The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1886-08-21
Cur Great State,

The following article was writ
ten by Rev S. Cornelius, pastor of
the First 'Babtist. church, of Little
Rock, for the American Babtist
Flag As agent of the Babtist
State Convention for two years, he
has had fine opportunities of in
forming himself;
PROGRESS IN ARKANSAS.
Public opinion III the older
states seems much the same now
relative to Arkansas as it was a
generation ago relative to Illinois
Indiana, and other newly settled.
states anRferritories. If people
who talk Of Arkansas as sort of
Isemi-ciNilized regions could visit
this sbdte5' Bhey Would,Boon modify
their opinions. There are rough,
and llncultiyated people III many
of our back settlements, it is true,
and III what state are there not
more or less of such people to be
found? But there is a great host
of intelligent and progressive peo-
pie here, too, and they are making
their influence felt all over the
state. "Ghe schoolmaster is
abroad in Arkansas, and is every.
where welcomed. Institutions of
learning, some of them Of high
order, are already established, and
common schools are fast multi
plying. The newspaper man has
presses going i'll all of our large
towns and in very many of our
little ones. Law is as much re-
spected and good order is as much
observed in Arkansas, | verify
believe, as i'll any part of our
broad land. Those who say
the contrary are saying what they
do not .l4aow to be true. | have
travelled all over the state and
have never had a sight of the
pistols and bowie knife which some
people think are Of everyday
use among us. Many of the states
OF the union have a larger share of
OF rough5 than Arkansas. Ours
is mainly an agricultural communi-
ty; the number Of large towns is rel
atiyely small, hence we escape the
vices and temptations Of the large
towns, to great extent The
tramp nuisance does not exist to
the extent it does in the northern
and northwestern states. We have
as peaceful and happy a popula-
ton and aslnnOcent and promising
youth as arctic he found ill the
world. Churches are nowhere
more numerous or better attended
than they are in Arkansas; nor are
ministers of the gospel and good
people III general anywhere trea-
ted with more respect We have
Ione of the very best of temperance
laws, generally known as, "the
three-mife law and when a Deti-
ton for the repeal of this law
was presented in the house of
our Legislature during its last
session neither the man who
presented the petition, nor amy
of his fellow-members said
word in advocacy of it. There is
a great deal of drinking and swear
ing, sabbath-breaking, and vice.
and crimes of all kinds in Ar
kansas, but not more than any
other part of the country, not SO
much rs in many parts.
Immigration, aided by our MI
merous railroads, is coming from
all directions. We have four rail
road lines entering Arkansas from
different points of the compass,
but the St Louis, Iron Mountain
and Southern is our main highway,
extending us it does, through the
entire leugth of the state from
north to south, with two important
branches. A great impulse has
been given by this road TO our
various industries. Eighty-six saw
mills, some Of them of great ca
t,1ptf,. .n-, I,.,t.,1 pI.,tt., tL,. amin