The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-25
COME TO ARKANSAS! So Speak The Arkansans to the World in No Uncer-
 tain Sound.
GREAT IMMIGRATION CONVEN-
 TON AT LITTLE ROCK.
Arkansas Now Has a State Bureau of
 Immigration.
Proceedings of Interest to Home-Seekers
 Everywhere.
Speeches of Governor Hughes and Colo
 nel Logan H. Roots.

The Immigration Convention, called by the Honorable Simon F. Hughes, Governor of the State of Arkansas, convened in the Capitol building in the city of Little Rock on the 3lst of January, 1SSH Four hundred men, the flower of the state, were there as delegates. Among them were adherents of all political parties, representing every county in the state. It admittedly the ablest convention that ever met in Arkansas, and it's work will inaugurate Il new era of prosperity from the Missouri line to Louisiana and Texas, from the Mississippi River to the Indian Territory.
 The convention was called to order by Gov ernor Hughes, whose zeal in behalf of the de- velopment of Arkansas is a matter for congratu- lation to all progressive Arkansans. He spoke as follows:
 GENTLEMEN AND FELLOW CITIZENS Tt gives me great pleasure to extend to you a cordial welcome upon this occasion, and to state to you that the object of this convention is to devise ways and means to increase the population, the prosperity, the wealth and greatness of our state.
 The progressive spirit which is manifest in almost unanimous appreciation of the object of this gathering from al parts of the stete and from other states, is a gratifying and hopeful sign. It indicates that we need. desire. and are determined to have, more people, more muscle, brains and enterprise and that we mean to make known the great natural advantages and wealth of Arkansas to the outside world, and are determined to push her into the front rank where she belongs by virtue of right. We know that she abounds in all the material ele- ments of wealth and greatness; that she has near 2,00t % acres of state lands to be donated
 
 her borders about 5000, GOO acres of public lands of the United States subject to homestead en- try. Many of these lands have gathered fer tility from the repose of centuries the climate of Arkansas is equable, genial and healthful and free from extremes of heat and cold, and those terrible bizzards that, in many states, have recently filled the land WI tn death, desti- tuition and mourning. We know that these lands will produce fue Indian corr, wheat melons, berries and small fruits m rich abun- dance, not to mention cotton, the staple produce ton of the world, in which
 WE ExCEI. EVERY OTHER STATE in the quantity grown per acre and the quality of fibre. as evinced at the Worlds Exposition at New Orleans in 1884 and 1885, and elsewh i; or apples, in the excellence. beauty. flavor, and value of which we have excelIed all competi- Boston at the meeting of the American Pomo- logical Society in 1SS6. We rich in timber having 90, CO., square miles of grand forests, of the most valuable varieties with pine alone enough to make more than 70 0OO, O0J, ,00i feet of lumber. rich in minerals-havins over l2,0O0 square miles of coal fields an abundance of iron, manganese, zinc, copper. marble granite, limestone, Autograph and soapstone, and clay unsurpassed in quality.
 We have greater length of navigable streams than any state in the Union--between 500 and 1000 miles.
 We have an excellent state constitution. good statute laws, a small state debt which are now paying of. a low rate of taxation-the state taxes all told being only mills on the dollar :: our free school system is liberal and vigorous,
 
 on the dollar and a mills district school tax voluntarily voted by the people in nearly all the school districts of the state. We are pay ing more for tree school educa ion in proportion to our taxable values than any state in the Union. Our population has doubled within the last decade;
 OUR LUMBER AND SAW MILL
 interests have quadrupled in the last five years and Arkansas is decidedly on the upgrade Her railroads too have kept pace with her growth, and the railroad men. who are always enterprising, energetic, and liberal here with their shoulders to the wheel. ready, will going to do here now? We cannot lie supinely ; we must either do something got out of the way, or be crushed by the wheels of advance ment and progress that are rolling over the land from ocean to ocean and from lake to gulf What are wonderfully productive soil. magnif- grand rivers bright skies, and all nature s rich abundance worth without develop ment, utilization, and subserviency to the great ends of high and advanced oiviiiaa-
 An Admirable Address.
 Colonel Logan H. Roots of Little Rock. was chosen chairman of the convention with an cnthustastic unani1nity that proved the high esteem In which he is held by the people of the state of Arkansas. He spoke as follows:
 SPEECH OF COL. ROOTS.
 It is glorious occasion to behold such an Assemblage as this l see before me ; men from the borders of Texas and the borders of Mis- souri, men from the borders of the Indian territory and from the banks of the Mississippi. and from all intermediate counties, and such men any state might we'll be proud of
 no sary insestrnent to develop the resources than ator of the universe has done much for Arkan. sas. though man has done so little that the