The Van Buren press., 1875-04-20
DEBAUCHED ARKANSAS.
A Remarkable Story Of Ring Rule
Six Years of Continued Plunder.

Charles Nordhof, writing from Little
Rock to the New York Herald, thus re-
counts graphically the story ofmlsrule in
Arkansas, The letter is dated March 20 !:
The State Of Arkansas celebrates to
day great deliverance. BY proclama'
ton Of Gov. Garland this day is kept as
one of thanksgiving for the action OF
congress which, it is hoped and believed,
restored the state to permanent and peace
ful self government. Here, in the eap'
tai, the day has been singularly quiet
Banks and shops were mostly closed; ;
many people went to church there was
turkey for dinner; and there were,
among the older and substantial citizens,
not few heartfelt words of gratitude Tor
quiet and peace, and the hope of pros.
perity And that, so far as one could
see, was all The streets were not crowd
ed, though the day was as long as a June
day with us; heard absolutely 10 po.
ltical discussion either in streets or ho-
tells Poker Jacks arrival in the morning
did not create even ripple; and though
there are probably good number of dis
appointed men among the adhercnts OF
Brooks, it looks here very much as
though both parties were glad to see the
battle ended. Indeed, there is no doubt
about the matter, for everywhere
throughout the state reports show that
the general settlement is accepted as final,
and industry is revving, More cotton
and grain are being planted than in pre-
vious years houses and fences are being
repaired; fewer men are idle; there is a
notable and sudden decrease Of street
oungers, black and white, in Little Rock.
People are going to work again. 1t is
crcdtable to both parties that, so tar rs
hear and have been able to observe,
there is no bitterness of feeling, no re-
sentiment. The victors are too well pleas
ed to he anything but good.humored, and
the vanquished take their defeat in good
part One OF the most Jealous. and dur
ing the winter. fcrocious Brooks men, n
colored man, said to me 70 day Nv hat
we need now is men and capital we have
peace secured we are done with politics
for awhile. and will all 60 to work in
eai nest to recover our losses and make
the state rich Give us only good crop
this year aud well be ont of the woods"
WHY THEY ARE THANKFUL.
The truth is, it was time for strife to
end. Nobody of either party who had
anything, even his labor to lose, could
any longer afford it, Here are few fig.
urcs which prove it. Arkansas has less
than G50,O0 people. 1t has about l2O,
600 voters These owed in 1868, when
reconstruction began in this state, about
80, 500,0 and had $4,000 in cash in
their treasury. The debt was state debt
The counties owed little or nothing To
day, after seven years, the state owes at
least Sl5, 200 900, and most o! the coun.
ties have debts of their own sufficient to
make them bankrupt. And for this huge
Indebtedness, which amounts for state,
counties, town and school districts, to
probably S20,00J, 900, the people have
nothing to show, except some miles of
railroad. on which they must pay for their
passage whenever they travel. There are
no new public buildings; neither science
nor the arts have been advanced the old
state ehouse looks as dilapidaied rs when
the reconstruction began, and has been
changed in nothing except having its
door lintcls mu,lated that II Brooks can.
non might be squeezed into the hall the
schools are almost af closed because the
school fund was stolen. and Little Rock
is unpaved, though the conqueiers Of
1868 issued nearly shnpastcrs enough
to have all the streets handsomely paved,
and bonds enough besides to make dry
crossings at the corners.
The state debt alone amounts to-day
to more than Sl15 for every voter State.
county, township and school debts, in
Guiding scrip of all kinds, would prob.
ably bring the voters in debt Sl75 head.
And the whole of this prodigious burden
has been laid upon an impoverished and
never very prosperous people in seven
years.
now IT WAS DONE.
Arkansas was, in 1868, a tempting prize
to spectators. 1t had trivial debt, a
handsome little sum in cash in the treas
ury, hardly any railroads and people
singularly innocent of political wiles
They and enterpising men who then
locked in and seized power and who
held it so many years had had some ex
pericnce in what we call "politics. ="
ave showed them some new tricks,
said one of them to me "thc damned
fools didn't know thing about organi
zation They Just went around the state
making stump speeches and thought that
was politics But that things played
out. p"
The new regime framed constitution
admirably suited to their ends. of which
shall speak further on. And then they
began the real work of plumber with an
act granting state aid bonds to railroads
to the extent of 500 miles, at 81 900 per
mile, or $4,000 for such roads as had
also land grants. Under this law 27l
miles of road were built, of which the
L., S,,;th ,,al sc nall hu;lt o,l xrnIi