Judsonia weekly advance., 1917-09-05
JUDGE MANN GIVES REASONS FOR OPPOSING HOLDING ARK
 ANSAS CONVENTION NOW.
SAYS CONDITIONS ABNORMAL
Writes Letter To N. F. Lamb Giving Reasons Why He Advocates Post ponement of Constitutional
 Convention.

Little Rock-The statement pub lished in the press several days ago that Judge s. H. Mann of Forrest City would ask the coming constitutions. convention to recess until next May has attracted much attention through out the state and caused a number of delegates to write Judge Mann ask ing for his reasons in desiring the re- cess
 In response to the letters received, Jonesboro as follows, giving 10 req sons why the convention should not attempt to draft the constitution this winter:
 Ten Reasons Given.
 Hon. N. F. Lamb, Jonesboro, Ark.
 Dear Lamb-Replying to your favor of August 25, will say that I take pleasure in calling your attention to a few things that lead me to believe it would be best to postpone the con- stitutional convention until May, 1918.
 First-It would be quite difficult to draft a constitution under abnormal conditions, as at present, for the sat isfactory use of the people in normal times
 Second-It is barely possible that by May, 1918, conditions growing out of the war will be more settled and the members of the convention will be in a better position to then deter mine what course to pursue.
 Third-From present indications, in December, 1917, Little Rock will be taking care of at least 30,000 or 40,- 900 soldiers, and to this we might add 10000 other persons in one way or an- other drawn to Little Rock because of being in some way related to the sol diers, or attracted there because of the soldiers.
 Fourth-The preparation for war throughout the state and the nation has greatly infiamed the minds of the people, and in the discussion of any governmental questions at this time many issues would arise which would be solely the creation of an infiamed public mind At such a time the peo- pie will not so readily yield to req sons and are more likely to entertain radical views, and on this account it would be very difficult to obtain the adoption of any constitution the body might frame.
 Fifth-When the date of the con- vention arrives large per cent of the young men from the several counties of the state will have been withdrawn from their respective communities, thereby to a. great extent depicting the man power for agricultural and commercial purposes in the state, and we can ill afford to enter upon any enterprise at this time, the tendency of which is to further distract thought and labor from the agricultural and commercial industries of the state. Sixth-In all probability the conven- tion will be in session several months. Substantially all preparations for financing and cultivating the crops are made during the period of Decem- ber to May, and therefore, assuming the men elected to the constitutional convention to be of average importance in the community from which they are elected, it would be best for them to remain at home and assist in tho great work of keeping business con- ditions as near normal as possible.
 Seventh-During the coming win ter the capacity of Little Rock for taking care of people who will assem- ble there will be greatly overtaxed. and it is not wise to add to this the members of the convention and their families, and such others as would be attracted to Little Rock because of the convention.
 Eighth-Business conditions at this time are abnormal and all values c,ln safely be said to be inflated Every character of business is affected as we'll as labor, and no doubt an effort will be made by all classes to get some advantage out of present conditions in the framing of new constitution Should the members be materially in fluenced by present conditions our work would probably be failure.
 Ninth-No doubt many changes in our organic law will be suggested by the war. Am impressed that the con- vention would not have been called