the first Of
ihem all to announce as a candidate
for secretary of the convention.
Eighty-ave delegates to the con-
yeniion are pro, ided, one from each
sonnty and ten from the state at
large. IL the bill passes the con.
vention will he held in the fall, so
4 real campaign would open IN Ark
Ansas right after the close of the
legislative session.
Ten days ago 1t appeared as
though the Arkansas legislature
wonld close its fortieth session with
considerable of the business undn
ished, necessitatlng the calling of a
special session, bat fears for this
NAV now be banlshed. As soon as
the liquor fight was out of the way
she two branches of the legislature
settled down to business and the
really important measuses, excepting
ihe appropriations, are already a
long way teward adoption or re-
lection.
The really most important of the
bills so far considered is the election
bill prepared by the committee
named by the State Democratic
Convention. This dill has passed
through the Senate with only one
change, tba. being to lace the
primary back to the old date in
March, it being preferable then to
the May day picked hy the commit
tee. The bill will not have easy
shedding in the IIous howeyer, for
il was only showed through the
Senate by the display of fight shown
in its favor by Senators J. M. Fnt.
reIl and j. r. Moore. Repeated