The Springdale news., 1917-01-19

vital concern to the governor than the leyee- ing of the Mississippi river and its tribu- taries.
 .No people can ever rise higher than their iasaIs Arkansas has been practically 're- deemed. regenernted and disenthrahed' from the degrading influences of the liquor traf- ffc by the passage of statewide prohibi- tion law and by the defeat in the recent elec- ton in no unmistakable terms of Act No. 2. which would have meant not the restoration of local option. about which good people differ but the introduction of q saturnalfa of license and immortality such as the state has never witnessed. But heavy interstate rhipments of liquor continue, and believe this evil should be regulated by the passage of law. similar 10 Alabamas prohibiting the publication of liquor advertisements in our nswena rers and taxing every package of Hquor coming Into the state. The Webb Kenyon bill, recently passed by Con Sress, makes the police power Of a state full and nIenary and believe Arkansas should take advantage of this fact to gave the boys of the rising generation from a certain degra- dalton A tax of. say 50 cents per gallon on every gallon of whiskey coming into ths state and of 50 cents per case on every case of wine coming into the state would produce a substantial revenue. If enforced. but I urge the adoption of this or some similar tax not as a revenue producer. but primar- fly as an extension of the police power of the state in checking dangerous and ne-
 Public Utilities Commission. Practically every state bordering Arkansas has public utilities commission haYinT Jurisdiction over railroads, street railways telegra ph and telephone lines, gas and elec- tric companies. and all common carriers operating within tho state. The idea of properly controlling the rates franchises, reserve capital bond issues. and terms of competition of public service corporations has become so popular that within the last dacade B states have secured regulation of all public utilities through such eommis- sion.
 Such regulation could be accomplished very effectively and economically in Ark ansas. It seems to me. by simply enlargtns the jurisdiction of the railroad comlais= sion so as to include the supervision of all public utilities the only additional ex- i pense attached to aueh a plan being the l ern ployment of technical expert 10 act with the three members of the railroad commission. and perhaps an additional sec= l retary Such a commission, H created. would not ony reduce rates as consumers. which are in many instances exorbitant ] Tn Arkansas especially in the eaFe of long i dtst@nce telephones but could supply hs l tax commission with valuable Information en aueetiens Of phystcaI valuations Such data Is iudis peusabls if the tax com uHf=zton is to really perform It's functions ss state board of equalization. especially r f is given the power Of Fe-essessulent- l ! respect zplly recommend to the general as- semlIV that the railroad comm Tssion h4 en- tarred as to Jurlsdtetion supervision and u.eubershlp so as 10 enable 1t 10 control all public utilities.
 Absent Voters Iaw.
 .tT believe that justice te he great body sf CIT commercial travellers railroad men xnd ether elt'zaus whe are kre8aeutlv called away from home by hustnesz and cmer@.rev cases on e1z e'ion day tastifies sao r7ssa0s ef taw pafr- ttti-R all hnna fsts ritizera pg The state Naf6i1g poll tax reeetp.s to vats In aIl stete and national elections, provided he l8e guarded hF adequate provisions -eaHfrfr4 b-eltl.e Identification t-uter fha nFeeent cardttiea- hundreds of our hest I ztf4zens are vt-tuatlx alsfraachlssd hv eea= 
 ard thaH4aaas are put 70 great and m #esHfsasea experse on election day by AetnE 7e5Haetfed to return 10 their r gal residences Colorado Iowa. Kansas NeHizrn Hfaue- Feta. Missouri Sebrasxa North or 8ts= afeR6. south Dakota Vermont Wnsaia~- sen. zEfzeaasln and Wyoming have 1lsseHt eaferse= laws eome even Rersats'frT yetta8 =sHt = tAe State and kv=l mi pad thesz# Iaws have been invariably upheld by tho
 New Constitution.
 ssI an convinced fri E##5ars7s Hees4 new governmental eafnzszEtaz and that tas patchwork cf the initiative and refereadHHs ~t11 ne longer rsffiee te HH5=H aaHze ct efEe= three6hare political necessities fre7oa 'ahta Thc constitution Of 1Sz4 0as franea t=.- 2 ehfe, patriotic men as q He resea sff13effan rule had 1zzz*Z Haaa oVer'i s#Ha= tnd 43 years of eVentful h5Hzorv have sa=a= of9sfrste3 that many ot tfe=sIae proF4z4zfs Of this constitution are snfueHtiy way and that our fathers baIIaed more ~+stty tHaa tEFy knew. When the stage He- 11r the drama enacted In the old stRre halss at Little Rock on July H. 1b5#. eHe 4a-e R=4 =1.p3efIuost In the minds Of the noble gaaH= a3a8s of the arS Of the covenant of pol sas=s4 redelnpHoni one ideal EAs nearest i+sAr hearts Ihe restraining Haaa ef the Hea- Die must be laid uHea thesr seitA taT- eeny Of public funds must forever u. zt.ade i'm possible the Domination 4f tHe Hsesa- i've over the legislative and Had aia4 zte- paFtfaents CT state ntLat be termiHatet. LIn- its upon the power ef taxation must he rom cIad and the right to contract inttEest- bearing debts by counties aad munla t4At- ties nuat he denied Sc the natural Fsses=t was q constitution with maay restrictions upon the exercise Of governmental ra>.zr by the various instrumeEthHt.es or soFeth- ment.
 T believe there are men in Arkansas to- day able enough and petft9tts tuoesa 10 write Il eonstitLti emkaas#Hg all t4e [ 8ad portions of the old constitution and lueas- poratRR other provisions needtaI ana Rpqro- prtate to existing conditions, which wudii be an honor to the framers and a blessed boon to posterty.
 aT therefore respectfully recommend 70 the general assembly the passage Of act or joint resolution authorizing the ealing Of constitutional convention, either ss&t summer during the spring of 1918 pto= vtding for its submission to the people for ratification or rejection. fixing representa- ton, the qualifications and coinpensation of members
 Conclusion
 "Geutlemen of the assembly I have pre- sented 10 you in very imperfect way my views some of the important problems
 
 ausas I have resorted to no subterfugs evasion mental reservation. believing that the people of Arkansas In this crisis in our history expect clean honorable methods 10 be pursued, without resort to political in trigue. big sticks and midnight caucuses Knowing you personally. I have abiding faith In your patriotism and sense of fair ness. and whether we agree or disagree on public questions feel sure that your governor l will receive fair and honorable treatment at your hands and that our asso- citation will be both pleasant and proftabls
 Arkansas expects much of us for thors ts much to be done. Wearing our con sciences kings and clad in the errnor ot truth and civic righteousness let us en- ter upon the duties of our high offices with cleamesa-a&-purpose vigor of action and honssfy Of conviction Then when our de- Hberations shall have ended not only in ths beautiful capitol, which will stand through thc years as an enduring monument to tho ajesty or~our great and growing common wealth, but in the legislative hall of llfe We will be permitted entrance into the great legislative hall above. that house not built with hands. eternal in the hsay- ens'"