The Mena weekly star., 1918-07-25
OUR CONSTITUTION BUILDERS AT WORK
Evidently Have Great Fear of Recall, but Find It Hard to Get Away From Following Lines of Least
 Resistance.

Little Rock, July 23.-The consti- tutiopal convention on Monday aft ernoon followed policy of following the line of least resistance, for when it started into matter and encoun- tered opposition, the matter was then postponed until later date for defii- mite action. Just before the close of the session the convention was threat ening to destroy the power of the State Board of Health by permitting the General Assembly or people to repeal any rule promulgated by that body.
 Judge Evans made no bones about the intention of his proposed amend ment to the section providing for the maintenance of the Board of Health as department of state. He called attention to the disposition of the people in many sections of the state to oppose the vaccination order of the State Board of Health, and grew quite forceful in his argument when he declared that he was unalterably opposed to any body of scientific in- dividuals overriding the will of the people. He was willing to eliminate the entire section from the constitu- tion, but if it was to be made con stutional department, he desired to have it so the people could not be without recourse when orders were issued by it. The convention ad- journed while this was under discus sion.
 The recall was the prominent sub ject of the afternoon, coming up sev- seral times in various fors, and like other matters, it went over without definite decision. After Judge Evans had called up his proposal to separate Logan county into two counties, and an amendment to leave it to the Gen. eral Assembly had been voted down, the Evans proposition was sent over until Wednesday and the convention began on the section headed Impeach- ment and Address. Mir. Partain off, fered on amendment for the recall of all state officers under such terms, restrictions and causes as may be pro- vided by the legislature or people" This was defeated 24 to 45.
 Mir. Wilson of Bradley then offered an amendment to provide the recall for all but the judiciary, and that was also voted defeated on roll call 26 to 43, but Mir Partain voted in the negative in order that he might have reconsideration for later in the week.
 The convention spent a consider able portion of the afternoon on the convict labor question, ending in striking out all sections referring to it and adopting a simple substitute for all of the sections, offered by Judge Evans. The substitute reads: "No person who may be convicted of crime shall ever be leased or hired to any firm or corporation, but this section shall not prevent the working of state or county convicts upon the roads of the state or upon any public works under proper state or county supervision" After this was adopted Delegate Moore offered another amendment for the segregation of the races and the prevention of boys on the convict farm. An effort was made by Mir. Hotchkiss of Garland to provide compensation for the measure of the same kind, giving convicts, but it was overwhelming de- feated, as was measure of the same kind, giving the convict the benefit of his profit on his labor, offered by Mir. Warnock of Columbia MT. Dodd of Sebastian sought to provide dam- ages for eonvicts who were wrongful iy convicted, but it, too, failed.
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