NO. 19.
NEWS
Fire Insurance Business.
A table of the premiums and losses
of the fire insurance companies doing
business in the state has been compil
ed from the records in the office of
estate Auditor and Insurance Commls
floner'a. E. Moore.
The table shows every fire insurance
company that operated in the state
during the year 1906. together with
,he home office, the premiums received
in the state and the losses incurred
in the state. The amounts given as
the premiums received in the state are
the gross premiums and in each in
stance both in the premiums and in
the losses, where there has been a frac
tion of a dollar less than 51 cents it
has been omitted and the fractions ex
ceeding fifty cents have been counted
as additional dollars.
The table is as follows:
Premiums. Losses.
Adams & Boyle. Lillie
Knik. Ark.$4o1.4_l
Atlas, ries Moines. Iowa. 16,63o
Citizens, Clarksville,
Ark. '0,911
Commercial. Houston.
Texas. 30.61
Commenwealtli, Dallas,
Texas . 33.331
Pes Moines, l»es Moines,
ja . 78,881
1122,838
5,028
23,379
12,074
15,015
23.657
Franklin, Wheeling, W.
Va. 54.347
Freeholders. Topeka. Kan. 12.027
Home. Fordyce, Ark.... 284,034
Houston Fire nnd Ma
rine. Houston. Texas. . 95,632
Interstate, Texarkana.
Ark. 71,739
Mercantile, Little Rock,
Ark, . 59,722
Men hunts. Little Kook.
Ark. 22.738
Mississippi Home. Vicks
burg. Miss. 57.917
National. Little Rook.
Ark. 101,977
Nebraska Fnderwrlters
Omaha. Xeb.. 34,333
North Stale, Greensboro.
X, c. 79,680
Southern I'nderwriters.
Greensboro, X, (’. 32.239
Southern Stock. Greens
boro, X. 0. 20,315
Southern National, Aus
tin. Texas . 38.470
Standdard. Kordv. e. Ark. 32.714
T. A c., Pallas.‘Texas. . 103,448
Travelers, Fine Bluff,
Ark. .. .89.199
9.484
2,609
101,406
40,041
10,040
18.832
3,117
24,071
47,007
11.181
30.810
17.082
6.304
2,830
4,385
20.170
25,080
Gives Opinion on Marriage.
Attorney General Kirby recently re
ceived a communication asking for
his opinion as to whether a marriage
license may be issued on Sunday with
out violating the law and whether a
marriage consummated on the same
day under the license would be valid.
Although the matter is one that would
appear front the nature of things to
interest many people, the question had
never been asked the attorney general
before nor has an opinion on the mat
ter ever been given out. In answer
ing the question, Mr. Kirby said: “It
might be a violation of law for a clerk
to issue a marriage license on Sunday,
but the license itself so issued would
not be void nor would a marriage con
summated on Sunday under such a li
cense be void. It is true that the sta
tute says ‘Marriage is considered in
law a civil contract, to which the con
sent of the parties capable in law of
contracting is necessary.’ (Kirby’s Di
gest, Section 5171); also that ordinary
contracts entered into ou Sunday are
void. This is not trlue as to the mar
■iuge contract, however because it is
also a social and domestic relation as
declared by the Supreme Court in
Dodson vs. State."
iwo Women Shot By Unknown.
While undet guard of a constable in
,he schoolhouse at Meyer’s Hill, three
and a half miles from McKenzie, twc
r-rgro women, the Taylor sisters, one
J >ears of age and the other 15,
Y':° shot by an unknown person. The
pier sister was killed outright, her
lead being blown off, and the young
ei s'ster "as shot through the lungs
pd fatally injured. The shooting ol
e Women was the sequel of an as
sault with a knife made by them on
.ip preceding afternoon on Mrs. Jack
roton and her married daughter Mrs.
-ora Oglesby. The assault on Mrs.
°tun and her daughter was unpro
pied and murderous, and Mrs. Rho
5 i^e was saved only by the fact
the negress who wielded the
e failed to strike when she intend
Mr- 3->'ear-°'<l hoy of Mr. and
*'riP Sanders, living near Perry
’'bile playing, fell into a tub of
"ater and was scalded to death.
Col. James Gibson Dead.
L°st Two Children in
In One Week.
■ Leonard Krumper of
st two children, one 6
10 years of age, from
one week.
Growth in Canning Industry.
The growth of the Arkansas can
ning and preserving industry during
:he last seven years has been some
thing remarkable. According to the
latest census office figures this indus
try between the years 1900 and 1905
has quadrupled. In 1900 there were
but $33,038 invested in this industry.
Five years later there were more than
$124,000 invested in the canning an
preserving business. The number of
establishments during that time was
almost doubled. In 1900 there were
34 establishments; five years later
there were 07 such establishments.
There is only one other state in the
country whose canning and preserving
industry has made more rapid strides
than that of Arkansas, viz.. South
Carolina.
Memphis Flyer Wreoked.
The Rock Island passenger train,
known as the Hot Syrings-Memphis
Flyer, was wrecked at Cuneo, four
miles from Hazen, and Engineer T.
J. Kilcoyne and Fireman M. A. Cur
rier, were killed and Wendell Britt,
express messenger, George C. Dodson
and Charles S. Roberts, mail clerks,
lames Bailey, a negro porter, and four
negro dining car waiters were injured.
All of the cars composing the train,
with the exception of the rear Pullman
sleeper, were derailed, and the engine
turned over. The accident is believed
to have been the work of train wreck
ers as it is said that the switch had
been opened and locked in that con
dition a few hours before this train
was due.
Lightning Plays Curious Pranks.
During an electric storm at Evening
Shade recently, lightning played some
curious pranks in a private residence.
The lightning was conducted into The
house by means of a telephone wire.
A pocketbook hanging on the wall,
which contained three silver coins,
was found to have been torn open
and the coins were partially melted.
The solid wood part of a sewing ma
chine was split a distance of several
inches. The weather boarding on the
house near the telephone wire was
split and warped, and the wallpaper in
the building was torn to fine pieces in
places.
Citizens Invaded Oaklawn Track.
At the point of their revolvers, fif
teen members of the Citizens’ Improve
ment Union of Hot Springs, commis
sioned as deputy constables, effected
thair entrance into Oaklawn racetrack
recently, and arrested eighteen men
who were alleged to have been bet
ting on the races. No opposition was
made to the work of the officers by
those Arrested, who took the affair in
a very sensible manner.
Three Killed in Mill Accident.
Three men were killed and six in
jured by the bursting of a stone burr
in Stewart's grist mill, located 13
miles northwest of Green Forest. The
building was completely wrecked. The
dead are, John D. Stewart, Charles
Carr and A. M'Elyea.
Woman’s Body Found.
The body of “Jo” Lee, the young
white woman who ended her life by
jumping into the Arkansas river at
Pine Bluff January 29, has just been
recovered on a sandbar near New Gas
cony, Ark.
Found Dead in Bed.
Mrs. John Covington was found dead
in her bed at her home near Calmer
recently. She had been in her usual
good health, and was apparently well
when she retired the evening before.
Dr. Wolff Badly Hurt.
Dr. J. R. Wolff of Bingen, while in
specting the floor of an old building
which he intended to have repaired,
the floor gave way beneath his weight
and he was seriously injured.
Pawed by Horse.
Wood Murdock, 12 years of age,
while riding a horse in Helena, was
thrown by the horse and pawed in
the face and on the body. The boy
is in a serious condition.
Mrs. Jane Cargile Dead.
Mrs. Jane Cargile died at her home
near Springfield from the effects of
n fall from a portico. She was 85
years of age and had lived near
Springfield 40 years.
Injured in Cotton Gin.
Charles Brock, a negro in the em
ploy of the Richwoods Gin Company
in England, was seriously injured by
getting his hand caught in the cog
of the cotton press.
Paper Box Factory.
The Southwestern Package Com
pany of Texarkana has filed articles
of incorporation with the clerk of
Miller county. The capital stock is
$25,000 of which $15,000 has been sub
scribed and $5,000 paid. The com
pany will engage in the manufacture
of paper boxes.
Boy Injured By Pet Deer.
Will Douglass, a 5-year-old boy, liv
ing at Jonesboro, was seriously in
jured by being tossed up in the air
several times by a pet deer with which
he was playing.
Fuller's Earth in Large Quantities
Among the valuable clay deposits in
Arkansas are thousands of acres of
Fuller’s earth, a portion of which is
declared to be as good as that mined in
England. This earth is rich in chem
ical qualities that make is valuable
in refining processes. In this connec
tion it is known that there is a market
at present for at least 100,000 cubic
yards of genuine Fuller's earth, and
possibly 1,000,000 cubic yards. The
call for this particular kind of clay
comes from an eastern market. At
the office of the commissioner of mines
and agriculture it was stated that Ar
kansas possesses some deposits of Ful
ler’s earth that is as valuable as any
to be found in the entire world. Rich
deposits of this clay are to be found
in the vicinity of Little Rock, there
being copious deposits in both RuWski
and Saline countieg. From a local
standpoint. Fuller’s earth is very val
uable to the cotton seed oil millers,
and it is stated that the mill men
own or control great tracts of the
lands in which the peculiar clay is
found. The peculiarity, or rather pro
perty, of Fuller’s earth is that it is
a cleanser and an absorbent of grease.
Arrested For Bigamy.
W. D. Hayes was arrested recently
in Indian Territory and taken to De
Queen on a warrant charging him with
bigamy. He was married in DeQueen
about two weeks ago to Mi3s Birdie
Kirksey, having at the time, so it is
alleged two other wives. He claims
that he had been separated from his
other wives for some time, and he
thought by reason of his long separa
tion that his last marriage ws-.s legal.
Want Another Road.
The movement to secure a new' rail
road between Pine Bluff and west Mis
sissippi towns still continues, and the
various business organizations of the
points the desired road would tap have
taken the matter up. It is claimed
that produce of west Mississippi be
comes congested in Memphis yearly
and that Pine Bluff is so situated that,
it should be the outlet for products of
this section.
Body Crushed to Jelly
While engaged in superintending the
drawing of logs at Earle, Onan Card
well of Ohio was accidentally killed at
the sawmill of J. G. Birchett & Co.
The cable which hauled the cargo
broke and hurled the load
on Cardwell, crushing his body into a
jelly. He was 26 years of age, and
represented his stepfather, Dr. J. G.
Burchett, in the management of the
plant.
Shot His Brother.
One of the two sons of Scott Gar
ner, nine and eleven years old, re
spectively, of Lamar, shot the other
accidentally while playing with a
shotgun. The older boy was show
ing the other how fast he could let
the hammer down, when the weapon
was discharged, the load entering the
side and arm of the younger, inflicting
wounds from which he died two days
later.
Grading In Progress.
Grading is now in progress along
the right of way of the Pineville and
Northern Railroad from Sulphur
Springs to Beaty, a point west of Ben
ton on the Frisco. The proposed route
of this road lies between Sulphur
Springs and Muskogee, 1. T., and its
completion will give another valuable
railway outlet to a rich agricultural
section.
Wins State Championship.
Wylie B. Miller of Little Rock won
the state champion medal in the live
bird shooting contest at Forest Park,
Pine Bluff. There were eleven contes
tants. Mr. Miller killed 45 out of 50
birds. The medal was^formerly li*l$
by W. B. Powell of English, who vol
untarily surrendered ft2 after holding
and defending it for several years.
Would Not Permit Street Fair.
County Judge Milwee of Monroe
county, refused to grant license to a
street fair at Clarendon, on the ground
that ho was strictly opposed to such
things for moral and business reasons,
and would as soon inflict his town with
contagion as to permit one to enter it.
Killed in a Quarrel.
Henry Riddle ami Jesse Blagg, who
live near Gravelly, engaged in a light
recently in which Blagg was killed. It
is said that Riddle threw a stone at
Blagg which struck him in the head,
inflicting an injury which caused his
death twenty-four hours later.
Charged With Manslaughter.
Dora Faulkner, a’ white woman liv
ing at Hope, is under arrest charged
with manslaughter, the alleged offense
being the killing of her babe. The re
mains of the child were found in a
sack, with a cord tightly drawn arouud
the neck, burled under a lot of cotton
seed.
A Popular Conductor Dead.
J. C. Cox, one of the oldest and best
known conductors on the Cotton Belt
road, died recently in Pine Bluff, af
ter an illness extending over a pe
riod of several months.
’ THE SENATE.
The Senate Monday, by a vote of 10 to
7 passed the Amis insurance bill, which
now makes it mandatory that every life in
surance company operating in the state
of Arkansas shall invest in Arkansas se
curities at least 75 per rent of the reserve
fund held for policyholders.
The Montgomery insurance bill, which
prohibits all rebates, special inducements
to prospective policyholders, eliminates the
suicide clause and makes the policy Incon
testable after sixty days, occupied the af
ternoon session and argument was still in
progress whcu the Senate adjourned at 3
o’clock.
The Moore-IIeartslll measure, the anti
future bill which passed the House re
cently. withstood a strong attack in the
Senate Tuesday, and it will have a clear
field when it comes up for final passage
Friday, the motion to substitute the Hec
tor anti-futures bill having failed.
Senator Montgomery's insurance bill,
making material changes in the form of
life insurance policies and prohibiting re
bates. was defeated.
The bill making salaries of chancellors
throughout the state uniform at $2,500 per
year, had a close call from being tabled.
Its friends rushed to tlie rescue, and it was
finally passed with votes to spare.
A personal controversy between Sena
tors Montgomery and YYingo due to the
latter’s caustic remarks about the form
er’s insurance bill enlivened things iu the
Senate Wednesday. A point of order was
raised which checked the controversy.
The Howland primary law, which makes
ftome radical changes in the existing sys
tem. was passed at this session after a
warm tight on the floor. The bill provides
that candidates for office may have a per
sonal representative at the polls; calls for
a public counting of ballots and immediate
posting of results; makes it a felony for
false returns of actual votes cast and gives
the right to a person not able to mark
his ballot to select some one to make it
out for him.
Senator Wingo presented a resolution
memorializing the Arkansas members in
Congress to urge the repeal of amendments
14 to 15 to the constitution of the United
States. \vhi*h would result in the disfran
chisement of the negro.
Senator Holland's prohibition bill which
prohibits saloon men from serving as of
ficers of election and classes native wines
as liquors, was made a special order lor
Monday morninir after it had been amend
ed to exclude Lawrence, Garland. Desha.
St. Francis and Jefferson counties from its
provisions.
The bill by Senator Moore providing that
factories, mills and corporations shall pay
salaries of employes in cash only, and mak
ing it a misdemeanor to tender scrip or
company store orders, was unanimously
passed.
New bills introduced were:
By Senator Thompson.—-Amending Kir
by*s Digest so that the extent of public
improvements may equal 30 per cent of the
assessed valuation of property affected.
Instead of 20 ner cent, as at present.
By Senator DeHossitt.—Giving the courts
power of injunction in civil matters.
By Senator Patterson.—To appropriate
$35,000 for the payment of national
guardsmen who served during the yellow
fever quarantine in 1905.
Senator Amis introduced a bill in the
Senate Thursday making it a misdemeanor
to hold horse races of any nature on any
race course in the state. This bill is de
signed to put an end to meeting at Oak
lawn race track in Hot Springs which his
anti-pool selling measure did not.
The Edmondson-Hector bill abrogating
the convict labor contract whereby con
vict laborers are furnished at the rate
of 50 cents per day to contractors, was
a measure which occasioned warm debate.
The bill was finally defeated by 18 nega
tive votes to 7 in the affirmative.
Senator McKnlght introduced a bill,
which was permitted to go to committee.
It aims to prevent negroes from waiting
on white persons in hotels, restaurants, as
barbers or porters on trains, and it also
provides a penally for whites serving ie
groes. ,
A bill by Senator Edmondson called for
the amending of Kirby’s Digest so as to
provide that no warrants shall he drawn
by the auditor on the treasurer unless there
is appropriated money in the treasury for
the special purpose for which such war
rant is drawn.
By a large vote the Senate Friday pass
ed the Moore-Hartsill bill, designed to pre
vent dealing in futures and calculated to
J be a death blow to bucket shops and Illegi
timate exchanges.
Determined to stop the races at Hot
Springs at all hazards. Senator Amis lu
i troduced a bill giving the Governor the
right to suspend all county officers at the
j request of 50 petitioners until the Grand
Jury can meet and return Indictments.
Senator Harrison introduced a bill pro
viding for the displaying of the National
colors over public buildings.
A messenger from the Governor an
nonneed the approval of Senate Bill No.
240 (Arnold i. authorizing the Arkadel
phia School District: Senate Bill No. IPS
! (Bush), organizing the Tupelo Swamp
Drainage District, and Senate Bill No. 220
i-tMeCaln, rfcgulatiug the removal of coun
ty seats.
The Senate adjourned at noon until
Monday morning.
The bill by Senator Amis giving the Gov
ernor power to suspend officers neglecting
duty is ns follows
A bill for an act to render more effect
ual tbc enforcement of the criminal laws
; of the state of Arkansas.
•Be it enacted by the General Assembly
of the State of Arkansas:
Section 1. That upon the filing with
the Governor of the State of Arkansas of
a duly sworn to petition, made by 50
or more reputable citizens of any county
In tills State, that any criminal statute
Is being violated and that any district,
county or township officer is knowingly
permitting such violation and falling and
refusing to take steps looking to the pre
vention thereof, the Governor shall have
power to suspend such officer or officers
and appoint some other person or persons
to discharge the duties of the office until
the adjournment of the next term of tbc
Circuit Court for such county following
thereafter, when if no indictment is re
turned against such officer for some offense
growing out of the cause of such suspen
sion. lie shall lie reinstated, provided,
however, that if an Indictment is return
ed. such suspension shall continue until
the case is disposed of and such officer's
right to continue in office and lie reinstat
ed is determined by the laws now in force
governing such cases.
'•Sec. 2 That this act lie In force from
and after its passage."
tt was learned yesterday that a majority
of the Joint Committee on Penitentiary
will recommend that the new penitentiary
be not abandoned, but be completed and
remain as the home for prisoners of thf
atate for the next two years. There lmt
beer a proposition submitted to abolish ih
ppuffentlary and send all of the prisoners
to tile state convict farm. With the peni
tentiary maintained during the coming two
years the state electric lighting plant will
not bo disturbed, but will continue to fur
nish the charitable institutions with elec
tricity at cost, as has been the practice In
the past.
THE HOUSE
The House was the only legislative body
In session Saturday and it devoted Its thne
to the disposition of local measures. Ir
was decided that the House keep steadily
at the mass of accumulated local bills
until they were disposed of, and to this
end It has been agreed that Monday will
be added to the regular days set" aside
for Senate business.
Recognizing the frequency of railroad
wrecks in recent months, Mr. ltowell of
I"(Terson introduced and had read twice
a bill prohibiting any railroad from al
■owing employes who by either telephone
or telegraph direct the movement of trains,
to work more than eight hours in any
twenty-four. The hill was referred to the
Railroad Comlttee.
Mr. Van Hook introduced a bill at this
session appropriating $0,000 for the pur
pose of defraying the expenses incurred
in holding farmers’ county institutes
throughout the several counties of the
stale, to be distrubuted evenly among the
counties holding such institutes, and to
encourage the gatherings and discussions
rf farm subjects.
The House Monday, passed the McCollum
bill authorizing the deposit of the funds of
tlie state in the banks and trust companies
of the state.
New hills in the House were :
Hy Mr. McDaniel.—-Making valid the
sales of swamp and overflowed lunds which
the state had not perfected title to.
Ky Mr. Sawyer.—-Regulating the speed
of automobiles or motor cars, making the
maximum speed limit 15 miles an hour.
Ry Mr. Van Hook.—An act appropriat
ing ttie sum of $11,000 for the building up
and encouragement of farmers' institutes to
be held in the several counties of the state,
the sum being divided equally between the
counties where institutes arc held.
The bill by Senator I,ee. prohibiting Che
receiving of orders for intoxicants in any
prohibited district in the state, passed the
House Tuesday. The bill also prohibits
any newspaper or publication in such ter
ritory carrying an advertisement for a
liquor house, assuming that this is a meth
od of soliciting business.
The House also passed the bill by Sena
tor Patterson, fixing a uniform charge of
To cents per day to be charged by each
sheriff or jailor for boarding each county
prisoner
The bill by Senato Rowland, making
railroads responsible for damage by tire re
sulting from sparks from engines passed
tile House as did also the bill by Senator
Thompson, preventing railroads from ob
structing crossings for more than five min
utes.
The Steven's bill, which added a per
cent tax on purchases of intoxicants in
the state, and further requiring that alt
purchasers be recorded properly with the
county clerk under penalty of heavy tines,
was killed In the House Wednesday by a
vote of tip to 1-i after one of the hardest
floor tights of the session. Advocates of
the bill made a gallant tight, but were
met at every point by those who believe
thut 1 lie regular license system is sufficient
and that further taxes on the business of
handling liquors should be placed by rais
ing the state license, or not at all. It was
further contended that the passage of tue
bill would only mean that the liquor dealers
of tin* state would be driven from business
and that the dealers at Memphis and other
points across the borders would reap the
harvest, while the state would receive uo
revenue whatever.
At this session a bill was introduced bv
Mr. Quinn authorizing the turning over of
the capitol building to a commission com
posed of four men and three women ^ to
tie named by the governor, the commission
to have the custody of the building for his
toric exhibits anti headquarters for char
itable and patriotic organizations.
Almost the entire day in the Horse
Thursday was consumed with a discuss.on
of the Black bill, restricting the sale of
patent medicine in the state. No conclu
sion was reached, and by agreement the di
mission will be renewed Friday after roll
call, after which' a vole will be taken.
There is a sentiment developing in the
House to devote more time in the future
to Senate bills, which are accumulating
rapidly on the clerk's desk. Amotion
was made that Senate business be contin
tied throughout Thursday. Friday aud Sat
rmlay. to the exclusion of everything but
special orders.
The House defeated the K lark Patent
Medicine Bill by a vote of r.i to 2d. Fri
day. after one of tlie hardest tights in the
present session. This hill held the at
tention of the House, nearly all of Thurs
day. and was carried over until Friday
morning when the vote was taken at !> : F>.
Mr. McDaniel Introduced a hill for to
completion, furnishing and maintenance of
the reform school. The hill carries #:!!>.otto
The hill by s-oator Browning, to in
crease the school tax levy from - to ?
mills in line witli the constitutional amend
meat, was taken up for amendment to , a
form to the new tax levy. The amend
ments were adopted and the hill was made
a special order for Tuesday.
The House passed the bill by Senator
Rowland prescribing the duties of the pen
Itentiary physician. He is required to
make frequent inspections of the peniten
tiary quarters, see that proper food is given
prisoners, keep a record of admissions into
the hospital, etc.
The bill by Senator Rowland for the
maintenance of the Branch Normal at Pine
Bluff contains the following appropriation'
First- Salary of teachers .$11.sou
Second—Janitor . D*G
Third—Fuel for shops and buildings trial
Fourth- Repairs for buildings. oitO
Fifth—Insurance . •hai
Sixth Desks and Seatings. 4on
Seventh—Addition to building • - C.000
Eighth—Contingent expenses, sup
plies for shops, drayage. postage
and campus care . GOO
In speaking of the Edmondson-Reetor
bill for the abrogation of the Dickinson
contract. Senator Patterson strongly op
posed the proposition of allowing convicts
to act as guards over their comrades. He
dld not believe that the abrogation of the
contract would remedy this deplorable con
dltion. Tltc Senator from Woodruff de
clared that if the contract was canceled
the prisoners would be hired out to tit1'
railroads and the same conditions would
prevail. He was s.'rongly in favor of eilrn
luatlng the lease system altogether.
The Joint Committee on Public Charities
Wednesday took under consideration tit*1 ap
propriation MU for the support and main
tenance of the Arkansas Asylum for Ner
vous Diseases. Superintendent Stinson was
present before the committee and explain
ed the various items as they were taken up
Patients at this state institution have in
creased in number ahoat one-third sinci
last year. The sunt for general expense
asked for last year was $203,000. ami wi1'
tlie increase in attendance the sum t
year is $245,000. which the committee ha
deemed reasonable and will favor without
change. There are a number of other items
which were taken up and on which decision
was reserved until another meeting of the
committee, which will he held during the
week.
In tlie confusion that reigned wftlle De
vote on the Stevens prohibition bill wr
being taken Wednesday the name of Mr
Monroe was omitted from the call. Mr
Monroe voted against the bill. "1 live if
a dry county, tnd we expect it to stay
that way.” said Mr. Monroe yesterday, “but
1 vote 'my own individual sentiment on
every measure on this subject that is pre
sented. and nevw dodge an Issue. 1 voted
against the I.ee hill Tuesday and this hill
yesterday because I did not believe either
was good legislation.”
Hon. Harvie Jordan, president of the
Southern Cotton Association. addressed
hoth branches of the General Assembly
Monday afternoon at 3 o’clock. In rela
tlon to the Rector anti-speculation bill.
«
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
The bill by Senator Amis prohibiting
-»e racing in the state came as a thun
• rbolt from a dear sky, as not a Senator
knew of it until it was launched. After its
• . non mere were several members on
their feet clamoring for recognition. It
« • devmred that since the Amis law pro
hibiting gambling or the making of books
on me tracks became operative every
effort has been made by race horse men
smj bookmakers at Oaklawu to evade the
law. The fact that the gambling is said
to continue at Oaklawu aroused the ire of
Senator Amis, with the result that he pre
pared this more drastic measure. He an
pounced, in introducing the bill, that it was
only done after a conference with the act
lug governor end at bis suggestion. The
Senator asserted that the sheriff of Garland
county had discharged all ills duties: ami
had himself kept away from the track so
as uot to see any gambling, and that
restraining orders had been secured
through the courts preventing the consta
ble from taking a hand. In summing up
his argument for his bill he declared :
"There is only one way to stop the gamb
ling. and that is to stop the races.”
And Hon. W. A. Black of Sebastian Coun
ty is a believer in woman suffrage. So
on? has ever accused the gentleman of this
fact, but that makes it no less a fact, it
all came about in this wise: Thursday
diorning three proposed amendments to the
Constitution of the State were offered. One
of these was by Hon. W. A. Craven of Cal
houn County, and deals with the right of
franchise, specifying that, to be entitled to
vote an elector shall have paid his poll tax
for the year previous. The amendment
was read the second time. Mr. Black sent
up an amendment striking out the word
"male" wherever it occurred in the pro
posed amendment. To do this will gfve
all persons, who might desire to pay a
poll tax the right to vote, if the other
provisions of the act hid been complied
with, eminent counsel declare that there
is no law to prevent a woman paying poll
rax. should she so elect, and should she
present herself at the polls, so equipped,
and duly qualified, under the amended
amendment, she would have a perfect right
to cast a vote.
Abe Dreidel left the Senate Thursday
afternoon after adjournment, bringing to
i « lose his career as a law maker. He
was appointed one month ago to represent
ilip Seventeenth senatorial district, com
posed of Drew and Desha counties, filling
the vacancy caused by the death of How
ard Ilobb. Senator Dreidel was never au
aspirant for political honors, and was sur
prised when a message from Governor I.it
tl.* conveyed the news of his appointment
to him. When the special election was cr
imed Senator Dreidel refused to allow his
name to lie submitted to the people, saying
ho did not want the office. The special
•‘lection was held Saturday, a successor
was elected, and it is more than probable
that Senator Rreidel will not again an
swer the roll call as a representative of
the people of Desha and Drew.
I’nder the terms of the McCollum bill
which passed the House Monday, the treas
urer is authorized to make call deposits
in bauks and trust companies of the state
funds, not to exceed ."si per cent of the
capital stock of such institution, and to
b** deposited tinder the condition that it
tnav be withdrawn without notice. The
stockholders of every institution in which
is deposited the state funds are liable
individually, under the terms of the bill,
and as additional security, a bond for
double the sum of deposit is required
before the deposit is made. The bond
of the treasurer is exempted from cover
ing funds not in the hands of the treasur
er.
At a session of the Committee on Edu
cation of the Senate Monday Senator
Win go’s bill for the establishment of a
state normal school was favorably acted
upon and was recommended for passage.
The bill appropriates the sum of $30.
000 for the establishment and conduct of
the school for two years. The manage
ment is vested in a state board, com
posed of the superintendent of public in
struction. the state auditor, state treas
ure!- and four others to be appointed by
th<* gove. nor. TlV term of office Is four
vears and the board is given full authority
over the school and the employment of
teachers.
Realizing that It is getting behind In
tli- passage of numerous lnral measures,
the House has adopted tactics that will
soon result in evening matters between
the business of the two bodies. Monday
will lie devoted to local measures. Tuesday
will be devoted as usual to the considera
tion of Senate business, and Wednesday
again will lie given tc. local measures from
both branches. Side-tracking the general
legislation in this manner will keep down
!l,„ir eontiicts and the House will soon have
tile calendar cleared for the more import
ant measures.
One of the most imnortant measures to
be present'd before this legislative session
is a resolution bv Mr. Wells which seeks
to submit to the voters a proposed amend
ment to the constitution, providing that
Representatives and Senators shall be elect
ed for four tears, and that in the future.
t|-e legislative sessions shall be quadrennial
insit ad of biennial, except on the call of
the governor.
H-m X. O. Findall of Arkansas City
has been elected to the Senate from the
Seventeenth district, composed of Desha
and Drew counties. The election was to
ch.-ose a successor to the late Howard
Robb, who died during the second month of
the Legislature. As the term is n "hold
over" one. Mr. l'indall will also be a
member of the Senate in litOO.
X. O. l’indall, who was elected last week
to succeed the late Howard Robb i.n the
Senate from Desha County, was inducted
into office Friday. Later in the day he
announced that on next Thursday lie would
address the Senate on the life and work
of Ids deceased predecessor.
l’r-if. S A. Weltner of Nevada. Mo., de
livered an address Friday night in the hall
of tlte House of Kepresntatives to the citi
/.etis of Little Rock and members of the
General Assembly. The subject was "I’ow
-i- ,f Mind." the trend being to substantiate
the theories of suggestive therapeutics.
Walter Fat-sons, assistant chief clerk
in Hie House, received a message Saturday
autumn ring that iiis mother was very low
a:.d not expected to live through tile night.
Mr I •arsons left for his home in Jonesboro
on the night train, accompanied by Serre
iry George Trovailian of the Senate.
Speaker Hamiter entertained seven of the
eight pages of (lie House at luncheon at
Forster's Friday. They were John T. F.d
rington. Fey ton Thomas. Hugh lied man.
Manning Stone. Jeff Davis. Grady Forty
l.nd l’al Clark.
Mrs. Ida Sawyer, wife of Representa
tive Sawyer of Monroe county, died at
their country home near F.riukley Thursday
night of pneumonia.
W. L. Connavey has been appointed by
Acting Governor Moore as director of the
Red River levee district. 10 succeed himself,
he having been a member of the board for
three years.
Mr Ard lias In preparation a bill which
he savs lie will introduce at the request of
.1 lad! to prohibit the operation of roller
skating links within the borders of this
state.
Representative J. W. Seay of Greene
county who lias been seriously ill for the
past three weeks, was sufficiently recovered
to he able to he at the House Friday.
Die House did not work Saturday ac
cording 10 a motion of Mr. Killough. ' ar
id. >d just hr fere noon Friday.