The Monticellonian., 1899-05-12

Woodson submitted the following ad dress to the people of Arkansas, and OF motion it was unanimously adopted
 LITTLE ROCK, May ,, 1899. To the People of Arkansas:
 Having been honored with the office president of the Arkansas State Board of Trade, l deem it my duty to address this circular letter to the citizens of Ar. kansas, hoping thereby to bring to the notice of the public some suggestions which at this time seem proper in the interest of cur commonwealth.
 There are many problems confronting our state, relating Tn nearly every in. stance to it's development, and a mum. Der of them should receive our eo-opera- tion and fostering care. There is nc | method by which this work can be SC well done as through our State Board of Trade. For many years with only meagre railroad mileage, the time is now at hand when, by giving the sub. ]ect attention, we can secure the much. needed local lines, as well as number of the great systems which have never yet entered our state for business. Te get them we must stretch out the hand of welcome. We should take steps te encourage the improvement of our rivers, cooperate fully with the United States engineer corps, and have our committee at each session of congress before the committee on rivers and harbors. We should encourage the building of more attractive county court houses and public edifces generally, and look particularly Y to the proper ad vancement of our public school system, and urge the establishing of manual training schools, of which this state should have at least two at this time. We should immediately take up the question of city improvement, or rather city building, which cannot now be done under our present antiquated state con stitution, and the said fundamental law should be so amended as will enable cities of the first and second class te issue bonds for public improvements i when the citizens thereof so desire, and when the provision is surrounded with due and necessary safeguards. And more than all, we should take up those matters in the respective counties in ] the way of natural resources that are i inviting to investors and send our com. mttee face to face in conference with the capitalists and manufacturers who are interested in the particular resource One visit of this sort would be worth a thousand letters We have timber, building stone, bauxite, kaolin, marble coal, zine, manganese, antimonY. phos phate, marls, etc, and they are unsur- passed in the world. To make them known and induce the erection of fac tories should be our aim. And again onr own committee should go among the New England cotton mill owners and the owners of the mill securities and show to them how much greater would be the earning power of their money invested in a cotton mill located in an Arkansas cotton field, with no expense for the transportation of the raw ma. terial and charge only one way for the finished product. Indeed, there is much for us to do, and the sooner the work Is undertaken the better it will be for all of us
 The experience of the past records the fact that the business people of the state-and when say business people mean farmers as well as merchants. professional men and mechanics-have not always exerted themselves as they should in building up Our state; have not realized the necessity that they should take an active interest in the very life of their state; that it is their duty to take an active part in pushing the state to the front, and especially in selecting those who come to the halls of legislation and who make our laws, the inviting or the impelling force so far as capital is concerned. We have seen the result of this indifference in the passage of laws very damaging to our commercial interests. and the fail ure of measures almost absolutely nee essary to our prosperity
 Our natural resources are second to none in the United states. a matter in which every county is interested. and al that IS needed for their deyelop- meat is more capital. This we can ob tain we will only hold out to inves. tors ssch inducements as will guaran. r. ment at the hands of our law-malsing power.
 The Arkansas State Board of Trade which is a lon-political organization. proposes to urite the business men of Arkansas into solid compact body having in view the educst ton of the masses of the people on all subjects in which they are vital y interested, there by securing as lawmakers the very best material in the state. Unity of action will place such men in the lead as we'll as correct errors of the past, and future legislation will be of that Conservative, enlightened and broad guaked eharac- ter as will bring the state to the proud position of prominence to whi.h she is so justly entitled.
 If you are in accord with these views ye shall be pleased to enter your name u.1on our roll of membership. Address Ge,2 k Brown, secretary, Little Rocl, Ark, Yours very respectfully,
 J. A. WooDsoN,
 President State Board of Trade Discharge I SoIiiers from Porto Rico.