INAUGURAL DELIVERED BY
NATION’S NEW CHIEF
EXECUTIVE.
EXTRA SESSION IS PROMISED
Congress Will Meet March 15 to Take
Up Tariff Revision—Adequate Army
and Navy Urged—Panama Canal
Heartily Approved—Southern Race
Problem and Labor Legislation
Discussed.
wasmngum, iviar. ». — r-resiaeai,
Taft, having been sworn in as chief
executive of the nation, delivered an
Inaugural address that was listened to
with great interest. In part it was as
follows:
My Fellow Citizens: Any one who
takes the oath I have just taken must
feel a heavy weight of responsibility.
If not, he has no conception of the
powers and duties of the office upon
which he is about to enter, or he is
lacking in a proper sense of the obli
gation which the oath imposes.
The office of an inaugural address
is to give a summary outline of the
main policies of the new administra
tion, so far as they can be anticipated.
I have had the honor to be one of the
advisers of my distinguished prede
cessor, and as such, to hold up his
hands in the reforms he has initiated.
I should be untrue to myself, to my
promises and to the declaration of
the party platform upon which I am
elected to office, if I did not make the
maintenance and enforcement of those
reforms a most important feature of
my administration. They were di
rected to the suppression of the law
lessness and abuses of power of the
great combinations of capital invested
Mn railroads and in industrial enter
prises carrying on interstate com
merce. The steps which my predec
sor took and the legislation passed on
■his recommendation have accom
plished much, have caused a general
halt in the vicious policies which cre
ated popular alarm, and have brought
■about in the business affected a much
higher regard for existing law.
More Legislation Needed.
To render the reforms lasting, how
ever, and to secure at the same time
freedom from alarm on the part of
those pursuing proper and progres
sive business methods, further legisla
tive and executive action are needed.
Relief of the railroads from certain re
strictions of the anti-trust law has
been urged by my predecessor and will
be urged by me. On the other hand,
the administration is pledged to legis
lation looking to a proper federal su
pervision and restriction to prevent ex
cessive issues of bonds and stocks by
companies owning and operating inter
state commerce railroads.
Then, too, a reorganization of the
department of justice, of the bureau
of corporations in the department of
commerce and labor, and of the inter
state commerce commission, looking
to effective co-operation of these
agencies, is needed to secure a more
rapid and certain enforcement of the
laws affecting interstate railroads and
industrial combinations.
1 I hope to be able to submit at the
forst regular session of the incoming
congress, in December next, definite
■suggestions in respect to the needed
Amendments to the anti-trust and the
Interstate commerce laws, and the
changes required in the executive de
partments concerned in their enforce
ment.
A matter of most pressing impor
tance is the revision of the tariff. In
accordance with the promises of the
platform upon which I was elected,
I shall call congress info extra session,
to meet on the fifteenth day of March,
in order that consideration may be at
once given to a bill revising the Ding
ley act. This should secure an ade
quate revenue and adjust the duties in
such a manner as to afford to labor
and to all industries in this country,
whether of the farm, mine or factory,
protection by tariff equal to the dif
ference between the cost of production
abroad and the cost of production
here, and have a provision which
shall put into force, upon executive
determination of certain facts, a high
er or maximum tariff against those
countries whose trade policy toward
us equitably requires such discrimi
nation. It is thought that there has
been such a change in conditions since
the enactment of the Dingley act,
drafted on a similarly protective prin
ciple, that the measure of the tariff
above stated will permit the reduction
of rates in certain schedules and will
require the advancement of few, if
any.
Money Needed for Big Projects.
The putting into force of laws which
shall secure the conservation of cur
resources, so far as they may be with
in the jurisdiction of the federal gov
ernment, including the most impor
tant work of saving and restoring our
forests, and the general improvement
of waterways, are all proper govern
ment functions which must involve
large expenditure if properly per
formed. While some of them, like tho
reclamation of arid lands, are made
to pay for thoinselvos, others are of
such an indirect benefit that this can
not be expected of them. A perma
nent improvement, like the Panama
canal, should be treated as a distinct
enterprise, and.- should be paid for by
the proceeds of bonds, the issue of
which will distribute its cost between
th* present and future generations in
accordance with the benefits derived.
It may well be submitted to the seri
ous consideration of congress whether
the deepening and control of the chan
nel of a great river system, like that
of the Ohio or of the Mississippi, when
definite and practical plans for the
enterprise have been approved and
determined upon, should not be pro
vided for in the same way.
For Army and Navy.
Then, too, there are expenditures
of government absolutely necessary if
our country is to maintain its proper
place among the nations of the world,
and is to exercise its proper influence
in defense of its own trade interests,
in the maintenance of traditional
American policy against the coloniza
tion of European monarchies in this
hemisphere, and in the promotion of
peace and international morality. I
refer to the cost of maintaining a
proper army, a proper navy and suit
able fortifications upon the mainland
of the United States and in its depend
encies.
We should have an army so organ
ized, and so officered, as to be capable
in time of emergency in co-operation
with the national militia, and under
the provisions of a proper national
volunteer law, rapidly to expand into
a force sufficient to resist all probable
invasion from abroad and to furnish
a respectable expeditionary force, if
necessary, in the maintenance of our
traditional American policy which
bears the name of President Monroe.
Our fortifications are yet in a state
of only partial completeness and the
number of' men to man them is insuffi
cient. What has been said of the army
may be affirmed in even a more em
phatic way of the navy. A modern
navy cannot be improvisesd. It must
be built and in existence when the
emergency arises which calls for its
use and operation.
Asiatic Immigration.
The admission of Asiatic immi
grants who cannot be amalgamated
with our population has been made
the subject either of prohibitory
clauses in our treaties and statutes,
or of strict administrative regulation
secured by diplomatic negotiation. I
sincerely hope that we may continue
to minimize the evils likely to arise
from such immigration without un
necessary friction and by mutual con
cessions between self-respecting gov
ernments. Meantime, we must take
every precaution to prevent, or, fail
ing that, to punish outbursts of race
feeling among onr people against for
eigners of whatever nationality who
have by our grant a treaty right to
pursue lawful business here and to be
protected against lawless assault or
injury.
This leads me to point out a serious
defect in the present federal jurisdic
tion which ought to be remedied at
once. Having assured to other coun
tries by treaty the protection of our
laws for such of their subjects or
citizens as we permit to come within
our jurisdiction, we now leave to a
state or a city, not under the control
of the federal government, a duty of
performing our international obliga
tions in this respect. By proper legis
lation we may, and ought to, place in
the hands of the federal executive the
means of enforcing the treaty rights
of such aliens in the courts of the fed
eral government. It puts our govern
ment in a pusillanimous position to
make definite engagements to protect
aliens and then to excuse the failure
to perform those engagemnts by an
explanation that the duty to keep
them is in states or cities, not within
our control.
One of the reforms to be carried
out during the incoming administra
tion is a change of our monetary and
banking laws, so as to secure greater
elasticity in the forms of currency
available for trade, and to prevent the
limitations of law from operating to
increase the embarrassments of a
financial panic. The monetary com
mission lately appointed is giving full
consideration to existing conditions
and to all proposed remedies, and will
doubtless suggest one that will meet
the requirements of business and of
public interest. We may hope that
the report will embody neither the nar
row view of those who believe that the
sole purpose of the new system should
be to secure a large return on bank
ing capital or of those who would
have greater expansion of currency
with little regard to provisions for its
immediate redemption or ultimate se
curity. There is no subject of eco
nomic discussion so intricate and so
likely to evoke different views and
dogmatic statements as this one. The
commission in studying the general in
fluence of currency on business and
of business on currency, have wisely
extended tteir investigation in Euro
pean banking and monetary methods.
The incoming congress should
promptly fulfill the promise of the Re
publican platform and pass a proper
postal savings bank bill. It will not
be unwise or excessive paternalism.
The promise to repay by the govern
ment will furnish an inducement to
savings deposits which private enter
prise cannot supply, and at such a low
rate of interest as not to withdraw
custom from existing banks. It will
substantially increase the funds avail
able for investment as capital in use
ful enterprises. It will furnish the
absolute security which makes the
proposed scheme «f government guar
anty of deposits so alluring without
its pernicious results.
Panama Canal All Right.
The Panama canal will have a most
important bearing upon the trade be
tween the eastern and the far western
sections of our country, and will great
ly increase the facilities for transpor
tation between the eastern and west
ern seaboard, and may possibly revo
lutionize the transcontinental rates
with respect to bulky merchandise. It
will also have a most beneficial effect
* T
to Increase the trade between the east
ern seaboard of the United States and
the western coast of South America,
and, indeed, with some of the im
portant ports on the east coast of
South America reached by rail from
the west coast. The work on the
canal is making most satisfactory
progress. The type of the canal as a
lock canal was fixed by congress after
a full consideration of the conflicting
reports of the majority and minority
of the consulting board, and after the
recommendation of the war depart
ment and the executive upon those
reports. Recent suggestion that some
thing had occurred on the isthmus to
make the lock type of the canal less
feasible than it was supposed to be
when the reports were made and the
policy determined on, led to a visit to
the isthmus of a board of competent
enginers to examine the Gatun dam
and locks which are the key of the
lock type. The report of that board
shows that nothing has occurred in
the nature of newly revealed evi
dence which should change the views
once formed in the original discussion.
The construction will go on under a
most effective organization controlled
by Col. Goethals and his fellow army
engineers associated with him, and
will certainly be completed early in
the next administration, if not before.
South and the Negroes.
T lnnb- f r\i-n»n t-A uri tli iimnonn
ing the already good feeling between
the south and the other sections of
the country. My chief purpose is not
to effect a change in the electoral vote
of the southern states. That is a sec
ondary consideration. What I look for
ward to is an increase in the tolerance
of political viewsof all kinds and their
advocacy throughout the south, and
the existence of a respectable political
opposition in every state; even more
than this, to an increased feeling on
the part of all the people in the south
that this government is their govern
ment, and that its office* in their
states are their officers.
The consideration of this question
cannot, however, be complete and full
without reference to the negro race,
its progress and its present condition.
The 13th amendment secured them
freedom; the 14th amendment due
process of law, protection of property
and the pursuit of happiness; and the
15th amendment attempted to secure
the negro against any deprivation of
the privilege to vote, because he was
a negro. The 13th and 14th amend
ments have been generally enforced
and have secured the objects for
which they were intended. While the
loth amendment has not been gener
ally observed in the past it ought to
be observed, and the tendency of
southern legislation to-day is toward
the enactment of electoral qualifica
tions which shall square with that
amendment.
Laws for Labor's Benefit.
There is one other matter to which
I shall refer. It was made the subject
of great controversy during the elec
tion and calls for at least a passing
reference now. My distinguished prede
cessor has given much attention to the
cause of labor, with whose struggle
for better things he has shown the sin
cerest sympathy. At his instance, con
gress has passed the bill fixing the lia
bility of interstate carriers to their
employes for injury sustained in the
course of employment, abolishing the
rule of fellow-servant and the common
law rule as to contributory negligence.
It has also passed a law fixing the
compensation of government employes
for injuries sustained in the employ
of the government through the negli
gence of the superior. It also passed
a model child labor law for the Dis
trict of Columbia. In previous admin
istrations an arbitrary law for inter
state commerce railroads and their
employes, and laws for the application
of safety devices to save the lives and
limbs or employes of interstate rail
roads had been passed. Additional
legislation of this kind was passed by
IUC UULB,WiHg ^uugicoo.
I wish to say that in so far as I
can, I hope to promote the enactment
of further legislation of this charac
ter, I am strongly convinced that the
government should make itself as re
sponsible to employes injured in its
employ as an interstate railway cor
poration is made responsible by fed
eral law to its employes.
Injunctions in Labor Disputes.
Another labor question has arisen
which has awakened the most excited
discussion. That is in respect to the
power of the federal courts to issue in
junctions in industrial disputes. As
to that, my convictions are fixed. Take
away from the courts, if it could be
taken away, the power to issue in
Junctions in labor disputes, and it
would create a privileged class among
the laborers and save the lawless
among their number from a most need
ful remedy available to all men for
the protection of their business against
lawless invasion. The proposition
that business is not a property or pe
cuniary right which can be protected
by equitable injunction is utterly
without foundation in precedent or
reason. The proposition is usually
linked with one to make the second
ary boycott lawful. Such a proposl
tion is at variance with the American
instinct and will find no support in
my judgment when submitted to the
American people. The secondary boy
cott is an instrument of tyranny, and
ought not to be made legitimate.
The issuing of a temporary restrain
ing order without notice has in sev
eral instances been abused by its in
considerate exercise, and to remedy
this, the platform upon which I was
elected recommends the formulation in
a statute of the conditions under
which such a temporary restraining
order ought to issue. A statute can
and ought to be framed to embody the
best modern practice, and can bring
the subject so closely to the atten
tion of the court as to make abuses ol
the process unlikely In the futur*
Would Revise Assessing System.
Mr. Brawner introduced an impor
tant measure, being the bill provid
ing for a revision of the state asses
sing system. The bill is known as
the “Assessors’ Bill,” having been cor
dially endorsed by the State Asses
sors' Association.
There was a lively round over the
pistol carrying bill by Senator Rob
ertson. The bill is designed to pro
hibit the carrying of any concealed
weapons, but members of the House,
including the speaker, were of the
opinion that the bill is little better
than the present law, unless amend
ed so as to place the burden of proof
upon the defendant, where he is
charged with carrying a pistol and
seeks to evade conviction by show
ing that the said weapon is such as
is used in the army and navy. The
bill was finally placed back on its
second reading for amendment.
The bill authorizing Jefferson coun
ty to lease right of way for foot and
vehicle traffic over a bridge to be
located near Pine Bluff was unani
mously passed. There was a large
contingent of Jefferson county and
Pine Bluff citizens in this city urg
ing the passage of the bill. Mr. Mil
ler, who has been ill for some time
from mumps, came to the capitol also
to speak in behalf of the bill, al
though hardly able to travel. It is
believed the passage of the bill will
mean much to the city of Pine Bluff
and the county at large as there is
much assurance that with this right
of way privilege granted the Rock
Island railway will eventually con
struct a bridge over the Arkansas riv
er near Pine Bluff on its proposed
extension south from the main line
near Lonoke.
Fifth Capitol Bill Introduced.
The surprise of the day in the Sen
ate came in the introduction of an
other State Capitol bill by Senator
DeRositt, which provides for de
molishing both the old and new state
houses, the sale of the 63 acres of
state property at the new Capitol site
and the remodeling and reconstruc
tion of the old Capitol on the present
site of West Markham street. The
bill is unique in its provisions, and
Senator DeRositt, the author, and
others believe it will be the logical
solution of the State Capitol problem.
Tt will, if passed, give the people ot
Arkansas a new State Capitol on
the site of the old Capitol and pro
vides for using the material in both
buildings in the construction of the
new. It also provides for the work
ing of 300 convicts on the work and
carries an appropriation of $750,000.
The bill was introduced in the
Senate about 11:30 and Senator De
Rositt, after its first reading, asked
that the rules be suspended and the
bill read a second time, which mo
tion was adopted and the bill was
then referred to the State Capitol
committee.
When asked if he intended to with
draw Senate Bill No. 156 Senator De
Rositt replied that he did not intend
to do so at this time.
In addition to the introduction of
the new State Capitol bill the Senate
passed Senator Henderson’s bill, No.
13, increasing the powers of the rail
way commission, and also Senator
Rush’s bill, No. 200, for compulsory
education in Arkansas.
Only one item of business aside
from this was transacted. Two ot
the Senate pages are on the sick list j
and a resolution was presented for
the appointment of a temporary page
to serve until their return. The reso
lution was opposed unless the sick
pages were stricken from the pay roll
during the time the temporary nage
was serving. On roll call the resolu
tion was adopted by a vote of 14 to 13.
Gans Bill Passes House.
The Gann bill, providing for statu
tory state-wide prohibition, passed the
House Monday afternoon by a vote
of 53 to 27. The bill passed about
3:20 o’clock, and its passage was fol
lowed by a demonstration lasting sev
eral minutes. So great was the dem
onstration and general confusion
which followed that the House aban
doned an attempt to continue fur
ther business and adjourned until
Tuesday morning.
The passage of the oil! followed
three days of the hardest fighting
the legislature has seen this session.
It also followed the re.iectfon of ‘.he
Simpson substitute bill providing tor
submission of the question of state
wide prohibition to the people at a
special election, which was turned
down by a vote of 44 to 35 at the
close of the morning session.
The last day of the prohi j tion
fight in the House was witnessed by
as many spectators as could crowd
into the House chamber. Ever'- inch,
almost, of available floor space on
the floor of the House, in the lobby
and in the gallery, was filled. A
hundred or more women were on the
floor of the House, seated among the
representatives. General applause
and cheering for several minutes fol
lowed the announcement of the vote
on the Gann measure, and women and
men prominently connected with the
prohibition movement in Arkansas
circulated among the representatives
on the floor and congratulated them
on the victory.
A tier more than two hours of hot.
debate, the House voted to reject the
Simpson substitute bill, providing for
a submission of the question of state
wide prohibition to the people at a
special electiou in July, the vote on
rejection being 44 to 35. Immediately
following this, the motion to recon
sider that vote and lay on the table
was made by Mr. Thompson of In
dependence, resulting in a vote of 49
to 29 in favor of tabling further con
sideration o* the substitute. This
brings the House up to the considera
tion of the adoption of the Gann bill,
providing for statutory state-wide
orohlbition.
IN THE HOUSE.
Bills Passed.
Senate Bill No. 191 (Toney';, to pro
vide a board of commissioners to build
a bridge for highway purposes a croc, s
the Arkansas river at a point at or
near Pine Bluy. Explained by Mr
.Miller. Vote, 73 to 0.
Senate Bill No. 208 (Logan), to vali
date the ordinance of the city council
of Mena granting a franchise to H
W. Cardwell. Vote, 64 to 1.
Senate Bill No. 122 (Holland)
amending section 3905 of Kirby’s Di
gest. so that the word “time” is strick
en from the provision that "the time
wages of all balorers and mechanics”
shall under certain conditions be ex
empt from legal process. Mr. Hogan
and Mr. Rowe explained the measure.
Vote, 67 to 2.
House Bill No. 102 (Holt of Hemp
stead), providing that shares of 6tock
in any joint corporation may not be
less than $5 instead of $25 each. Vote,
59 to 8.
House Bill No. (Estes), making
the certificates of a United States
collector of internal revenue sufficient
evidence of violation of anti-liquor
laws in liquor cases. Vote, 75 to 1.
Bills Introduced.
House Bill No. 238 (Rowe), prohib
iting the making or publishing of false
statements concerning the stock oi
any company, directed at statements,
concerning "watered” stock, and pro
viding a fine of $1,000 and from one
to five years in the penitentiary for
violation. Read twice and referred to
judiciary committee.
House Bill No. 239 (Ard), prohibit
ing the manufacture of coca cola or
celery cola in Arkansas, and making
it a misdemeanor, punishable by a
fine of from $25 to $100, for any viola
tion.
House Bill No. 243 (Granger),
amending section 7087 of Kirby’s Di
gest so that all lands sold at tax sales
shall be purchased by collectors for
the state.
House Bill No. 244 (Hamilton ol
Ouachita), amending section 1609 and
repealing section 1610 of Kirby’s Di
gest, relating to the carrying of con
cealed weapons.
House Bill No. 250 (Hurst), amend
ing the act prohibting the sale ol
liquor within five miles of the Univer
sity of Arkansas so that any person
who buys for himself or anyone else,
or who is in any way interested in the
purchase or illegal traffic of liquor un
der the provisions of this act, shall be
punished and held guilty as others.
Read twice.
House Bill No. 251 (Johnson, by re
quest), appointing T. M. Neale of Rus
sellville as state capitol commissioner
to take the place of the late commis
sicner, W. B. Alexander of Pine Bluff;
making t he governor an ex-officic
member of the commission; discharg
ing George R. Mann as architect ot
the new capitol; authbrizing the com
mission to employ a new architect
and appropriating $500,000 to be used
in the completion of the capitol. Read
twice and referred to state capito
committee.
IN THE SENATE.
Bills Passed.
Senate Bill No. 97 (Fletcher), tc
provide an appropriation of $21,00(
for the printing of Supreme Court re
ports.
Senate Bill No. 191 (Toney), to pro
vide for a commission to build i
bridge across the Arkansas river ai
Pine Bluff. Vote, 28 to 0.
Senate Bill No. 78 (Holland), tc
provide that railroads shall not charge
more than $3 per car for switching oi
transferring coal cars when the yarc
limits do not exceed two and a hal
miles. Vote, 25 to 1.
House Bill No. 48 (Roundtree), re
quiring county and probate clerks tc
furnish bonds from $2,000 to $10,000
Vote, 24 to 0.
House Bill No. 71 (Glover), amend
ing section 1080 of Kirby’s Digest sc
that a person who leases convict!
must maintain an agent in the count>
from which the convicts are leased
upon whom service may be had. Vote
27 to 1.
House Bill No. 171 (Jackson), re
quiring the Arkansas Midland Railwai
Company to operate a train each wai
daily between Clarendon and Helena
Vote, 21 to 9.
House Bill No. 96 (Thompson o
Greene), to authorzie county court t(
maintain an office for county survey
ors and buy surveyors’ instruments
Vote, 24 to 6.
DIMS I MU UUUvVUi
Senate Bill No. 190 (Logan), to com
plete the state capitol; provides ai
appropriation of $250,000; discharge:
all but the present commissioners, ant
provides for an arbitration board ti
settle any dispute between the stab
and the contractors. Read twice ant
placed on calendar.
\ Senate Bill No. 215 (Hamiter), b
provide for the consolidation o
church schools in the state under th
same denomination. Referred to jud
ciary committee.
Senate Bill No. 209 (Henderson), b
ametid section 5424 of Kirby’s Diges
so that any incorporated town ma;
be declared a city of the second clas
on any official census that shows it t
have a population of 2,000. Placed oi
calendar.
Senate Bill No. 232 (Watson), b
regulate the running of automobile
in Arkansas. Owners must pay a li
cense of $3 to the state annually an
register a description of the.v ms
chines with the secretary of statt
Read once and placed on the calendat
Senate Bill No. 228 (White), to at
propriate $4,500 for the use of th
State Reform School from Decembe
1, 1908, to March 15, 1909, Read twic
and placed on calendar.
Senate Bill No. 219 (McKenzie), t
provide for the survey of the soils c
Arkansas and also to provide way
and means to prevent depletion c
soils.
; House Bill No. 248 (Harris), amem
! ing section 1 of Act 183 (1905) s
j that the time for adverse possessio
j of sixteenth section lands is extende
I from seven to ten years. Read twic
i and referred to state lands committee
Legislative Gossip
When the House passed the state
wide prohibition bill there was a rush
of women from the galleries of the
House to the galleries of the Senate
It seemed to be the general impres
sion the bill would be transmitted to
the Senate on the spot and that the
Senate would at once take up the
question of the passage or the bill.
Orto Finley, representative from
Lawrence county in the House in 190r»
and 1907 and assistant journal clerk
of the House in 1903, defeated as
candidate for journal clerk at this
session, is now located at Lewisville,
where he has a position as secretary
and assistant to Allen H. Hamiter,
speaker of the House two years ago.
His family has moved to Lewisville!
Representative DuLaney of Little
River received a telegram to the ef
fect that the firm of Perkins-DuLa
ney, in which he is a partner, had sold
12,000,000 feet of hardwood lumber
near Ogden. Mr. DuLaney is one of
the most prominent lumber specula
tors and dealers in his part of the
state. He is now prominently asso
ciated with the new Arkansas Invest
ment Company, which is being organ
ized.
All communications addressed io
Governor Ilonaghey can not be an
swered with satisfactory results for
the writers, especially such letters as
one received this week in which the
applicant, asks the governor to sup
ply him with a rod which will locate
lost treasure and minerals. Governor
Donaghey has answered the letter,
saying the state has run out of such
instruments and he can not supply
them.
A resolution introduced by Senator
Wingo has been adopted in the Senate
authorizing the finance committee to
call for books, papers, examine wit
nesses under oath, etc., for the pur
pose of getting to the bottom of the
tax revenue proposition of the state.
The committee wants to be able to
draft a bill at this session that will
increase the revenue of the state with
out increasing the tax levy.
“There was one feature of the pro
hibition fight that certainly did nor.
appeal to me,” declared a member of
the House, “and that was the occa
sional hissing of guests on the floor
of the House. Hissing, to me, is the
one unpardonable sin at any and all
times, no matter who the speaker be
or what his subject, but it was cer
tainly surprising to see and hear
hiss. Similar expressions were heard
from other members.
me extension ot me session tor b«
days is now one of the principal sub
jects of discussion in the Senate. It
is believe dthe Senate will concur
with the House to extend the session
as there is not time enough left ft
action on the state capitol and pro
hibition questions. Several senators
who had expected to request leave of
absence remained over until this mai
ter is settled since it will require 23
votes to carry the matter.
One of the amusements of the mem
bers of the House after business hours
is the game of checkers, which is
played every night in the northeast
corner of the House chamber. From
10 to 15 lovers of the game of check
ers gather there after supper each
night and either play or watch some
spirited contest over the checker
board. Several members already have
reputations as being "shants” at the
game.
Senator Glover succeeded in having
Senate Bill No. 119. to create the
Woodson levee distrist passed. The
bill was opposed before the roll call
by Senator Toney of Jefferson. Sena
tor Glover, in defense of his bill, said
it was “monumental cheek” for the
senator from Jefferson to oppose a
levee bill. On roll call Senator Toney
voted for the bill. The bill affects
the building of a levee in Perkins
township, Saline county, which is
about 15 miles below Little Rock
on the Arkansas river.
The statement "In concluding” has
become a byword and joke in the
House. Since the fight started over
i
the prohibition measures pending be
fore the House some of the members
who have been fighting the Gann bill
have made some lengthy speeches, one
lasting one hour and 55 minutes, and
another two hours and 30 minutes.
Several of the anti-Gann members
who were speaking against time
cheered the hearts of their opponents
shortly after they started to speak
by the phrase, "In concluding,” but
the “conclusion” was always slow in
arriving. “In concluding,” stated Mr.
Martin of Yell at 7 o’clock Saturday
night, and two hours later he was
still on the floor.
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Major J. C. Minor or Hot Springs*
major surgeon of the Arkansas Na
tional Guard and president of (he
Arkansas National Guard, is another
of the prominent members of the
guard who believes that the offices of
adjutant general of the state militia
and private secretary to the governor
should be separated. “I believe, tor
th'e next two years at least, we should
have a capable teacher at our head
as adjutant general—say some retired
army officer like Jackson of the Arka
delphia school. We have good men
in the guard association who are ca
pable all right, but none who can af
ford to devote his entire time to the
work at so small a salary as our state
can afford to pay.”
The second name of the speaker of
the House, "Epps,” is an uncommon
name, but that there should be an
other person besides the speaker who
not only possesses the name EPPb>
but Brown as well, makes the coinci
dence the more remarkable. Dispatch
es under recent date show' that J
Epps Brown of Atlanta has been
elected vice president of the Southern
Bell Telephone Company, lie is also
general manager of the same com
pany. He came from South Carolina'
where the forefathers of Speaker
Brown also came from, and it is P’0®'
able that the tw'o are related.