Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume I.djvu/752

sentatives must be male citizens of the United States not less than 21 years old, must have resided in the state for one year, and be qualified electors and residents of the districts from which they are elected. In addition to these qualifications senators must have attained the age of 25 years. No person holding a federal, state, or county office, with certain exceptions, is eligible as a member of the legislature. A majority of the members elected to each house is sufficient to pass a bill over the governor's veto. Provision is made for taking the census in 1875, and every ten years thereafter; and immediately after every census, state or federal, the legislative districts may be rearranged. The executive power is vested in a governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, auditor, treasurer, attorney general, and superintendent of public instruction, who are chosen by the people for a term of four years. The governor must be not less than 25 years of age, a citizen of the United States for five years, an elector and a resident of the state for one year. His salary is $5,000. No member of congress or person holding a federal or state office is eligible as governor. The executive appoints a commissioner of public works and internal improvements, who is also ex officio commissioner of immigration and state lands. The judicial power is vested in a supreme court, 10 circuit courts, and such inferior courts as the legislature may establish. There is a separate chancery court at Little Rock for Pulaski county. The supreme court consists of a chief justice appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate for eight years, and four justices elected by the people for eight years, two being chosen every four years. The judges of the circuit and inferior courts are appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate for six years. Two justices of the peace are elected in each township for two years. General elections are held by ballot biennially on the Tuesday next following the first Monday in November. Every male citizen of the United States, or person who has declared his intention to become a citizen, who has attained the age of 21 years and resided in the state six months next preceding the election, and who is an actual resident of the county in which he offers to vote, is qualified as an elector, except soldiers, sailors, and marines in the United States service stationed in Arkansas, criminals, idiots, the insane, and the following classes: 1, those who during the civil war took the oath of allegiance or gave bonds for loyalty and good behavior to the United States government, and afterward gave aid, comfort, or countenance to those engaged in armed hostility to the federal government; 2, those disqualified as electors or from holding office in the state from which they came; 3, those persons who during the civil war violated the rules of civilized warfare; 4, those who may be disqualified by the 14th amendment to the federal constitution, or by the reconstruction acts of congress. All per- sons included in the above classes who have openly advocated or have voted for the reconstruction measures of congress, and accept the equality of all men before the law, are deemed qualified electors under the constitution. The general assembly is empowered to remove by a two-thirds vote of each house, approved by the governor, the political disabilities from any person who has in good faith returned to his allegiance to the federal government, except in the case of those who after the adoption of this constitution continued their opposition to the reconstruction measures of congress. A registration of voters is to be made before every general election. All persons before registering or voting must take an oath never to countenance secession, to accept the civil equality of all men, and never to injure or countenance others in injuring any person on account of past or present support of the government of the United States, or the principle of equal rights, or affiliation with any political party. The constitution requires the general assembly to maintain a system of free schools, and enforce the attendance of every child between 5 and 18 years of age for a term equivalent to three years, unless educated by other means. A free school must be kept in each school district for not less than three months during the year. The legislature is also required to establish and maintain a state university, with departments for instruction in teaching, agriculture, and natural sciences, as soon as the public school fund will permit. Liberal provisions are made for the protection of homesteads, and of the separate property of married women; and taxes are limited to 2 per cent. of assessed value.—The funded and unfunded debt of the state, principal and accrued interest, amounted on Jan. 1, 1870, after deducting estimated assets, to $4,522,297 77, the annual interest on which is about $300,000. The receipts and expenditures of the principal funds from July 3, 1868, to Sept. 30, 1870, were: General revenue—receipts, $1,110,483 43, including $286,703 57 on hand at former date; disbursements, $327,777 06; school fund—receipts, $429,449 90, including $64,875 32 on hand; disbursements, $370,454 95; permanent school fund—receipts, $35,591 74; disbursements, $399 25; military fund—receipts, $70,302 20; disbursements, $970 84; sinking fund—receipts, $142,382 20; disbursements, $43,779 91; excess fund—receipts, $108,932; disbursements, $2,368 23. According to the census of 1870, the assessed value of real estate was $53,102,304; personal property, $31,426,539; true value of real and personal estate, $156,394,691; total taxation not national, $2,866,890. At present the state tax amounts to 9½ mills on the dollar, of which 5 mills are for general purposes, 2 mills for school purposes, and 2½ mills for the payment of interest on the public debt.—The present system of free public schools was established in 1868. The number of children of school age in 1870 was 180,274; attending school, 107,908; teach-