VOL. VI.
McCRORY, ARKANSAS, THURSDAY, MAY 9, ]907.
ISO. 25.
ARKANSAS
forATE NEWS<f
Principal Resigns.
Isaac Fisher, for five years princi
nal of the Branch Normal School, the
s,ate industrial school for colored
neonie at Pine Bluff, tendered his res
ignation to Trustee John F! Ruther
ford. In his letter to Mr. Rutherford
Fisher gives many reasons for hi» ac
tion. He declares that continual war
against him on the part of the teach
ers of the college, over whom he ts
o-jyen no control by the Board of Trus
tees of the state university, and others
who have "axes to grind” and desire
his place, is the principal reason for
his stepping down and out. The trus
tees of the university will be called
on to act on his resignation at their
annual meeting at Fayetteville in
June, when the members of the fac
ulty at the Branch Normal School are
to be selected for the ensuing year.
Too Quick for Him.
Deputy Sheriff Ed Monroe shot and
instantly killed Henry Hannon in a
skiff at Lamberthville, on Old river,
Crittenden county. Monroe went to
Lamberthville to serve a warrant on
Hannon for illicit retailing of liquor,
the latter having been indicted for
this offense. Accompanied by George
Thrasher, the officer went aboard
Hannon’s shanty boat and searched
for the owner, who, anticipating the
visit, had gone out the back door
and entered his skiff. He was in the
act of pulling off when Monroe told
him to consider himself under arrest.
Scarcely had the words left his rtiouth
when Hannon raised his rifle from
his lap. Monroe, according to the
story, was too quick for him and fired
three shots, killing him.
Plead Guilty.
Cleverly (rapped by means of mark
ed bank notes, 1. N. Hargis pleaded
guilty and was fined $200 in Circuit
Court of Hot Springs to a charge of
attempted blackmail. Dr. E. M. Orr
was his intended victim. Hargis
sought to compel Dr. Orr to give him
$40, threatening to expose alleged vio
lation of the drumming raw on the
part of Orr. The latter acceded to
Hargis’ request, telling him to call a
few hours later. When Hargis had
received the $ to he was confronted
with the sheriff, nnd the marked mon
ey was taken from his person in the
presence of witnesses. Hargis is still
in jail, and will also be held on ^ fed
eral warrant charging him with im
personating an officer.
Killed Himself.
Contrary to the report that Thad
Slayton, aged 11, accidentally shot
and killed Lone Duke, aged 14. at
Lodkesburg, it is now understood that
nuke accidentally shot himself, and
Slayton is entirely exonerated. Full
investigation shows that the two boys
"ere at target practice with a 22-cali
bre pistol, that the pistol failed to
work properly when Lone Duke at
tempted to adjust it. He accidentally
lot the hammer slip, the pistol was
discharged and the bullet entered his
•"■east, killing him instantly.
A Big Shoe Factory.
Ihe Good bar Shoe Company of
Memphis, Tenn., has leased from Na
poleon Hill the cotton mill building
and water power plant at Mammoth
' pring and will start the work of re
modeling the building at once. The
company hopes to have the machinery
'nstalled and the shoe factory in oper
ation by July i. About one hundred
and fifty workmen, besides eight fore
mt,D> will be employed.
Negro Shot.
M. Dodson, a grading co
of on the Memphis. Paris and
abroad, sh(H one of his negro
„ The "egro had shot two
ogroes and Dodson told him hi
lng t0 take him to jail The
oved Dodson and ran. Dodson
o him. the bal] lodging iu tl
?fos bowels. The wound is se
* Perhaps not fatal.
Died of Old Age.
of^RS • P<llly Reynolds, aged 96, wil
0], *'Vl JanieS H. Reynolds and th
di(.,|b "oman in Faulkner count;
]a u od aSe at her home in En<
Break Ground for School.
turru!) spa(U'tul of earth has 1
000 hLh°r t,he eo,indatlon of the $
Connell S,Ch°ul buil,ling by Presii
Board Th 'l6 flHbt Spri"Ss Sc
tie onr. le bui|ding is expectei
m 'comPjeted by May, 1908. T
builders. laik °f Little Rock are
„ Arm Hurt.
at a sav^i?u!S’ a youug man emplc
one 0?h near Cherfy Valley,
tiein-r Ia arn,s seriously injured
Was tak, S t In tbe machinery.
: taKen t0 a hospital for treatm
Overstepped His Authority.
| County Judge James Gould of JefTer
I £>on county received a letter from Miss
Jewel Pipkin, a young lady school
j teacher at Noble Lake, in which she
I informed him that R. S. Gibbons, a
; negro school director of that district,
had instructed her to close her white
j school at that place, because, he said,
I there were not sufficient funds in the
treasury of the district to pay the
warrants for operating the school. The
three negro schools, however, of that
district are to continue. Judge Gould
promptly sent a letter to the negro
director in which he says Miss Pip
kin has a contract to continue her
school for a nine months’ term under
a contract made by Floyd Jarvis, the
white school director of the district.
He informs the negro that he overstep
ped his authority in writing Miss Pip
kin and that he was to look after the
negro schools and keep his fingers out
of the white school affairs in that dis
trict. It is believed that the recent
efforts on the part of the legislators
to pass the segregation bill prompted
Gibbons to issue such an order to the
pretty young teacher of the Nohle
Lake school.
Jewels Were Returned.
Recently the apartments of Capt.
and Mrs. John B. King at the Balti
more hotel, Texarkana, were entered
by a sneak thief, who stole about $2,
500 worth of diamonds belonging to
Mrs. King. The theft was reported to
Chief of Police J. ,T. Towery, who, with
the assistants, set to work immediate
ly on the case. They struck a hot
clue and worked it vigorously. A
woman and a boy who were stopping
at the hotel were both “sweated.”
On awakening the next morning, Mrs.
King found her jewels on the floor just
inside her door. They had evidently
been dropped over the transom during
the night. It is believed the thief or
thieves became uneasy, feeling sure
the officers had them treed, and con
cluded that the easiest way out of the
trouble was to restore the stolen
goods.
Rice Mill for Stuttgart.
The business men of Suttgart esti
mate that 15,000 acres of land on
Grand Prairie will be sown in rice
this year, and that the greatest need
in Stuttgart now is the building of an
elevator in connection with the rice
mill soon to be erected there. The
mill will have a capacity of 500 bar
rels or 2,000 bushels per day and
should the rice come in too rapidly
for the mill to handle it could be stored
in the elevator. It is the intention of
those interested to build an elevator
with a capacity of 100,000 bushels se
as to give the mill a 50-dav supply af
ter the regular run has been made
during the threshing season.
Mysteriously Assassinated.
John Hays, a negro about 45 years
old, was mysteriously assassinated
while walking alone along a country
road near the Nichol place, in Jeffer
ton county, where he was employed
Hays was shot through the head and
died a few minutes after receiving the
fatal wound. He never regained con
sciousness and there is no clue to the
murderer. As far as it known, Hays
, had no enemies. He recently went tc
j work on the Nichol place.
Girl Kills Herself.
Miss Lena Powers, daughter of E
j L. Powers of Siloam Springs, commit
ted suicide by swallowing a quantity
of aconite. She took the poison about
I 2 o’clock in the afternoon and at 3
o’clock was dead. Recently she went
to .a drug store and purchased foui
ounces of the drug that caused her
death. She told the druggist she
wanted it for a horse. She was IS
years of age. Her mother has been
dead for several years.
Destroyed By Fire.
A frame building on the east side of
I the public square at Mena, known
' as the Ganaway building, was recently
destroyed by Are. One portion of the
building was occupied by Reynolds &
! Son, grocers. Their loss on stock was
about $1,500 and was insured for $800
The other portion was occupied by Fay
Van as a restaurant. The origin of the
tire is unknown. The building was in
sured for $400.
Will Erect New School Building.
The citizens of Houston have organ
i ized a stock company for the purpose
of erecting a public school building.
Much of the stock has been subscrib
ed, and it is believed that work on the
building will soon be commenced.
Almost a Centenarian.
Mrs. Estes, who lives near Yellville.
is now in her 100th year, having been
born March 7, 1808. She has lived in
Marion county since 1849. She is the
maternal ancestor of more than 300
children, grandchildren and great
great grandchildren.
Many Rats Killed.
Eldridge Taylor of Saratoga, while
cleaning out his corn crib and moving
the contents to another building, killed
275 rats and a zinc tub full of mice.
Forty bushels of corn had been de
stroyed by the pests.
Two Bad Negroes Killed.
Walter Harris, a policeman on the
Arkansas side at Texarkana, shot and
instantly killed Harrison Roberts and
Ransom Stillman, both negroes. Rob
erts was a desperate character and
had killed two men during his career
He was wanted on an old charge, and
the officer had been carrying a war
rant for him since last August. Po
liceman Harris located him and went
to arrest him. The negro drew a
long knife and fiercely assaulted Har
ris cutting his clothing and barely
missing his neck and heart with mur
derous lunges with the blade. The
front of the officer’s coat was cut for
fully twelve inches, and his life was
saved by a package of papers which
prevented the knife from entering the
body. Harris finally drew his pistol
and shot the negro dead. Stillman
then advanced on the officer cursing
and with his hand in his hip pocket
when the latter shot him also, the bul
let entering the brain. The coroner's
jury, after hearing the evidence in
the case, returned a verdict of justifi
able homicide.
John H. Henderson Acquitted.
The jury in the case of John H.
Henderson on trial at Batesville for
murder in the second degree, returned
a verdict of acquittal. Henderson,
a peaceable citizen of Oil Trough,
during last December had an alterca
tion concerning some corn with Col.
J. C. Yancey, prominent lawyer and
stock raiser, and in the quarrel drew
his revolver and shot Col. Yancey
in the heel. Blood poisoning finally
set in and after lingering several
months Col. Yancy died from the ef
fects of his wound. The case has ex
! cited considerable interest in Bates
! ville and has been the most import
ant case tried at this term of court.
consideration une uouar.
The General Bauxite Company, a
Delaware corporation, has sold its
mineral holdings in Saline and Pulas
ki counties, Ark., to the Aluminum
Company of America, which is a Penn
sylvania corporation. The considera
tion was one dollar. The deed has
been recorded in Saline and Pulaski
counties. By the deed about 120 differ
ent tracts are disposed of in Saline
county. About 800 acres of mineral
land in Pulaski county are transferred
to the new company. The recordiug
fee will amount to $10, or ten times
the nominal consideration named in
the deed. The lands conveyed are es
timated to be worth millions.
Whole Family Poisoned.
Two of the children of Charley Ab
bott, residing near Gordon, are dead
as the result of the poisoning of the
whole family recently. It is not yet
known whether canned goods eaten by
the family contained ptomaine poison
or whether in some wild greens, gath
ered in the woods for the table, a
poisonous weed was accidentally in
cluded. Mrs. Abbott and two of the
other children are still in a very pre
carious condition, with the chances
against their recovery. Mr. Abbott's
condition is less serious and he will
recover.
Cotton to Be Replanted.
Special investigation in Pope, Con
way and Faulkner counties shows that
much of the cotton seed sown during
the first or second weeks of April has
rotted in the ground and will have
to be replanted. Corn seems to be
doing fully as well as could be expect
ed. All the fruits, both small and
large, promise an average yield. Farm
ers are generally up with their work,
and some are even resting on theii
oars drifting into spring.
Cotton Mill for Jonesboro.
At the meeting of • the Jonesboro
Business Men’s Club a factory proposi
tion was submitted to put in a cotton
mill at the cost of $250,000, of which
local capitalists were asked to take
$150,000. The proposition was sent to
the club by the Frisco Railroad, with
the statement that if the club thought
favorably of the proposition a man
would be sent to the city at once to j
talk the matter up with the business
men.
Old Time Hotel Man Dead.
R. E. Renner, for the past 22 years
a resident of Springdale, died recently
of heart trouble. Mr. Renner was 61
years of age and had been in the ho
tel business for the past 18 years. He
was an energetic and enterprising citi
zen and a success as a hotel man. and
had the good will of the entire com
munity in which he resided.
Cut Mule's Throat.
Recently a thief cut the throat of a
mule belonging to W. Owen, a farm
er living four miles west of Arka
delphia, to keep the mule from mak
ing a noise and causing the thief to
be discovered while he was stealing a
horse from the lot. The horse was
tracked about a mile but was not re
covered.
Church Built of Stone.
The new Methodist church at Ozark
will bo constructed of stone at a cost
f $15,000. The stone will be taken
.rom a quarry two miles east of Ozark.
Legislative
Proceedings
THE SENATE.
For the second lime during the session
the Senate convened Saturday morning at
k :60. The reading of t lie journal was
dispensed with and Senator Nance was
tailed to the chair.
In accordance wth the request of the
Arkansas State Association of Bankers,
Senator Goodwin introduced a bill to so
cure the negotiable paper law in this
state. Thirty-live states now have the
law. Tlie bill introduced by tV Senator
from Bradley is a copy of the New York
la w.
The university deficiency bill, amended
so as to be noneflectlve until November
1. 1007, was passed in the Senate Satur
day morning as amended in the House.
The Yopp commercial fertilizer bill was
passed. A bill was Introduced by Senator
Lee prohibiting the importation of cotton
seed that has been exposed to the boll
weevil.
The appropration 1)11 Is are to be hurried
along during the week to open the way for
the capital bill and report.
Two measures by Senator Wlngo were
passed. The first one fixes the passenger
fare on mixed trains over 15 miles at 2
cents. The other bill by the Senator from
Sevier amends the foreign corporations
act and fixes the penalties so that they
cannot he misunderstood.
The reading of the journal was dis
pensed with Monday morning and Senator
Rowland was called to the chair.
Lnder the head of special orders the
university deficiency bill, carrying
000 as amended by tlie House, was taken
up The amendment merely provides that
the measure shall not go into effect until
November 1 next, the purpose being to
prevent a deficiency in the treasury at
the present time. The bill as amended
was passed with only a few . dissenting
votes.
At tiiix juncture ox-Senator James Ber
ry entered the Senate chamber. All of
the members applauded the distinguished |
statesman, and on motion of Senator Sims
granted the privileges of the floor by a
unanimous vote. Senator Berry thanked
the members of the Fpper House for the
privilege that had been accorded lilm and
congratulated the? members of the Legisla
ture on having passed through the session ,
without the least suspicion of corruption 1
or crime directed toward them. He declared
that the Thirty-sixth General Assembly
was a credit to the state, and he was i
proud of the labors that the members had
performed in behalf of the people of the
state.
On motion of Senator TTrfmlter a recess
of ten minute; was taken in order t.» give
the members of the Senate an opportunity
to meet ex-Senator Berry.
The reading of the journal was dispensed
with Tuesday morning and Senator Simms
was called to the chair.
The Senate Tuesday afternoon killed the
Abercrombie bill providing for the work
ing of convicts on the public roads of the
state and with the death of this measure
legislation on this subject at the present
session of the Legislature is practically at
an end. Four bills along tlie same line have
tv* mi killed in the past four months. There
is still one more pending, the BeUossitt
Montgomery bill, that was a combination of
all convict road bills that hail died. This
measure is in the House and as it has
never been read there is but little probabil
ity that it will ever get n< far as a roll
The Abercrombie bill was killed by a
•rote of 1-'. to 12.
The Barker bill, providing for the reg
ulation of magnetic healing in the state,
narrowly escaped being tabled. An amend
ment to the measure making it apply to
Brew county exclusively was referred with i
the measure to the Gommittee on Public
Health.
The KiHough bill, providing that the bn
acres surrounding the new state house
shall never be sold, was passed Tuesday
afternoon with six dissenting votes. The
supporters of the bill were for the most part
isi favor of selling the laud in a few years
when tlie values increased ami as to the
f.'attires of the hill that provides that the :
land shall never ho sold it was generally
conceded that the Legislature had no au
thorily to make such a provision.
Senator Plndall presided over the de- j
liberations of the Senate Wednesday morn- i
mg. The loading of the journal was di>
pensed with and tin* work began at once on
the special ord$rs.
The Senate Wednesday afternoon killed
the C'leml-Ooortwin anti-gambling tiill by one
vole. The measnre is n copy of the fa
mous Wilson anti-gambling bill that was
doctored and rendered invalid six years ago
afte it had passed both Houses. The bill
considered Wednesday provides heavy pen
alties in cases where officers of the law fail
to prosecute gamblers tn cases where the
inti actions of the law have been brought
to their notice. The general opinion of the
Senate was that the penalties in the hill
were too drastic and that there were enough
snti-gambling hills on the statute books |
already if the officers of the law would
enforce them.
The Itlioton bribery law was in the Sen
ate for several hours Wednesday. Under
this measure, which was prepared by Prose
outing Attorney Itlioton of Pulaski county
st the request of the committee appointed
to co-operate with him earlier in the ses
sion. the receiver of a bribe Is made as
Rahil' as the giver, and soliciting and re
ceiving are placed on the same footing.
The maximum penalty is also raised from
two wars in the penitentiary to five years.
Senator Holland was of the opinion that
under the 1)111 a man could he convicted
of bribery on the unsupported word of an
accomplice, and the bill w* placed hack
on its second reading for the purpose of
amendment.
Senator Yopp presided over the deiib
erations of the Upper House Thursday
morning. Tin- reading of the journal was
dispensed with and the special orders were
taken in hand.
Senator Rowland introduced a hill Thurs
day moaning appropriating S-o.oOn to pay
l h - mileage and per diem of the members
of the l.egislature. the original appropria
tion of $100,001) having run out.
The W'lngo bill, providing rot- the e-Ash
iishment of a stale normal school, passed
tlie Senate Thursday uftevhorm with only
■five dissenting votes. The measure car
ries an aopronrintion of $15,000. a reduc
tion of $20,000 in the amount carried in
the original measure. Under the ternv>
of the bill the town giving the ground and
$:Ci.(MiO for a building will secure Hie
school. _
The reading of the journal was dis
pensed with l-'rtday morning, and Senator
Wingo was called to the chair.
With only one dissenting vote, tHat of
Senator Legate, the upper House Friday
morning passed the bill introduced Into
the House by Judge Martin of Crittenden,
repealing the bill of civil rights, other
wise known as chapter 19 of the statutes
of Arkansas. This is the first time in the
memory of the present generation that an
Arkansas Legislature has repealed a whole
chapter of the statutes at one time.
Che Rowland bill, appropriating $25,000
for the per diem and mileage of the mem
bers of the Legislature, passed the Senate
without any trouble.
Senator oldlmm sent up the report of the
Joint Capitol Commission, the results of
the labors of that body since the second
week of the session in investigating the
state house. The minority report of Sena
tor Otis Wingo of Sevier was read at the
conclusion of the regular report.
THE HOUSE.
The Oldham anti lynching till de
feat in the House Saturday after a se
vere attack made upon its provisions by
Messrs. Killough and McCollum. who
charged that it was revolutionary aud
would place the sheriff of any county iu
an attitude of dictating to the Judiciary.
Under the bill any sheriff who held a
prisoner against whom the community
was aroused- and who feared that such
prisoner would suffer from lynch law could
order the Circuit Court in session for ini
mediate trial of the case. The bill was
called up by Mr. Rowell, who stated that
it was a solution of the lynch problem that
hail been presented by Father Uueey of
Fine Bluff, and that this distinguished man
believed il would serve to reduce mob vio
lence in the South. Mr. Rowell made a
strong plea that Arkansas give the law a
test.
A bill was introduced by Mr. Finley,
which prohibits smoking of cigarette, pipe
or cigar in any hotel rotunda, railroad
train or depot, street car or public place
of any character where women are gener
ally assembled with men. Ball rooms and
cafes are among the places where srnok
iug is to be absolutely tabooed.
A bill introduced by Mr. Quinn, which
sought to shorten the* hours in the school
room of the cities of the first and second
class to a maximum of five hours per day,
was taken up and overwhelmingly defeat
ed. Mr. Bishop opposed the bill, stating
that it discriminated between the city
schools and the rural schools, and he fa
vored leaving tlie hours of school instruc
tion In the hands of the directors of the
Under the head of petitions and me
morials Mr. Combs sent up a petition from
many citizens, asking for the enactment
of a measure that would authorize the
county judge to provide a place in the court
houses for an office for the county sur
veyors.
The Preparatory Department in the l n:
versity of Arkansas received a blow in the
House when that body, acting in Committee
of the Whole, refused t<» allow an item
in the general appropriation bill for the
support of this department. The subject
will be renewed when the bill is again tak
en up in the House and an effort made to
restore tie* appropriation, but it Is freely
admitted by friends of the university thflt
the action‘of tlie House in committee is
most likely to be duplicated by the House
in regular session.
The entire day was devoted to tills meas
ure. Item by item it was passed upon,
with few being approved in the original
form in which the bill had come to the
House from the Senate.
Speaker 4Iamiter reversed a former rul
ing Monday to the effect that every ap
propriation item in every bill must be passed
on in Committee of the Whole, before be
ing brought up in the House, and under
this reversed ruling there may be moi?
progress made iu the future in disposing of
these bills.
For the first time during the session the
House was called to order at S :.;o in the
morning, and there was no quorum. Af
ter about fifteen minutes of waiting the
sergeant-at-arms had organized delinquents
sufficient to begin the proceedings.
A half million dollar issue of bonds was
authorized by the Legislature Tuesday when
after one of the hardest floor fights of th*‘
session the House passed the Harrison bill,
authorizing the St. Francis Levee Board t*»
float bonds in this sum for the improvement
of tlie levee work in the St. Francis levee
basin and to take up bonds that are now
due.
fought against the passage 01" the measure,
not objecting over seriously to the issuance
of the bonds as provided for under the bill.
Inst attempting to delay it until other iegis
Iatton could be enacted which would re
quire that no member be allowed to set ye
on the board having in hand this bond N
sue who had not for a period of ‘JO lays
previous to Ills appointment been a land
owner in the basin affected.
Messrs l.asley. Moore of St. Francis and
Hazel spoke for’the Harrison bill. They de
clared that the people of the St Francis
levee district were satisfied with the board
ar present, and that there was no reason
for "change except to satisfy a political
grievance.
Uttring Hie afternoon session the House
finished the university appropriation bill,
acting in Committee of the Whole. The
Branch Normal appropriation bill was ad
vanced by receiving two readings.
Following tlie passage of Hie bill Tins,
day which authorized the St Francis I.e
vee Hoard to issue bonds in the sum of
$300,000. tbi' second levee tight of the
session took place Wednesday morning over
the Bishop bill.
The House took time before noon a 1
journment to listen to the report of the
committee on the MooreTleartstll bill. 1 n
der the report no blame was fixed for the
" doctoring" of tile bill, but Chief Clerk Fil
I.liras was criticised for his carelessness
in handling the bill, and for having it en
rolled by the engrossing clerk wlteu the
enrolling clerk was the proper one to
have done it.
The greater part of the afternoon ses
sion of Wednesday was devoted to a con
tinuanee of the discussion of the Bishop
bill, which had been taken up in the fore
noon.
The House adjourned in an uproar of
excitement over the third reading of a Mil
for working convicts ou the roads.
The appropriation for the preparatory
department in the University of Arkansas,
which has been the subject of attack in
past legislatures, is to be abolished under
a bill which passed the House Thursday,
if the hill becomes a law. The lull was
introduced by Mr. Black of Sebastian, and
was the subject of a three hour discussion,
much of which had been covered formerly
when the appropriation bill was being
passed upon.
The sum of $50,000 is appropriated for
the establishment and maintenance of a
State Agricultural and Horticultural
School, under a Hill that passed the House
without any discussion, and with bur one
dissenting vote. The hill is endorsed by the
agricultural organizations of the state.
A night session was agreed on. at which
time only local hills should be consider
ed.
The report of the Joint Committee on
State Capitol, on which the members *>t" the
committee have been working since the be
ginning of the session, was read iu the up
per House Friday morning, hut no action
will be taken until next week, when the
members of the Senate will have had a
chance to study ihe testimony that was
presented to the octomlttee and consider
their recommendations.
The McKenzie anti-cigarette bill occu
pied the attention of the House through
out I lie greater part of Friday nil'.ruing,
and after a prolonged discussion was
passed. „ . .
The reading of the report of the Joint
Committee on the State Capitol investi
gation occupied more than an hour and a
halt" of the Friday afternoon session. At
its close Mr limit submitted a resolution
which was read twice, and which prohibits
the present architect and contractors from
beng interested in any manner in future
appropriations. The resolution Is as fol
IO"Bc It Resolved by the House of Repre
sentatives of the tieneral Assembly of Ar
kansas. tlie Senate concurring therein. That
the Board of Commissioners of the new
state capitol building are hereby directed
to require the architect and contractor-,
to complete their contracts on said building,
and that said contractors and the architect
be then discharged and hot permitted to
make bids on (lie additional work pro
vided for by this Legislature."
Representative llughletr Coleman of Ar
kansas county has been quite indisposed for
the past week, and has gene to his home
in DeWttt where he will remain several
days to recuperate.
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.
Former United States Senator James
Berrj wag a Visitor on the door or' the
House Monday morning. lie was received
through prolonged applause, and the House
took a recess of ten minutes that the mem
bership might have opportunity to speak to
him.
Senator Berry made a rew remarks to
the House, thanking the body for the cor
dial reception, aud for the* invitation to
u-ake an address. He stated that he real
ized that tlie House was busy. "I have
never in my life,” said Senator Berry, at
tempted to influence or direct legislation
in this body, and if I were to talk to you
at length it would only be on general
lines.”
Senator Berry spoke of his experience af
ter the war as a member of the Senate, and
referred to the stirring incidents that de
veloped over contests in which Democracy
was in the minority.
I thank this Legislature,” added Sena
tor Berry, "for the unanimous endorsement
of my public career that it gave through
resolution on March 4. It means much to
me to feel that tills House has approved
my public work. 1 have no complaint of de
feat. 1 will go out of public life as poor
a* I went into it. but l would not exchange
my past for all the money that was ever
coined. 1 have never brought, dishonor to
in.v people nor caused the blush of shame
of any citizen of Arkansas to rise for what
1 have done. I thank you all.”
The second section of the Boss bill, the
one which has proven objectionable to the
foreign corporations, which it demands
shall become domestic, was prepared before
the Senate Committee on Corporations
when that body had the bill up for con
sideratlon. Mr.* Boss wrote the section and
It was later adopted.
"The reason the section was added.” said
Mr. Boss, "was that it was believed the
bill would be incomplete without it. Un
der the section the foreign companies are
to be under the same control aud subject
to the same rules as local corporations.
They are given equal privileges, therefore
subjected to all the same conditions. To
have left this section out would have left
a discrimination which might have invali
dated the bill. I would oppose tlie repeal
of the second section of the bill. That kind
of a measure would practically repeal the
purpose of the whole affair, and I will op
pose it. and endeavor to have the law
stand as the Seuate and House have ap
proved it.”
Mr. Boss does not like the suggestion
that hi> measure passed under false colors.
By a vote of 28 to 2 the Senate Thurs
day afternoon killed a resolution by Sena
tor Patterson asking for the appointment
of a committee to proceed to Corpus Christi
t<> Investigate the condition of the health
of Governor John s. Little and to report
r.» the Legislature whether or not he is
aide to assume the duties of chief execu*
} live. The general opinion of the upper
! House was that the passage of such a
resolution would be a reflection on the fam
ily of the stricken governor, and upon those
members of the Senate who had vouched
| that th*» executive was in a normal condi
! tiou mentally. Senators Holland and Win
; go both went on record as knowing that
! the governor was improving and that his
ail incuts were merely physical. Senator Old
ham declared it was an unwarranted out
rage to invade the room of a sick man. He
believed that the only way to proceed in
the matter of "non compos mentis” was
to resort to quo warranto proceedings.
Senators Patterson and Milan alone voted
for the measure.
State Senator Walter S. Amis of ("eve
land County. who has represented the Six
teentb Senatorial District in the Legislature
for one term and the greater portion of this
session tendered his resignation Tuesday
morning as a member of that body, but the
Senate refused to accept his resignation,
and Senator Amis agreed to serve during
tlie remainder of tile term. Senator Amis
lias extensive mining Interests in New Mex
ico and stated to the Senate in open ses
sion that private business would necessi
| rate ids being absent for several days dur
! ing the remainder of the session. He stated
That he thought it best to resign at once
ill order that some representative might he
appointed to represent the district. The
statement was received by the Senate in
| open session, hut after some consultation
among his friends, the Senate refused to
.1 . opt the resignation, and Senator Amis
agreed to serve through the remainder of
the session. Ills term of office will expire
at the next election.
The State t'apitol investigation romniit
! tee appointed by the president of the Sen
i ate and Sneaker of the House, rendered its
report to 'the Legislature Friday, together
with a hilt carrying $230,000 appropria
tion for the completion of the building.
With one exception the report is unani
mous. senator (Hi> T. Wingo submitting a
minority report. He discusses the char
acter of stone and says that the Class B
Store used in the second story is as good
is class A. used up to that point. He al
I leges that the thickness of the stone is
j . olnputed upon a minimum basis, and not
i an average basis, as set out. and that the
contractors saved a large amount.
it is estimated that the present Leglsla
1 tttre will cost the state $130,000. Before
the legislature convened there was a sum
of $23,000 left over from the appropria
tion for contingent expenses of the Ia‘gis
lature of two years ago. A bill was passed
in the early days of the present session
1 appropriating $100,000 for contingent ex
penses of the present session. These funds
1 have been drawn against until there is
j about $22,000 of the $123,000 left to be
| paid out before a second contingent appro
pruttion is ... 1 nder estimates this
sum wii! be insufficient to meet the expense
until the end of the session, and a second
appropriation will he necessary.
At the outset of the morning session
Tbursdav. Speaker Ham!ter made another
special plea for order in the House. He de
clared that he had never witnessed such an
uproar as the one at adjournment Wednes
dav afternoon "We should not be forced
i to'resort to expulsion," said the Speaker
! iu order to preserve order here, it has
even been intimated that I have stood in
with certain persons in the matter of call
up' tp> bills When 1 recognized a member
here Wednesday before the uproar I did not
know that he was guing to call up a bill,
but thought he was going to move for an
adjournment.”
The question of taking a recess originated
in tlie Senate. AH bills (hat have been
passed in tIds Legislature have been signed
l.v \cting (inventor John I. Moore, who
has signed them as presiding officer of the
Senate, and again as acting governor. It
i< generally recognized that tlie signature
as president of the Senate completes the
i..w when affixed with the signature of
the Speaker of the House, for even if the
laws were not passed, signed by the gov
ernor or auv person acting as governor
thoy would be legal after live days without
approval. _
Tlie Committee on Public ITealth held a
meeting Friday afternoon to consider the
bid passed through the House by Mr.
Barker regulating the practice of magnetic
healing and suggestive thereapeutlce in the
state of Arkansas. No final report was
node by the committee, and the matter
was laid over until a heating could be giv
en to Senators Toney and Wingo, who were
opposed to the bill._
The report of the Joint Committee on
the state Capitol will be the feature of
the week's proceeding. This is expected
during the week from the fact that It will
furnish a contention, and lengthy discus
sions in both Legislative branches, and un
less it is made and a bid introduced before
too late there can be hut little hope of
an appropriation for the furtherance of the
work._
A measure raising the salary of the com
missioner of state lands from $1,700 a year
lo $2,300, was killed by a' few votes.