The constitution, in effect since 1874, has undergone few material changes. Suffrage depends on a year's residence and the payment of a poll tax. The Governor and other State officers hold office for two years. The salary of the Governor is $4,000 a year plus $1,000 for house rent. His veto may be overridden by a simple majority. He has an extensive power of appoint ment. If the office becomes vacant within the first year, a new election is held; if later, the President of the Senate fills out the term. The legislature meets biennially. The mem bers of the House of Representatives (100) are elected every two years, of the Senate (35) Tor four. The per diem ($6) is lim ited to 60 days, after which the legislature may sit without pay. Special sessions are limited to 15 days. The Supreme Court has five members elected for eight years. There are 18 circuit and 12 chancery courts; also municipal courts and the usual county and probate courts and justices of the peace. Three cities have commission government, one the city manager. There is an optional primary election law. A corrupt practices act applies to all elections.
State There are 24 companies with 1,850 enlisted men (June 1916).
Representatives in There are two senators and seven representatives.
The State has been democratic since 1874, generally by large majorities and a solid delegation in Congress.
De Soto was the first white man to set foot in the State; the French explorers, Marquette and Joliet, came down the Mississippi in 1673 and found near the mouth of the Ar kansas river a tribe of Indians, the Arkansas, from whom the State and river were named. The first settlement was made under direction of De Tonti at Arkansas Post in 1686 a few miles above the mouth of the Arkansas river. But settlement was slow and inhabitants were very few in 1803 when the United States ac quired the territory as a part of Louisiana. In 1812 it was separated from Louisiana as a part of Missouri. In 1819 Arkansas Territory, in cluding what is now Oklahoma, was organized. It was admitted as a slave State 15 June 1836. Though settled chiefly by the southern people it was greatly divided on the question of seces sion and the convention adjourned without passing an ordinance, but President Lincoln's call for troops led to the reassembling of the convention and the ordinance of secession was adopted 6 May 1861. Several battles took place in the State, but it did not suffer from military operations like the others. By 1863 a large part of the State had been recovered by the Union and a loyal State government was established in 1864, with Isaac Murphy, governor. How ever the State had to undergo reconstruction and was not readmitted to the Union until 23 June 1868. The anarchy of the carpet-bag regime reached its climax in 1872 in an armed conflict between Brooks and Baxter for the governor ship. The Democrats supported Baxter, Re publican, and he held until 1874. A new consti tution was adopted that year and the Democrats recovered the State government, which they have held ever since.
The constitution of 1874, which was some what reactionary in type, is still in force, though 13 amendments have been added. The
most radical is that providing for the initiative and referendum (1910). In recent years the leg islature has passed some progressive and a few radical measures. The attempt to regulate freight and passenger rates on railroads (1907) was taken into the Federal courts, along with like attempts in Minnesota and Missouri. After a long delay the action of the State was sus tained in part, but soon overruled by new suits and decisions. A drastic anti-trust act (1905) drove the insurance companies and some other concerns out of the State for a while, but it was amended and the companies returned. The servants' rule was abolished after a long drawn-out fight. The convict lease system has been greatly improved and vir tually abolished. The legislature of 1915 passed a State-wide prohibition law, though a similar law originated by petition had been re jected in 1912, a drastic inheritance tax law, and a minimum wage law. In 1917 the ballot was conferred on women in primary elections; the tax laws were revised; an amendment was sub mitted authorizing the State to issue $9,000,000 of bonds to loan to farmers for the purchase of lands ; and a convention was called to re vise the constitution. The convention met, ap pointed committees, and adjourned to July, 1918.
The first opportunity to use the initiative and referendum came in 1912. One legislative act was referred by petition and three other acts originated under the initiative. The first was a revenue law, the others related to pro hibition, elections and uniform and free text books. All were rejected. Five amendments were voted on, two submitted by the legisla ture and three under the initiative. One, the ((grandfather clause?) was defeated. All the others received a majority of the votes cast on them, but the Supreme Court held that only three could be submitted at one time and that a majority of the total vote cast was required for adoption. This cut out all initiated amend ments except the one limiting the legislature to 60 days. In 1914 two acts were sub mitted under the initiative, a child labor law after the preceding legislature had re fused to pass one, and a act, which subsidizes the press through public advertising. Both were adopted. An amendment (by peti tion, 1916) providing for good roads received a majority of the vote cast on it, but not a ma jority of the total vote. A primary election law, the repeal of the prohibition law and two amendments originated by petition were sub mitted in 1916. The first was adopted. Also the amendment raising the limit of the school tax to 12 mills. The others failed.
Bibliography.—(The South in the Building of the (Vols. III, V, VI, Richmond 1909) ; Publications of the Arkansas Historical Society (3 vols. Fayetteville 1906- ) ; Harris, Maxwell and Keifer, (Wood Using Industries and Natural Forests of Arkansas' (U. S. Forest Service Bulletin, No..106, 1912) ; U. S. Geologi cal Survey, Mineral Resources; Publications of the State Geological Survey, Branner, Purdue, Steele (Fayetteville) ; Reports of the Secretary of State, the Auditor and Superintendent of Public Instruction (Little Rock).