Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-02-21
uo,,se Defeats Stevens Bill to Increase Valuations
 and Reduce Rate.
APPROPRIATION FOR
 UNIVERSITY IS CUT
Neasure Is Adopted After $15,0O0 for Partial Payment on Farm Is Elimi- nated-LegislatOrs Regulate
 Plan of Managing Capitol.

Iittle Rock, Feb. 20.-The house today defeated, by vote of 5S to 16, the bill by MT. Stevens to provide for the assessment of all property of the state at it's reasonable market value and for an automatic reduction of the rate after the aggregate assessment of the property of the state has reach ed s5G0 100000. MT. Stevens asserted that if the property of the state were assessed as provided in his bill it would amount to 6,0O0,O00, in- stead of $447,O00, as it is at present. MT. Clack led the opposition to the bill. declaring that the plan proposed is impracticable, and if it were done it would be unjust to the poor people of the state.
 The committee on levees and drain- age returned senate bill No. 69 for the issuance of $7O0,O0O bonds for the St. Francis Drainage district, with the recommendation that it do pass with an amendment providing that the funds be expended in the repair of existing ditches.
 Debate Capitol Management. Another bill which occupied much of the attention of the house was that of Senator Smeade, providing for the abolition of the state capitol commis. sion, and making the secretary o1 state the custodian of the state capitol.
 Representatives Choate and Doyle offered an amendment to substitute board to consist of the attorney-gen- eral, secretary of state and auditor of state, and MT. Hardage offered sub stittue for a board consisting of the governor, treasurer and secretary of state. Mr. Ellis of Randolph opposed both amendments and Mir. Coker sup ported the Hardage amendment, de- claring that it was the best proposl- tion for the care of valuable prop erty. Mir. Coker, during his speech, took occasion to pay tribute to Governor Brough.
 "It has been said" said he, "that am for anything that Governor Borugh wants. I consider it my great priv iege to consider the advice of one who consider to be the greatest gov ernor the state has ever produced, one of the greatest men, in some re- spects, in the history of Arkansas. He is a great man, a great scholar, great patriot and a Christian gen. tleman, and I am proud to support whatever he asks, so long as con- sider that he is right
 Both the Choate amendment and the Hardage substitute were voted down, and MT. Hardage then offered an amendment to limit the employees un- der the secretary of state to a deputy custodian at $1,S00, an electrician at Sl,2OO, two firemen at $60 month and not exceeding 15 janitors at $35 month. This was also tabled, and was followed by motion by MT. Gentry 10 indefinitely postpone the bill, which iost There was a hurried consulta- uon by the two forces and an agree ment was reached, which, they an- nounced to the house, would be satis- factory, and the bill was placed back on second reading and made spe- .iai order for 10 a. m. tomorrow. Just Delore adjournment in the evening tue agreed amendment was adopted, providing that the custodian may ap- point two firemen at $60 a month and not exceeding 16 janitors at $35 a month.
 MT Clack had his bill, which will permit the deduction of indebtedness rom personal assessments, made a Speclai order for p. m., February 23.
 u University Provided For. ine house passed the University of 'Aahsas appropriation bill, carrying .otal of $39O,O00 for the next two years' ye There were only six negative rS' rp.es' by Representatives Atkinson, ppnoate' pa' Copeland of Izard, Kendrick, f,ou o,.er and York. The only item cut non1i n.vai the bill was for $15,O00, as a trha'ual tha payment on a farm of not less sso an ooO acres, to cost not less than w"s vvv,OVO' The motion to strike the item ota Gas made by MT. Waggoner of Lon not ' WI wno insisted that the state can nu,. nu, allord it, and that it would mean aar;o ; tne establishment of another th" th.ei!ural ..i! school. The friends of he ,. niil then agreed to let the item shon1i s5r,eken out if the rest of the bill should be passed.