The Springdale news., 1917-11-23
STATE NEWS ITEMS
By Clio Harper.

here this week is the sixth in the his tory of Arkansas. The others were held in 1886. 1861. 1861. 1868 and 1874. The present Constitution, hav- ing continued in effect forty-three years. has shown greater vitality than any other.
 The only delegate who served in the Convention of 1874 and is serving in the present Convention, Judge Jos. N. House, of Little Rock, made the statement seven years ago that it is exceedingly doubtful whether new Constitution could be promulgated which would give more satisfaction to the people than the one of 1874"
 The Convention of 1874 had g members from 73 counties, and that of 1917 has IA delegates from 75 eoun ties. The Acts calling the Convention of 1871 were approved May IS, and May 2s, 1874, the election of delegates was held June 30, 1871, the ConVen- ton assembled July14, and remained in session until Sept. ', a period of B days There were at least five negroes among the delegates, and number of Republicans. In the cleo tion of delegates the question of hold ing the convention had been submit ted to the people, and the vote was 80,259 for Convention and 8,547 against Convention
 The Convention followed a reign of misrule subsequent to the adoption of the Constitution of 1868, the ratifi- cation of which had prevailed by narrow margin, the vote being 2f,9l3 for and 56,597 against 1t.
 If this Constitution should be de- feated or set aside declared the Committee on Submission in an Ad- dress to the People, we can not long CT have reasonable grounds of hope for a restoration of local seif-govern- ment in Arkansas, and We forbear to contemplate the scenes which defeat or failure would entail upon people already bowed to the earth with suf- fering and sorrow.
 This committee, which consisted of H. NJ. Rector, Rufus F. Garland, IW. Butler, Simon P Hughes and Bradley Bunch, epitomized in this address the outstanding features of=the new Con stituton, which they designated as corrective of the old, in the following pointed paragraph:
 An examination of this Constitu- ton will show it's distinguishing fea- tures-as compared with the Consti- tuition of 1868-to consist in submit ting the election of all officers of the government to the popular vote; in diminishing the number of officers to such a number as is necessary to an economical and successful adminlstra- ton of the Government; in limiting the rate of taxation, by the Legisla- ture, on the assessed value of all prop erty; in protecting the public credit. by expressly prohibiting the Legisle= ture from contracting any debts save for certain specified purposes; and in prohibiting all local and special legis lation
 We have every reason to believe that, if the new Constitution is rati- fled by the popular vote, and the gov ernment under it inaugurated, the present numerous and gross abuses, as the result of mis-rule, will give way, the angry feeling which has been engendered between the members of the two political parties by restless office seekers and disturbers of the peace, will gradually disappear, and our state will assume that honorable position in the confederacy of States, for which nature has so eminently en- dowed her"
 The Committee, in conclusion, urg- ed the people to Ego forward peace fully but resolutely to the discharge of their duty in giving the state this or ganic law regardless of all promises, all overtures and all threats from those who, under the guise of friend ship, seek only to complete their ruin.
 On the subject of free and fair cleo tions, the Committee said: "The abuse of this right-so long held inviolable has stifled the popular voice, given the reins of government to faction, reduced our people to bankruptcy and impoverishment, inaugurated intestine feuds and revolutions, and disgraced