The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-23

Senator Crocketts Eloquent Appeal in Be
half of q Railroad Bill.


Little Rock Gazette.
.'Sir, for whom are we legislatings For our
selves alone? Alas, sir, heaven will never smile
upon such selfish legislation. In a little while
You, Mr.. President, and my venerable friend,
the father of this bill. whose snowy locks are
even now being tossed by the breezes of another
world, and will have passed away and quietly
sleep beneath the sod. The winter snow will
drape the mounds above us with a winding
Sheet but the sting of its bitter colo will be all
unheeded by US. The spring birds will sing
their sweetest notes in the swinging branches
above our graves, though their music viii not
be heard by us. But Arkansas-God bless herr
like gentle mother, will fold US to her loving
breast and drape our beds with sweet Towering
vines, sing soft lullabies DER our dreamless rest
with the low, sweet music of murmuring winds
After US will come another generation, who, if
they find our State standing shoulder to
shoulder with her sister States in the battle for
development and material prosperity, through
our wise legislation, will rise up and call us
blessed. But, on the other hand, if they find
her dwarfed by unwise and restricted legisla-
ton, they will spit upon the graves of those
whom they should honor. Let us remember
that Arkansas is growing State, and legislate
for her on the plan that my dear old mother of
blessed memory, was wont to cut my clothes in
my boyhood days. She always cut my breeches
two years ahead, and ] always grew to them,
and, alas! sometimes got too big for 'em;
and, when I debut that was my moth
breeches-but I see / must drop the il
lustration, or change the sex Of State,
which l would not do for the world-God bless
her! We do not carry this selfishness into
private life. If l were to find my old friend
Uncle Bob Mcconnell putting out fruit trees and
were to say to him, Uncle Bob, why trouble
yourself to put out fruit treesg they'll never
benefit YOU the old man would straighten him
self to his full height and reply: No, Bob I'm
old, and will probably never see these trees bios
som or fruit, but / have children and grand
children, who, they climb these trees and
pluck the ripe fruit, long after I'm dead, will
say: Grandfather planted these trees with his
own hand" and they'll bless the old man.
they eat the fruit, for his kindness in plant
ing the trees for their benefit So let it
be with AS. Let us frame laws that will
build up glorious State instead of dwarf
ing her by hostile legislation against rail
roads, the grandest of agencies of modern
civilization for developing the resources of
new State Let US not say to capitalists abroad.
Come and look upon our broad prairies, our
fertile valleys, our magnificent forests,
touched for want of transportation. Come. help
us develop these grand resources And when in
response to our urgent pleading they do come,
let US no. turn upon them and throttle them
with destructive legislation. 1t is true, sir, that
while we do not stand upon our borders and
welcome capitalists with bloody hands to hos
pitable graves, we do stand upon those borders
and welcome them with such obstructive legsla
ton to disastrous bankruptcy. stand not
here to-day as the special defender of the rail
roads, as railroads alone, but I do uphold
and would protect foster ard encourage them
as the means OF building up our beloved State.
1t is for Arkansas and her brave sons and fair
daughters who shall come after us for whom
plead. Sir. in the core of my heart bell eve
that this bill and all others of kindred character
are wrong in conception, and if adopted would
be ruinous to the railroads, and as an inevitable
consequence the ruin of Arkansas I cannot
support the bill, and earnestly hope that it viii.
not pass"