Synopsis and Comments on Improvements Made Over the
Constitution of 1874.
PROHIBITION.
Art. XIX prohibits the manufacture of intoxicating liquor of any kind in
the state, and makes it unlawful to “import into, deliver, sell, own or keep
within the state” any such liquor, except wine for sacramental purposes and
alcohol for medicinal or scientific purposes. The General Assembly shall pro
vide laws for its enforcement.
This provision is sanctioned by the Prohibition forces of the
state. It has been pronounced puncture-proof. It is only propos
ing to enforce at an earlier date a law that will soon be nation
wide through the ratification of the pending amendment to the
Federal Constitution. It reads into the Constitution a principle
already in effect by statute, which long years of local option had
made operative. And yet it is no stronger than the General As
sembly makes it, for penalties and enforcement are retained to
the people in their legislative capacity. There is no reform more
thoroughly accepted throughout the nation than the legal prohibi
tion of the liquor traffic in all its forms, and even Liberalism can
not consistently insist upon a return to the days of the open saloon
and its attendant evils. Prohibition is advocated by President
Wilson as a necessary war measure.
LOCATION OF STATE INSTITUTIONS.
Art. I provides that all public educational institutions of the state here
tofore located or hereafter located within the state by lawful authority shall be
and remain as located.
This wise provision will prevent the constantly recurring
agitation about the removal of the University of Arkansas from
Fayetteville. It will make secure the location of the State Normal,
and the four agricultural schools, with a great wealth of property
interests annually increasing in extent. Being free from political
agitation, the institutions may grow and expand without being
clipped and hampered in their operations, and impaired in their
usefulness.
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MAJORITY VERDICTS.
Art. 71, Sec. 7, provides that “in civil and in misdemeanor cases, five
r sixths of the jurors may find a verdict.”
This is a wise provision that is being adopted in many
states, and will be the means of greatly expediting court proceed
ings without jeopardizing the rights of the litigants. It will make
it impossible for one or two men to cause a mistrial. The tradi
tional safeguard of a unanimous verdict is retained in felony cases
where life and liberty are at stake, but in cases of minor import
ance there can be no valid objection offered to the principle of
majority verdicts already being recognized in the progressive juris
prudence of the country.
SALARIES.
Art. XX, Sec. 10, provides: The Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor,
Treasurer, Attorney General, Commissioner of Mines, Manufactures and
Agriculture, Commissioner of State Lands and Highways, Commissioner of
Education and other State officers shall each receive a salary Which shall
not be increased nor diminished during their respective terms, nor shall any
of them receive to his own use any fees, costs, perquisites of office or other
compensation, except that the General Assembly may provide for the pay
ment of the expenses of Circuit Judges and Chancellors when holding court
at places other than in the counties in which they reside; and all fees that
may hereafter be payable by law for any service performed by any officer
mentioned in this section shall be paid in advance into the State Treasury.
Until otherwise provided by law, the annual salaries shall be as follows:
Governor, $7,500; Secretary of State, $3,600; Treasurer, $3,600; Attorney
General, $4,000; Auditor of State, $3,600; Commissioner of State Lands and
Highways, $3,600; Commissioner of Mines, Manufactures and Agriculture,
$o,6Q0; Judges of Supreme Court, each, $6,000; Judges of Circuit Courts and
Chancellors, each, $4,000; Commissioner of Education, $4,000. Art. V, Sec. 16,
places members of the General Assembly on a salary not to exceed $1,000
for a four-year term.
In spite of the popular prejudice against increase in salaries,
provisions authorizing fair living salaries for the members of the
General Assembly, the judicial and executive officers of our state
government, are among the most important reforms worked out by
the framers of the Constitution of 1918. The old saying that “The
laborer is worthy of his hire” is certainly applicable, in times like
these, to the executive, legislative, and judicial officers of Arkan
sas. The cost of living since 1874 has increased conservatively
50 per cent, and since the outbreak of the European war the cost
of the necessities of life has risen fully 35 per cent. Arkansas
needs the highest type of men to fill its responsible legislative,
executive and judicial departments, and it is universally recog
nized that annual salaries are preferable either to fees or to per
diem allowances.
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BUDGET SYSTEM.
At. XVI, See. 7, provides that on or before November 15, 1920, and
biennially thereafter, the heads of all State departments and Institutions,
except the judiciary and the Supreme Court, shall, with the Governor, com
pile a complete budget of financial requirements and expenditures. Five
days after organization, the General Assembly shall submit an itemized
statement of its financial needs to be. included in the budget. On or before
The UTHi day following The organization, the Governor "shall submit to iv
General Assembly a budget containing a complete statement of proposed ' ’
penditures and estimated revenues, also current assets, liabilities, res^, e*
surplus, or deficit. Items may be changed, but the aggregate appropriat'65'
shall not exceed the aggregate recommended by the Governor. n0 otT'
appropriations shall be made unless provision i,s made for the revenue
cover the same. **
This provision was inevitable in working out a thorough
business system of running the state government. Its adoption
will mean that the state’s business will no longer be run on a hanl
hazard plan. The revenue must be in sight to cover an approprp
ation or no appropriation will be made. The Legislature will no
longer pass appropriation bills without limitation or regard to the
ability of the treasury to meet the obligation, leaving it to the
Governor to pnune and cut down to the best of his judgment, and
the dissatisfaction of all parties concerned. The adoption of this
system, with otherwise economic measures, will enable the state
to keep on a cash basis at all times, prevent its paper from being
hawked about at a disgraceful discount, pay its employes dollar
for dollar all they earn, and maintain its credit upon a high j,iaT^
The General Assembly will enter upon its work with a clear," com
prehensive chart to guide its course and shape its appropriations,
LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS.
Art. V, Sec. 5, provides that the General Assembly shall meet on th#
first Tuesday after the second Monday in 1919, and biennially thereafter; the
session of 1921 and alternate sessions shall not exceed thirty days, and no
business shall be transacted except the consideration of general appropri
ation bills for the State government and State institutions, and the invests
gation of accounts of State officers and management and condition of StaU
institutions. The regular sessions shall not exceed sixty days.
This is in keeping with the policy of restricting legislation to
that which is essential, and eliminating protracted sessions. The
people decisively went on record for this reform in 1913, when
i they adopted by an overwhelming majority an initiated amend
ment limiting legislative sessions to sixty days. With all local
legislation prohibited, it will be found that all necessary laws can
be enacted within that time, and many thousands of dollars saved
the taxpayers of the state by this wise economy. As they will be
serving on a term salary, there will be no financial inducement for
members to prolong a session beyond the time actually necessary
to transact business of benefit to the state,
i Advertisement.
! Miss Hope Taylor, who is a
student trained nurse at St.
! Vincent’s Hospital Little Rock,
returned Saturday to resume j
her duties, after a visit to her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. John
Taylor, at Hilleman.
Coupons, bonds o f the
Fourth Liberty Loan have
been received by us and are
NOW ready for delivery. All
who subscribed to this issue
are urged to call at ONCE and
receive their bonds.
BANK OF McCRORY.
lietter Light For The Farm
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RIGGS BROS
McCrory, Ark
u
%
Plant is
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14 inches wide
21 inches high