The Sentinel=record., 1915-03-12

racing commissioners were discussed
 with Governor Hays Monday morniDe
 and that the time had come when the
 citizens of Hot Springs were now
 called upon to decide what they dc sired done in this matter. He said
 that it was the duty of the city to go
 on with the fight even if Hot Springs
 knew failure would result, but that hs did not believe the people would fail:
 that in the opinion of some of tho
 states best attorneys the bill is now
 a law and that this issue should be
 taken into the courts for final deter
 imitation.
 Nr Bedding also emphatically de l nied reports that had been current i1 Hot Springs that the reason Governor
 Hays had vetoed the measure was be-
 cause there had been a falling out"
 among the Hot Springs men as to
 who were to be named commission
 CTS. He said that no dissension or any nature whatever materializcd and
 that all was harmony among the Hot | Springs workers for the bill.
 City Attorney Leo P. Mclaughlin
 said that the general assembly that adjourned today had passed moro l lcgislation adverse to Hot Spring
 than any other legislature, and re- ferred to the effect the statewide bill would nave on this resort That Governor Hays actually approved the racing bill could be seen by the pho. tograph of his signature. The city's legal adviser quoted the decision of the supreme court on the ease in which Governor Hays was a party to prove his contention that the race bin was legally approved and is now law. He, too, stated that he believed Governor Hays still regards Hot Springs highly but regretted that the
 governor did not nave the backbone
 to resist the fire that was put upo2 him. City Attorney Mclaughlin ad- yiscd that counsel he engaged to
 carry this fight to the supreme court.
 Douglas Hotchkiss, editor Of The Sentinel-Record, who was one of the very active workers in Little Rock for the bill was next introduced, and told the audience that when the bill passed the house taose in charge of the measure took courage, but that | the opposition in the senate surprised them. He stated that President Imndy would never have permitted
 vote 10 be taken on this bill if he had
 thought for a minute that it would pass. but that he believed the opIos. ton in the senate to be sufficient tn kill the measure Mr. Hotcakiss said that Governor Hays approved the racing bin and no one knows that
 fact better than George w. Hays he declared
 He told the audience of tho confer
 ence that was held in the governors office Monday morning, when the se- | lection of commissioners was made.
 He said that Governor Hays had agreed to sign the bill and even went
 so far as to name as commissioners Captain R. R. Rice for the siX-year term. Frank Kitchens of Helena, for the four-year term, and George R Bedding, the personal selection of Governor Hays, for tne two-year term Mir Hotchkiss also denied any friction had existed among members
 of the Hot Springs deieeation and said that rumors of that nature did MT. Bedding and others who wOrkeI SO earnestly and hard for the bill a great injustice.
 W. w. Waters former mayor, and secretary of the State Fair Associa- ton, was the last speaker He said that sometimes he wished that Hot Springs wasn't in Arkansas. He de- clared this resort was the states best asset. and that Hot Springs cannot be
 advertised without advertising the state of Arkansas.
 Hot Springs saw years ago taat the thing 10 advertise the resources of the state was to give a state fair. said Mir. Waters. and for years the reople of Hot Springs have been car rying on this exposition annually, eX- pending in that time over $l00.0oQ. The state has never contributed a penny to the support of the state fair.
 The town that could do the things
 that Hot Springs has done for the state Of Arkansas should receive the applause and announcement of the
 people of the state.
 "I have been told time and time
 again that if Hot Springs werh
 located north of the Mason and DiXoA ] line that the national government by now would have expended millions of dollars for its development, yet the great government of the United
 States has not done what it should l towards this city
 We are not a lawless people. Hot Springs has no desire to appear be- fore the people in the attitude ot ] being law violators but l have a.
 ways contended that if you want to
 see your property here in Hot Springs
 increase in value then you must be
 little liberal with your visitors. It | is not necessary to have wide open town. and I have never favored that