The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1883-06-07
ADDRESS
OF the Arkansas State Board of
commissioners, to the People
of Arkansas.

III iLOuloNi iiiS, 'ANss iDA olAS huHNASN
days, beginning August lst, is to be
the grandest advertisement OF the re
sources of the several States of oul
Union that has been witressed upor
this continent, except, perhaps, the
centennial at Philadelphia. All The
States Of the Union will avail them
selves of the opportunity. Never in
our history has there been such al
opportunity.
! The refunding Of the pubic debt
at very low rates of interest by the
United States government, and the
evident disposition of the people to
reduce even these low rates, have
set hundreds of millions Of capital
to looking about for new and better
investment.
The late commercial panics OF
Europe, which locked up for many
months hundreds Of millions in idle
ness, have set foreign capitalists TO
casting about for American invest
mcnt.
From various causes, too, foreign
populations have been unusually
restless. Never in the past has
there been such an influx of foreign
immigration as at the present mo-
ment.
The great question with these mil
lions of capital is where to invest.
And with this immlgra on--where
to settle. The Louisville Exposi
tion is designed to afford answer to
these inquiries. Every State IN the
Union will have an opportunity Of
advertising whatever OF inducements
to capital and immigration it may
possess. Every other State will
seize the opportunity. Shall Arkan-
sas, with all her wonderfully abund-
ant and varied resources, stand idly
by and let this her golden opportu.
nifty pass, and her less favored rivals
carry off the prize of prosperity?
No State in the Union surpasses
Arkansas in the variety and quality
OF her minerals.
She has seventy kinds Of the most
valuable woods used in The mechani-
chal arts.
She is the fruit garden for the
northwest; the home of the peach
and all small fruits.
One hundred and fifty-five native
grasses, with a climate, soil and
water that makes stock raising a
success.
She has more miles of navigable
waters within her boundary than
any other State III the Union.
She offers more inducements to
the capitalists and home seeker than
any other place on the face Of the
globe.
1t is estimated that the oak lum-
Der of Arkansas, if placed in the
market would more than pay the ma
tional debt.
Her soil is adapted to all the cere.
ais of our country, while her pineries
are among the best and most extens-
i've on the continent, and as cotton
growing state she stands unriyaled.
Shall the capital which will visit
Louisville in search of just such re-
sources be informed of them or not?
The late general assembly appro-
priated the gnlficant sum of $3.50
for Mr.. Charles Wallace to make
such exhibibit as such sum would
warrant. But better, far better, that
Arkansas make no exhibit at all
than that she should make dis
creditable one, for all the world will
assume that she makes the best she
can and that she makes no better
because she cannot, and thus capital
and immigration be repelled rather
than attracted. Accordingly the
governor has appointed the under
signed commissioners to appeal to
the public spirit of our people to aid
them in making an exhibit in which
our state will find at once pride and
profit. Nor can your commissioners
feel that their appeal will be in vain.
Assuming that the officers of the
several counties have been chosen by
their respective constituencies as
well for their other qualifications
and that they will teel a pride in
having their counties as we'll repre-.
sented at the exposition as possible,
your commissioners have taken the
liberty of appointing the county
Judges, sherifi's and circuit clerks OF
the state as a committee Of their
respective counties to aid in collect
ing not only specimens Of the min.
elal, agricultural, horticultural and
timber resources, but also to collect
such contributions of money as they
may, with which to defrav the ex
pense necessary to make ourexhibit
worthy of our state and people.
MIR. S. II. Nowlin. corresponding
secretary, at Little Rock, win gladly
furnish all information to parties dc.
string to assists in the enterprise.
! Counties which desire their exhibits
credited to them, will have all their
products labeled with the names OF
the respective counties forwarding
them.
Confidently relying upon the pride
and public spirit of our people, this
appeal is respectfully submitted.
c. NJ. TAYLOR,
T. w. BAIRD,
WIN. M. FIsnBAcK,
| ~ IT Wnn.,,x.