Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-01-24
House Adopts Concurrent Resolution Providing for
 Investigation.
BONE DRY MEASURE
 TO COME UP TODAY
Great tll0uSe- Ponder Bill Made Special Order for , D. m. in House. Which Has Already Adopted a
 Similar Measure.

Little Rock, Jan. 33.--A bill author- izing the issuance of $75O,000 in notes for the purpose of taking up the state deficit was introduced in the house by the budget committee, being an administration measure. It provides for sinking fund, which i is esti- mated, will discharge the notes in 16 years.
 A bill by MT. Emerson seeks to abol- ish the state capitol commission. and place the management of the state capitol in the hands of the secretary of state as custodian. An amendment to add the governor and attorney gen. eral was defeated.
 The house adopted the senate con- current resolution by Adamson pro- viding for the appointment of a spe- cial committee to investigate the pur- chase of the Tucker convict farm, and the management generally of the penitentiary. The resolution follows:
 Alleges Graft Charged.
 ''Whereas, it has been charged that the convicts on the state farms have been cruelty and inhumanely treated, poorly cared for and improperly fed: and,
 ''Whereas, it has been charged that there has been a leakage of the pu"lic funds in the management of tho state penitentiary; and,
 Whereas, the penitentiary board has purchased two large tracts of land for state farm, in Jefferson county, near Tucker; and,
 Whereas, it is charged that the farm, containing 5000 acres, for the working of white convicts was pur- chased from D. B. Niven and others on or about January 27, 19l6 which tract contained 2.o0O acres in cultivation and 1000 acres in timber; and. "Whereas, after the purchase of said tract from Nevin, said penitentiary board purchased another tract from the Missouri State Life Insurance company, containing about 1,500 acres. all of which was in timber; and,
 '4Whereas, it is charged that said 1,5O0 acre tract was not necessary for the use of the state, as the penitenti- ary board had already purchased more land than could possibly be used for farming purposes; and,
 "Whereas, at the time of the pur- chase of the 1,500-acre tract, it was charged in the Pulaski chancery court that by said purchase fraud was per- petrated upon the state; and. "Whereas, charges were published in the daily newspapers and spread broadcast throughout the state; and,
 "Whereas, it was rumored that in order to defeat an investigation Dv the legislature, the notes given for the purchase price of the 1,5OO-acre ! tract were sold to foreign bond Dny- CTS. thereby placing them in the hands of innocent purchasers; and,
 HWhereas, the governor of this state has requested the legislature to make thorough investigation of these re- ports that have bene circulated broadcast throughout the state;
 "Now, therefore he it resolved, by the senate, the house cOncurring therein, that the joint committee on ] penitentiary from the house and sen- ate be and they are hereby instructed to investigate the conditions prevail ing at the state farm from the past two years, the alleged mistreatment of the convicts and the purchase or the farms mentioned; said committee to have full power to employ sten- oerapher to summons and swear wit nesses to take testimony and to visit the penitentiary and state farm; that it have power to investigate the rec ords of he penitentiary commission and do any and all things necessary to make a full and complete investi- gation of all the conditions and facts pertaining to the management of the penitentiary and the purchase of the farms mentioned said committee shall file a report of their findings, together with all testimony taken in this connection, with the secretary of the senate and the clerk of the house, to be preserved as public records of the senate and the house."
 Niven Files Protest.
 MT. Niven, representative from Jeff