The Forrest City times., 1893-09-01

may think and act as a unit. And even the negro is American and in much igreater sympathy with our iD- stitiitions than is the foreigner of the l North, so that the Southern problem k | less involved and difficult than ihp Northern. This condition places upon | us the great responsibility of keeping sound and growing stronger so that we may be able to preserve the nation If other parts grow too weak. It may be that the South was kept in the Union to be it's leaven. Now the same con ditons which make the South the soundest spot in the nation combine still more strongly 10 declare Arkansas the leaven of the South. While diff ferent states do in some single point ex eel her. no state in the whole Union has fewer or smaller elements of dan ger or more factors for good. Let the facts speak.
 Foreign-born population 126 per cent: illiteracy considerable, but op- posed by 52SS school houses in 1890. one to 257 inhabitants; only one liquor permit to 12S6 persons, outside of six or seven cities and a score of lumber. ing towns, practical prohibition by To- cal optioD; only POI per cent of her rural townships lost populations; cities growing moderately, not seriously out stripping the country: smallest per cent of negro population except one state; Protestant Church membership 26 per cent against 9 for the whole country. Her people have been con servatlye and in some respects back ward. but they lack much that is evil and possess much that is good.
 These facts make her responsibility to the South and to the nation very grave. Her duty to strengthen every uplifting force is necessary for her own preservation. Arkansas has d variety of soil, climate and productions not equaled by any other state, and her miles of nayigable rivers are more than any other state can boast. She is di rectly on the line of commerce with Mexico and South America. Consid ering states and portions of states whose people are really Southern, Ark ansas is the central state of the South. These wonderful natural resources and advantages must, when known to the world, bring into her territory vast throngS. She must shortly become not merely great agricultural state. but a Swarming center of mining. manu- featuring. and commercial interests. Will shebe overrun and Overpowered by this motley horde or will she lay nor al and intellectual foundations so deep and broad and build so wisely that the structure may not only stand firm but modify and utilize all new elements until even they become factors of strength and beauty?
 What may we unite to do
 CD Secure good roads so that the country and town may be brought closer together and rural life may not be so isolated, but may command more of modern cOnveniences. This will make farmers more contented and will restrain the migration from country to town. This requires the repeal of our present senseless and iniquitous road law and the substitution of a thorough ly practical law. Who is equal to the task?
 (2) Encourage the division of large farms and the sale of 40 and 60 acre tracts to the the most industrious and reliable tenants. thus securing perma- nent settlers and valuable improve ments and the financial and political independence of d most worthy class (3) Build more and better school houses; lengthen the term; pay better salaries: ard secure more competent teachers. Education is absolutely es- sential for the best type of manhood. Local public education is all that nine , children out of ten can hope to acquire; hence the schools ill which this man. hood is nurtured must be sacred places and their welfare grayen on our hearts
 If our public schools are not what they should be we may fashion them after our own ideal, The people that will not educate must miseraby die. but they who rightly educate shall even on earth taste immortality.
 l4) Strengthen and perpetuate our colleges. A people never rises above its real leaders. A state without great men can not be great. A people that provides only elementary education can have only an elementary civiliza tion. The elementary schools can not even live much less flourish without the stimulating influence of colleges and cultured men. Higher education enriches the blood. The State without colleges can not boast of it's public schools.
 We have colleges, but they have been merely planted. they are dwarfed. shriveled, dying for lack of enrichment water, and cultivation. We are not rich people, but putting our mites to-