The Prescott daily news., 1916-10-31
"GR0Sy IGNORANCE"
 FUIRELL DECLARES
Senator DeplOres Caption That Has Been Given Amendment No. 14-State Officials to Con- sides Protests.

Little Rock, Oct. 31.-lt begins to appear as though the good road advo- cates of Arkansas who desire an op- portunity to build roads and bridges through progressive methods, must do active work at the polls November ', or see their measure, Amendment No 14, defeated through accidental or premeditated error on the part of state officials.
 Secretary of State Earle w. Hodges has certified to the county election commissioners, a copy of the ticket to be voted upon next week, and Amend ment No. IA is enormously shown here as one that will permit an increase of taxation.
 Judge J. s. Abercrombie, president of the Arkansas Good Roads Associa- tion on Monday came to Little Rock and took the matter up with Attorney General Davis, who must pass upon the matter and he declined to take action immediately. Judge Aber- crombie left very much disappointed, for he knew that further delay pro- hibited change in the ballots to make them properly state the case of the amendment, which will not permit an increase of taxation at all.
 Prominent Little Rock attorneys were consulted about legal proceed ings, but they gave no encouragement, stating that the courts would consider such an action a suit against the state, and if mandamus proceedings were brought the defendant would have ten days to answer unless he waived the right, which the defendant in this case would not do. Courts have already declared that the At torney general or secretary of state are almost supreme in matters of this kind, and if they make an error, in- tentional or otherwise, the courts are powerless to force a correction.
 The friends of the good roads amendment are not in the least down. cast, and state they have only begun the fight. They assert that an unfair advantage has been taken, and that the whole state has been made the victim of petty politics, but that they will be at the polls to properly ex- plain the matter, and see tat the peo- pie vote right.
 Senator J. Marion Futrall, author of the amendment, and known all over Arkansas for his record while Acting Governor, considers the wording of the caption thrust at him because he caused the investigation of state de- partments while a member of the last Senate.
 Speaking on the question Monday evening, Senator Futrall stated: My attention has been called to the fact that the stae board of election com missioners has certified amendment number fourteen as measure pro- vidng for an increase in taxation for road purposes" The word increase. IS the fly in the ointment. This amend ment would neither increase nor make possible to increase taxes for road purposes as will appear from the amendment itself which reads as fol- lows:
 The county courts in their respect i've counties in addition to the tax now allowed to be levied shall haze power when authorized as hereinafter pro- vided to levy an annual tax not ex- ceeding three mills on the dollar on all taxable property which shall be collected and expended in making and repairing public roads and bridges in their respective counties and said court shall have power after author ity given as hereinafter provided to levy tax not exceeding three mills on the dollar on all taxable property for period of time not Ito exceed thirty years to borrow money, issue bonds and pledge the revenue arising from the tax levied for a period of time, to pay the interest and principal of any sum or sums so borrowed. All bonds issued by authority herein given shall bear rate of interest not to exceed six per cent per annum. All sums so borrowed shall be used ex- cl1sively in making and repairing the public roads and bridges in the county