The Forrest City times. [volume] (Forrest City, Ark.) 1871-1919, 1896-10-23
AN INTROSPECTlvE VIEW
The People rkaasas Invite Are Men
Of AneIgy ana Enterprise.
every S"ciion of the state Presents Col
zen onPortunities for That Class OF
imhhtgrants-A Campaign of kdu-
cation Now on in Arkailsas

idNheT, become imperative. The tide
OF emigration has struck the pillows of
the Pacific ocean and recoiled. The
now is now to the South. Vast areas
OF unoccupied country lying between
the Rocky mountains and the Pacific
coast are not inviting to an active and
enterpriSing race, and should therefore
remain in reserve for an overflow pop
uiatlon that may come in the dim ard
dlstant future. The emigrant of the
period Is in search of something better
IMAM place to stay, where by dint of
constant and unceasing conflict with
the elements he can win bare susten-
ance for himself and family lie is am
bilious to obtain a home where he can
not only live but also by an honest eff
Tort accumulate surplus for a rainy
day.
The Men Arkansas Invites.
He who sells a comfortable home in
Iowa or any other state for the purpose
OF going where he can acquire as good
one where conditions are more prom
lslng is the man to whom Arkansas ex-
tends special invitation Such men
are enterprising. They are men who
bring money as veil as new ideas, and,
as rule, are among the foremost to
adopt the most advanced methods of
the day. Men who are easily satisfied
and content with what they can obtain
without much effort are not the most
efficient class to develop a country. Old
communities with established methods
are opposed to innovation, while new
communities, constituted largely of en-
terprising and venturesome spirits, in
tuitively grasp after the best laws.
methods and institutions. These marks
of distinction bring the new west and
the old east into contrast Eastern
folks now go west to find improved con-
ditions. Arkansas bids for men of en-
ergy and enterprise. 1t solicits men of
capital and genius.
Brief Introspection.
When we take an retrospective view
we see wherein we have erred in our
industrial and economic policy. We
have trodden too Loyalty in the path of
tradition. Our history, in brief. is this:
We have titled the soil and lived. Mean
time our northern neighbors have util-
lied their talents and diversified indus
tries regardless of tradition and the be-
hests of venerated custom. In word,
they have abandoned agriculture when
ever they could discover something
more remunerative, and by so doing
gained wealth. When we study stats
scs of the progressive increase of
wealth of the New England and mid
ole states we find ourselves in the rear
One of Shakespeare characters SAYS:
"Tis in ourselves that we are thus, or
thus" We have given the art of agri-
| culture-the business of farming-the
test. We can subsist by it, but we can
not keep pace in the race for wealth.
We are not satisfied to simply exist
while our northern neighbors are in
creasing in industrial strength and ac-
cumulating wealth. We must at least
manufacture the implements and tools
we use in tilling the soil, and by so
doing diminish the volume of money
which flows out of the state to support
northern foundries and factories.
| A Campaign of Education.
| The citizens of Arkansas must Sc
riously study the question of establish
ing mills and manufactures and inform
themselves on tie subject of how and
| by what means productive industries
can be increased They can easily con-
vince themselves of the urgency of so
doing by meditating on the vast sums
| of money we send out of the state
| yearly for machinery and implements
that can and should be made within
| the state 1t is the duty of the news
papers and public spirited citizens of
the state to press the subject upon the
attention of the people. 1T is not in
our stars, but in ourselves, that we are
underlings" in the race for commercial
and industrial supremacy. We have
simply chung too long to mother earth.
| Agriculture should not be abandoned
| by any means. On the contrary, it
should be pushed and developed, and
with it we must have manufactures
The public must encourage and sustain
the efforts that are now being made to
induce capitalists to come and establish
factories to transform the minerals and
timber and other materials into articles
which we now buy in other states. The
strength of conviction which pervades
the minds of thoughtful men in the line
of improved conditions will find express
sion when political topics are disposed
of and the masses have time to think
soberly of business affairs which di-
rectly concern them. The people of
Arkansas, while slow to move, are ire
sistible when they have come to adopt
a measure or advocate a cause which
reason and judgment tell them is for
their benefit and advancement. What
now remains is for them to resolve that
the single industry idea-agriculture-
is detrimental to the state, and that
we shall have in the future diversified
| industries.
People abroad have been quietly in
vestigating Arkansas within the past
few years with view to investing
money here when the opportune occa-
sion presents itself All the indications
point to 1897 as the opportune period.
| There is a tide in the affairs of states
as well as of men. Look for the tide
| in 1897.