The courier-index., 1918-07-26
CONVENTION ADOPTS
 DACCETT'S PROPOSAL
uNiCAMERAL SYSTEM, PRoviD- ING FOR ONE HOUSE LEGiSLA. TIVE BODY, PASSES 5Y VOTE OF 5t TO 37.

statement that it was the most rad ! ical departure yet proposed, the con stitutional convention yesterday af- ternoon, after an all day debate, vot- ed 51 to 37, to submit a section of the new constitution doing away with the general assembly as it has existed since Arkansa became a state, and proyitirg one body to be known as the house of delegates.
 As the day progressed the measure gained strength and some of the most powerful debaters in the con- vention were on the floor in its sup port before the vote was taken. So convincing was their argument that even one of the speakers for the op- position was won over MT. Belote of Hot Springs county, and on roll call he was the third man to vote in it's favor.
 Much of the success of the meas ure was due to MT. Daggett of Lee county, who proposed rather ex. tensive amendment to article five of the proposed constitution, and the day was spent practically in arguing the first section.
 The first section of article five pro- posed by the legislative committee of the convention reads as follows:
 "The legislative power of the peo- pie of this state shall be vested in a general assembly, which shall con- sist of the senate and the house of representatives, but the people re- serve to themselves. the power to propose legislative measures, laws and amendments to the constitution and to enact or reject the same at the polls independent of the general assembly; and also reserve the power at their own option to approve or reject at the polls any entire act or any item of an appropriation bill."
 The first section of the Daggett amendment reads:
 "The legislative powers of this state, except when measures are initiated by or referred to the voters as hereinafter provided, shall be vest ed in a general assembly styled the House of Delegates, which shall be elected as hereinafter provided" MT. Daggett opened the argument for his amendment. While the ques- tfon was upon the first section, the remainder of his amendment was drawn in. :, It provides for the house of delegates to consist of 36 mem- bers, two each from IS districts and six from the state at large. This body meets biennially in 60 day session, but there must be an inter- val of 60 days between the first and second 30 days. The initiative and referendum is looked to for approval or disapproval of the acts of the house of delegates.
 Judge Jeptha Evans and Mir. Calla- way of Clark were opponents of the amendment in the morning session. They argued that Arkansas would make a mistake in making so radi- cal an experiment. MT. Walker of Washington spoke in it's favor, ridi- cuhng the legislature and its mem bers. He read from the statutes to show the character of legislation placed there by legislatures. He said that a small body would be carefully selected and could give ample study to all measures before it.
 Delegate Gordon of Conway open ed the afternoon session with an argument. He said that he had been connected with several legisla- lures and had observed how they were conducted. He declared that legislatures meet merely to barter and trade away the rights of the people and he strongly favored the Daggett amendment.
 MT. Belote of Hot Springs follow ed with a declaration that he favor ed the abolition of the senate but favored the retention of the house, which. he said, is the safety valve of the state government. He oppos- ed the Daggett amendment largely upon the number of representatives in the house of delegates.
 Mir Mitchell of Boone announced that since the convention was being reported by official stenographers man could not get into history unless he made a speech and he intended to make one then and there. He favor ed the amendment and went into history to show that all the ancient legislative bodies were singular. the dual body not being in vogue until the lime of Cromwell, and that even now the house of lords of England is in the power Of the house of commons. which can abolish 1t at any time. He said that the framers of the constitution of the United States were fin favor of a single body, but patterned after Eng land, and having no lords or nobility created the senate as an advisory body. MT. Mitchell classed the iegis- lature as . great unwieldy body that