The Mena weekly star., 1897-11-10
GOvENoR JONES' REPLY.
He Objects to Giving Special Thanks
 For Prosperity's Return.
The following will explain itself and

| hS 1OA4oWthS WILL C-> Didlu ltoelI and be of interest as from our governor:
 Little Rock, Oct. g.
 RALPH K SMITH EsQ., Care of Bos. ton Journal, Boston, Mass.-Dear Sir -l am at this moment in receipt of your letter of the 20th inst. in which you say:
 Permit me to ask you to join with the governors of other states in a brief thanksgiving greeting to be published simultaneously in the leading news papers of the country, calling upon the people to give thanks for the re- turn of prosperity throughout the country with particular reference to your state. Ii you will kindly mail it at your earliest convenience you will help to swell the glad chorus of thanksgiving and to give increased confidence to millions of newspaper readers
 ''ln answer to your request permit me to ask you when it was that pros- perity returned throug hout the coun- try? 1 ask this in all earnestness. be- cause 1t IS the first time l have heard it seriously asserted that an old deni- zen of twenty-iive years ago had returned to gladden. the hearts and cheer the hearthstones of the toilino millions of this debt-ridden, poverty stricken, pluIocracy-g0ve gold standard country of ours. However. l am glad to learn from you that he has come at last; for, surely you would not ask me to return thanks for his coming II he had not come But. my dear sir, you have only your word for tue proof of that fact and inasmuch as 1t is very material matter in contro- yersy and one upon which very much depends, feel quite sure that you Will not take otfense when express q small degree of incredulity and sug- gest my unwillingness to accent such proof as altogether conclusive. It would be unseemingly in me to doubt the statement Of anyone connected With the leading republican newsna- per ot New England, and conseouent- " must take 1t to be true that nros- perity has returned to Boston. bnt it IS fact nevertheless, strange as 1t may appear to you, that Boston does nnr extend throughout the countrv' or even into Arkansas. l can furnish ample proof of this fact if you are un- Wiling to take my word for if.
 am always thankful to Almiohtv God for every manifestation of His goodness and mercy. He has blessed us with the greatest and Drandest country on the globe. He has let rains fall to refresh the earth, and cansad It to bring forth bountiful returns fo,. our labor, and He has let Ills s,ln sb;na to rlpen the fruits of our labor foy harvests. He has done aIl ths. xva could ask Him to do, and we have no cause for aught but praise and tha,,l-s giving unto His holy name But my dear sir, the fruits of our labor havs turned to ashes upon our lips and ony harvests have failed to meet onr aet,,- al needs, not through any fault of rrovidence, but through the unwar- rahted, crimlnal and heinous actia, ,f the political party, of which vour na- per IS the leading exponent in New nhgiana. The demonitization of sil- yer ana the establishment of tba single gold standard, and tha na;,s cenance thereof have turned aside tha i'ts o1 Providence, and I cannot ba- iieVe that He wishes us to rat,,,, sndnks sI Tor such condition of affa;,s NO, no sir as we'll expect us to ra;a;aa over the death of our fr;anas eJoiso saout p@ns of praise over the victories oi our enemies, as to expect ns to send you thanksgiving greeting for tha lnockefy yon call prosperitv prau excuse me. Very respectfully vonrs
 DAN w. JONES.
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