The courier-index., 1921-02-11
Votes To Abolish
 Corporation Body
House Passes Gates Bill After Spending Nearly All Day in
 Oratory-Vote g to 2.

Little Rock, Feb. S-The House continues to run true to form in it's support of administration policies.
 The second abolition bill by Mir. Gates of Lonoke was passed late yesterday afternoon by an almost unanimous vote 1t repeals outright the act of 1919 creating the Arkan- sas Corporation Commission. Mir. Gates first bill was for the obilition of the Penitentiary Commission, and it already is in effect. The pas sage of the anti-Corporation Com mission bill came after a day of oratory, in which a small minority was given a respectful hearing, al- though there were no indications that any ones vote was changed.
 MT. Gates led the debate for the bill He said that the Corporation Commission is an autocratic and bureaucratic body, the antithesis of democratic government; that the commission had been failure, and that it could grind out rates more satisfactorily for the corporations than any judicial body; that it had utterly failed to protect the rights of the people He said it was strange that the representatives from the cities favor the commis- sion, while those from the rural dis tricts oppose it. He said that no substitute is needed, because all that is necessary is to return the power to the people, where it ex- isted before the creation of the com mission. While it is true. he said, that the utilities are taxed to pay the expenses of the commission, the commission taxes the people through higher rates to meet the extra cost. Mir. Wood Opposes Bill
 Representative Wood of Lee coun- ty, opposing the bill, charged that the platform demanding abolition of the commission was drawn and die tated by a minority and that Gov ernor MeRae is a minority governor, having received orly 42,000 out of 163 ,O0O votes cast in the primary He said that the abolition of the commission is demanded mostly by "disgruntled communities and shy ster lawyers, because of decisions that did not meet their approval
 Mir. Doyle raised a point of order that Mir. Wood was not speaking on the subject, to which the Lee county representative retorted, "Yes, that's the way, you want to suppress free speech. You don't want to hear the truth You are blindly follow ing the dictates of Governor Me Rae, and if he should send bill in here to abolish the Acts of the Apostles, you would vote for it. realize that 1 am leading forlorn hope, but I propose to vote my con victions."
 MT. Gregory of Prairie insisted that the party platforms are solemn obligations; that the Corporation Commission is body over which the people have no authority, as lit is not responsible to any power on earth, in heaven or in he'll all that the people have to do with 1t being to pay the bills.
 McHaney Defends.
 Mr. McHaney, opposing the pass age of the bill, denied that the platform demands the abolition of the commission except "as how con- stituted." He argued that it should not be abolished unless some sub stitute was provided.
 Mr. Belote. speaking for the bill, said that under the commission, rates are being advanced until the people cannot tolerate conditions much longer. He commended the policies of Governor McRae and said that he will go down in history as the states greatest governor, as he stands for return of power to the people.
 Mir. Ebel of Garland spoke against the bill, declaring that "it seeks to tear down without offering anything in it's place." He defend ed former Governor Brough against what he declared was unfair and un-- just criticism, asserting that he had served the state faithfully and con scientiously.
 The bill passed, ayes 73, noes ', the negatives votes being cast by Messrs. Chalmers, Ebel, Hill Me Haney, McCulloch, Norfleet and