The Pulaskian. (Pulaski Heights [Little Rock], Ark.) 1915-1929, 1919-01-31
70 REPORT FAVoRABLY ON RE.
SUBMISSION OF RECENTLY DE-
FEATED MEASURE.
WOULD DROP SOME FEATURES
Many Proposed Measures Before As
sembIy But Limited Number Can
Be Submitted To Voters For Rati-
sIcation at General Election.

SShe1y 1SJSCled, 10 eliminate us oD-
5ectionable features and then TO sub
nit 1t to the people as an amendment
to the present eonstitution-this is
the recommendation that will be
made to the legislature by the joint
Committee on Constitutional Amend
msnts.
This course of action was decided
upon at meeting Of the S3mmittee.
The plan was proposed by Represen-
tative Kennedy of Sebastian county.
The resolution adopted by the COM
niittee provides that Senator Grover
Owens of Pulaski county, chairman of
the Joint Committee on Constitutional
Amendments, shall appoint a commit
tee to redraft the proposed constitu-
ton.
Mr.. Kennedy called attention to the
fact that between 15 and 20 proposed
amendments have been submitted to
the legislature The legislature can
submit only two. The Arkansas SUI
preme Court has ruled that only three
amendments may be submitted at one
election, and one proposed amendment
already has been initiated by petit
ton by the Arkansas Initiative and
Referendum League.
Before Mr.. Kennedy's proposition
came up, the committee had selected
for favorable recommendation the
proposed amendments providing for
woman suffrage and for increasing the
number Of justices of tho Arkansas
Supreme Court. Mr. Kennedy argued
that the great number of proposed
amendments submitted to the legisla-
ture proves that the present consti-
tuition Is not satisfactory. He ex-
pressed the belief that a few objec-
tionable features of the defeated con
stitution were responsible for It's re-
Election by the voters, and said he be-
/ lieves that with these FEATURES elimi-
mated. the constitution would be
adopted
The plan Is a feasible one, In the
opinion Of T. M. Mehaffy, who was
president Of the Constitutional Con-
yention, which drafted the constitu-
ton recently rejected by the voters.
Although there was unanimity of
opinion that Arkansas should erect a
monument to the Arkansas soldiers
and sailors who have made the SUI
preme sacrifice in the present war,
there was marked divergence of
opinion as to how the funds should be
raised when the matter was preached
in the Senate.
Senators Utley, Vaughan, Emory
and Townsend introduced a resolu-
ton endorsing a movement to raise,
by public subscription, through the
State Council of Defense, fund to
erect such a monument Senator
Brown Immediately objected, declar-
ing that such plan only meant delay,
and declaring he favored immediate
action through a legislature appropri-
ation. 90
To back up his stand he introduced
q bill few minutes later seeking to
appropriate 100000 for ouch monu-
ment, and to create commission
secretary of state to have charge of
the fund The bill went to the bud
get committee.
Senator Brown said that while he
was In favor of erecting an elegant
monument to the dead heroes, he was
opposed to passing the hat" to get
the funds. The resolution, however,
was aadopted when it was explained
that its adoption would not have any
bearing on the fate of an appropria-
ton bill such as Senator Brown intro
duced few minutes later.
Senator Emory's bill, regulating
public utilities that better service
may be had. provides that when such
corporations fail or refuse to main
tain adequate facilities to comply
with their franchises shall be subject
to penalty of not less than $1,000,
nor more than $4,000, for each day
of such failure or refusal, each day
to constitute a separate offense. The
measure specifically mentions corpo-
ratioSs that furnish power, water, gas
or electricity.
The House completed the first roll
cSll for the introduction of bills, and
there were 81 bills and eight joint
resolutions on the calendar.
Senator Ponder introduced bill
which would permit state banks to
enter the federal reserve system. The
bill was prepared by the Banking De
partment and provides that state
banks that desire 10 enter the federal
reserve on the same basis as national
banks.
Representative Bohlinger's bill ap-
propriating s1.400 toward the pay
ment for the silver service for the
:.