The Spectator., 1915-01-15

bly,. An effort Is to be made to hold down the appropriations within sum that is commensurate with the reve- nue and with view to wiping out the half million deficit that confronts the state. The following department estimates have been filed:
 Governors office, $22,552.
 Treasury Department, s20,714.
 State Highway Department. $63, ,225.
 Tax Commission. $25,720.
 Adjutant Generals Office. s3O,300.
 Auditor of State, $34,94S.
 Supreme Court, $6S.S46.
 Department of Education, $31,S43. l Secretary of State, $21,229.
 The estimate for the Department of Education includes $14,000 for print ing, separate from the general print ing appropriation.
 The University of Arkansas is ask ing for $5S1.SS3.S3.
 The house completed it's organiza. tion on Tuesday by the election of the following: Chief clerk, Harvey Combs of Huntsville; assistant chief clerk, c. Cleveland Reid of Leslie: journal clerk, T. H. Ward of Boone vile; assistant journal clerk, Cl.as. Fl. Ray of Searcy; enrolling clerk, Miss Mary Walls of Logan county; engross- ing clerk, Mrs. Kate Rieff Eads of Fort Smith; sergeant-at-arms, E. Wooten of Pulaski; chaplain, Rev. r. M. Carter of Scott county; postmis- tress, Mrs. Annie Price Pittman Of Conway. The house began the intro- duction of bills Wednesday morning. State Auditor l.. l.. Coffman estimat- ed the total indebtdness of the state at this time is about S400,000. He says: Those seeking appropriations as large appropriations each year as they were able to persuade the legisla- | ture to give, and by this policy, the state has been going in debt. Large lump sums appropriated have been made every year, making it impossible for the restrictions which could be maintained were the appropriations for specific purposes. Heads of de- | partments and institutions have Tn many instances, excepting in the last two years, ignored the amount of the | appropriations fixed for their use, and have created obligations for which there were no appropriations trusting that they would be able to met these obligations and wipe out the deficien- cies from the money appropriated from the succeeding years"
 w. F. Mcknight, chairman of the Arkansas Railroad Commission, has drafted bill to be presented to the legislature, which would give the com- mission power to order the payment of reparation by railroads to shippers when the rates seem unreasonable to the commission. The authority to be asked would be similar to that of the Interstate Commerce Commission. The Interstate Commerce Commis. sion's right to order reparation was upheld for the first time in a recent decision in U. S. District Court
 A bill to be recommended by the Railroad Commission will give the commission authority to order switch ing within the switching limits of a city, and power to fix rates for such switching. At present, officers of the commission say, this kind of switching is only done in LittIe Rock and Fort Smith. and to get the railroads to move a car from one point to another in any other city it is necessary to pay intercity rates instead of switch. ing rates
 The following pages were elected: First congressional district, Cloyce Brawner of Piggott; Second, Jeff Cope. land of Melbourne; Third. Noah Ar mold of Norfork: Fourth. Parke Cray. | ems of Magazine; Fifth Clarence Nc. | Lain of Russellville; Sixth, Russell | Lochridge; Seventh. Harry Smith of Hamburg.
 Representatives of the State Agri ! cultural Schools report that there are | 1000 more applications for admission ' to the four schools than can be accom. odated under present conditions, and since it seems to be an accepted policy | that there shall be no appropriations , at this time for extensions, they are in dilemma fin making up a budget | Members of the four boards are in the , city attempting to find solution for their difficulties.
 Representative Shaver of Jackson, nominated for Speaker by Dr. Bishop of Little River. as a Prohibition can | didate, withdrew his name. He said that he was not and had never been a candidate for the Speakership, and asked that no one vote for him.