The Mena weekly star., 1921-03-24

Freeman l.. Johnson, representative of Polk county in the House of the 43rd General Assembly, on request of The Star. has prepared the following brief summary of some of the more important things accomplished at the recent session, as we'll as indicating his views on things that were not done:
 Penitentiary Commission.
 One of the first acts of the legisla- ture was to abolish the penitentiary commission and substitute an honorary commission for the management of this institution, to save $30,000 in sal aries, and to add to the efficiency and god management.
 Arkansas Corporation Commission. This commission was abolished and replaced with a salaried comission known as the railroad commission, at saving of $45,000 for the biennial period. This commission gives to each city and town management of its own government, which was denied under the old commission.
 Board of Control. I introduced and passed bill thru the House to abolish this board, but when it reached the Senate it was killed, on promises from some of the leading senators that they would sup port another bill of the same kind, immediately introduced another bill and sent it to the Senate with only one vote against it, but this bill was not called up for final passage until the last day of the session at 1C o'clock and was debated until 12:10 time for adjournment sine die. Il died on the calendar.
 One of the members of the old board Of control has resigned and one nas been indicted for perjury and another charge which l do not recall. At ths same time the Senate killed our bill: to abolish this expensive office I passed thru the Senate bill to giv' the board it's appropriation of $43, 900, and when this reached the Hous' we put it to sleep. This leaves ; board with one member and secre tary without funds to run on during the next biennial period.
 Inheritance Tax Attorney. The House abolished this office which would have been saving o $10,000, but the measure was killed Il the Senate,
 The Tax Commission. The House passed bill to abolis this expensive commission but it wa put to sleep in the Senate by the sam professional politicians that kille } other measures of this kind. Thi l xsyr,,1A nE coo m s to the taxpayers of Arkansas. f Boiler Inspector. . The House abolished this depart ment but its efforts were killed in tn Senate. The House refused to mak ], any appropriation for maintenance. E The Highway Commission.
 The Highway Attorney was abo
 ished and the department was GOT Q siderably trimmed. It had asked fc
 an appropriation of $1 ,3O0,000, and W
 gave it $810,000, of which 70 pt l. cent is auto tax which goes back to tf
 counties paying same, and 30 per cei
 goes to the Highway Department ', handle the Federal Aid which is dl Y Arkansas Thus TO per cent of a
 the auto tax collected goes back to u
 counties.
 Severence Tax. d The Severenee tax bill passed bot
 house and I think it's very impor m ant bill. 4 tax of 1 per cent is place a upon coal, gas, oil, diamonds, bric y bauxite and other minerals take r. from the soil. Lumber was exempts g from this measure. This tax wi Ee bring in to the state treasury $i5( le 900 to S200.000 per year at the presel Y. rate, and if the resources of the sta d continue to be developed 1t will be oi k. of the most important revenue pr d ducers that we have in the state.