The log cabin Democrat., 1915-03-05
DAY OF SENSATIONS
 AT STATE CAPITOL
SHAKf-UP IN OFFICIALS
AUDITOR RESIGNS TO TAKE PLACE ON CHARITIES BOARD
 DICKINSON SUCCEEDS.

Little Rock, March 5.--As though the battle being made on the agricul- tural schools appropriation was not sufficient, real interest was injected into the Thursday afternoon session of the senate by announcement of the resignation of L. l.. Coffman as state auditor and the appointment of Dr. F. M. Dickinson of Paragould to sue ceed him; the appointment of James Surridge of Walnut Ridge for the six year term, w. H. Hall of Camden for the four year term, and l.. L. Golf man of Little Rock, for the two year term on the newly created board of control for the state charitable insti- tuition; closely followed by the report of the committee appointed by the senate to investigate alleged offers of bribes in connection with the Sawyer racing bill. This committee reported that it was unable to find anything to incriminate the nearest approach to it being the testimony of Senator Geo, A. Wagner of Crawford, who testified that James A. Pitcock, for mer resident of his county, former superintendent of the Arkansas pen itentiary, and now member of the | Little Rock detective force, had ap- preached him with proposition to go to his home on Thursday and re- main until Tuesday, stating that he could make it we'll worth his while to do so. Pitcock was called before the committee and denied making any such proposition.
 The appointment of Dr. Dickinson as state auditor was not reported to the senate during the afternoon, but he took office immediately after re- signing as secretary of the State Highway Commission. He was prior to that manager of the rock crusher operated by this department and was formerly secretary of the Ar kansas Farmers Union.
 Practically the entire afternoon was consumed by the senate in con- tinuing the fight on the appropria- tion for the four agricultural schools, or the Magnolia school in particular, for that was the only one under dis cussion. In the bill this school was given about $25,00O less than the other three institutions, and Senator Smith of Columbia conducted a win ming fight to have the items in it's appropriation raised to a par with the others.
 l There was no fight on the appro- priation until Senator Smith in the forenoon session offered an amend ment to increase the student labor Appropriation from $6,000 to $7, 7,500. After two hours in debate, and efforts to substitute other bills in the Com mittee of the Whole, which would re- duce the appropriations for all schools to $75,000, then $85,OOO and finally $95,000, which were declared out of order by Senator Futrell, who was in the chair, the student labor appro- priation was raised The debate was bitter at times, Senators Lundy, Wagner, Edmonson, Kendall and Go ing being the leaders in opposing the increase, with Senator Smith backed by Senators Collins, Cabauiss, Bur gess and Yam.
 President Lundy led the fight against the agricultural schools, de- claring that H. S. Mobley, who ad- 4 mitted he had been paid to lobby for the appropriation bills two years ago, was back again, and had gone to the House to endeavor to have the Uni versity appropriation reconsidered be- cause of the fight that was being made on the agricultural school ap- propriation. He stated further that the advocates of these schools were building political machine, and were even then working with the governor to get his veto on the Smith-Leve appropriation. He stated they had also tried to get Congressman Car raway to introduce bill in congress which would permit the agricultural school to share this with the Univer- sity.
 Senator Wagner declared that the people were growing tired Of the ex- travagant appropriations for these schools and that he would circulate petitions for an act by the people abolishing the schools.
 Much stress was laid upon the fact that nothing has ever been turned in- to the treasury by these schools, re- sulting from the sale of stock and crops.
 The senate raised all of the items in the Magnolia appropriation until it came to buying seed and boring a well. The we'll item followed one for drainage, and the senate would not provide for irrigation and drainage too.
 By resolution of Pres. Lundy the