The Springdale news. [volume] (Springdale, Ark.) 1887-1990, 1918-12-13
STATE NEWS ITEMS
By Clio Harper.

F In II j
On an record ia favor of progress or
fcr slendmc still. For years those
vso have the Welfare Of the state
at heart have been insisting upon the
necessity Of a new organic law for
the state. Now they have an OPP
portunity to take a forward step that
vill mean the emancipation of the
state from the shackles that have
been forged upon it by the Constr
tuition of 1874.
The special election called for the
ratification Of the proposed Constitu-
ton will be held next Saturday, Dec
IA II is an epoch in the history ct
the state. and the result of the day
means much to its future greatness
The document is not perfect. In
every detail It does not meet the
IDEAS Of even those who are its most
ardent supporters. But a perfect
document is humanity impossible. 1t
is an instrument OF compromise.
Concessions had to be made and ac-
cepted in the interest of harmony,
otherwise it would have been imposs-
sible 10 agree On anything. There
are flaws. but the most ample pro-
visions are made for their correc-
ton.
The opposition to it, fer THE most
part. arises from an ignorance of its
provisions. or from an innate pre-
JUDGE against some of its reforma-
tons il carries.
In view of the world attitude to-
word equal suffrage and prohibition,
the opposition to these reforms IS
worthy scarcely more than a passing
notice Their critics are butting
their heads against the stone-wall of
the inevitable
The opposition to the increase IN
Salaries which seems to be worrying
some of the critics most, does not
take into consideration the fact that
the fixing of all salaries, including
state officers and the members of the
Legislature. is left wholly in the
hands Of the General Assembly and
the people To be sure, wartime
salaries, in keeping only with the in
, creased cost of living, are named,
: but IT Is thought necessary to do SO.
The insurance of bonds, the DOGGY
which frightens so many timid folk.
is bound around with guards
p which leaves it wholly in the hands
Of the people Thoroughly analysed
the ne" constitution places more
: power ia the hands Of the people than
: the present law. and it will be inn
: possible for the state or any county
. or city 70 create debts they cannot
, pay.
Associate Justice Carroll D Wood
who has made a most careful study
Of the Constitution, in statement to
, the people Of Arkansas. says
! I'm the Governors message to the
Legislature, he was brave and wise
enough to recommend the passage OF
law by which the state has beer
: put on cash basis, its officers and
:, employees paid their monthly wages
and all her contracts made on a cash
basis which means a saving to the
state OF thousands of dollars But
under the present Constitution in a
Few Years more the taxpayers will
be confronted with the same condi-
lions. The Indebtedness of Pulaski
County is SLOPE 1926, and that OF
Little Rock $l,09l 1854. To ne.
gotitate this Indebtedness and tc
keep the wheels of the city govern.
ment moving, the city now has tc
pay annually $4,000 as bonus te
the holders Of its warrants. These
are but induces to the conditions oil
other counties and cities of the state
They are all burdened with debt
am Informed the total indebtedness
Of the counties Of the state is 1851
$50. The average price Of county
warrants is forty cents on the dol
lar, loss Of 80 cents to the tax.
payers. The total assessed valuation
OF all property is 1924 ,378,9 500. Six
ty per cent of this is sl,573, 1876 SO,
winch Is the loss sustained by the tax
payers yearly While the city and
county warrants do not bear interest
they can be reduced to a judgment
and these judgements will bear in
terest at the rate of six per cent.
1t will thus be seen that every wear
the burden of debt will become beav-
ier and heavier.
Under Section /, Article 2G, of
the proposed constitution, the state.
counties, cities and towns are pro-
hbited from mourning any indebt-
edhesS in excess Of the current reve-
nue. for each year and any con
tracts made in excess of the revenue
or the current year are absolutely
VOID unless such contracts are rati-
he'd by majority of the vote of the
electors Of the state. counties or mu-
inequalities affected.
The war made society card-play-
my Questionable but not unpopular"
declared Little Rock society editor
the other day. During the war. and
while women were engaged in work
that was really worth while. the
whist and euchre clubs, and high
I'VE sorees and poker debauehes
went out Of style 1t was all such a