The Monticellonian., 1917-09-06
URGES CONVENTION
Be POSTPONED
JUDGE MANN GIVES REASONS
FOR OPPOSING HOLDING ARK
ANsAs CONVENTION NOW.
SAYS CONDITIONS ABNORMAL
Writes Letter To NJ. r. Lamb Giving
Reasons Why He Advocates Post
ponement of Constitutional
Convention.

Little Rock-The statement pub
ltshed in the press several days ago
that Judge S. II. Mann of Forrest City
would ask the coming constitutional.
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,
Judge Mann wrote N. F. Lamb OF
Jonesboro as follows, giving 10 rea-
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 %, will say that take
pleasure in calling your attention to
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 thai
by May, 1918, conditions growing out
Of the war viii be more settled and
ha Of 70 convention will
be in better position to then deter
mine what course to pursue.
Third-From present indications, in
December, 1917, Little Rock will be
600 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 ali infamed
public mind. At such a time the pee
pie will not so readily yield to rea-
sons and are more likely to entertain
radical views, and on this account it
would be very difficult to obtain the
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of the state will have been withdrawn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 i'll 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-
ton will be in session several months.
Substantially all preparations for
financing and cultivating the crops
are made during the period of Decem-
Der to May, and therefore, assuming
the men elected to the constitutional
convention to be ofayerage Importance
in the community from which they
are elected. it would be best for them
to remain at home and assist in the
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-.
BILE 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 can
safely be said to be inflated Every
character of business is affected as
well 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
fiuenced 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
had present conditions prevailed at
the time the General Assembly was In
session.