The Mena weekly star., 1921-02-03
Nj RAE WINS FIRST
 BIC VICTORY
At Close of Senate's Most Stormy Session the Vote to Abolish Peni- tentiary Commission Was
 19 to IA.

Little Rock, Jan. 28.--The calm which has marked the 1921 legisla- ture broke this morning, and following storm swept session of the senate, lasting until $50 o'clock, in which everything from fiIibustering to real political strategy was brought into play, the administration emerged vic torious.
 The test came on the administration bill to abolish the penitentiary com mission and substitute an honorary commission, measure partly advocat- ed by the democratic platform as we'll as by the administration, and resulted in vote of 18 to l5 for the McRae abolitionists.
 Collins, an abolitionist, changed his vote from "No' to "Yes" in efforts to make motion to reconsider, and this made the vote as shown by record 19 to IA, but Collins did not get recog- milton to make the motion.
 Under the bills provisions, the peni- tentiary commission, composed w. A Coker, John McQuistion and Finn Craig, goes out of business February 1. In its place, an honorary commis- sion will be appointed, with author ity to employ a superintendent to man. age the commissioner during Governor Hays regime, but forced out when Governor Brough took office, is being prominently mentioned as probable superintendent
 This is the bill which went thru the house like greased lightning on vote C 4@ n
 As was predicted, it met lively op- position in the senate, and was amend ed to strike out the provision placing the responsibility of electroeutions upon the sheriff of Pulaski county The house without doubt. will concur in the senate amendments, which will then make the bill ready for Governor MeRae's approval.
 The fire, and it was hot, was set this morning when Senator Walls. ot Lonoke, an administration leader called for the bill for their reading and final passage. Immediate ob- lection was raised. Motions were made to place 1t back on second read ing for an amendment, but the motion lost on 16-to-16 or tie vote. A mo- ton to recommit 1t to committee was lost and then supreme effort was made to postpone consideration until next Tuesday, because of the ab- sence of three senators, McFerrin, Shockley and Montgomery.
 Probably two of these senators and possibly all three would have voted against abolition had they been pres erlt. At least that was the contention of the antis Shockley finally ar rived, however, and when he did, he helped swell the administration ma jority
 The first test vote, on the motion to defer action until Tuesday, how ever, resulted in administration vic- tory. the motion being voted down, IT to 15. Those voting to postpone action were Bone, Caldwell, Collins, Deisch, Golf, Harley, Johnson, Me Cabe. Price, Scott, Thompson, Will son of Calhoun, Wilson of Union, Wilson of Washington, and Woods.
 Those voting against postponement were: Barnes, Bogle. Emery, Hartje, Jackson, Johnson, Latimer, Fefier, McFarlin. McCraw, Owens, Roddy, Stewart, Townsend Walls, Vaughan and President Cazort.
 On the final vote an passage of the bill the only changes were Vaughan voted against the bill, and Haley for it.
 The fight of the anti-abolitionists centered on the honorary board fea- ture, and not in defense of the pre- sent personnel. The whole attack was based on the grounds that the honor ary board system is not sound and that with the right personnel, a businesslike way of administering state affairs is thru paid board.