Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-09-29

And he reached for his gun.
Now that the start has been mac
things are coming the way OF Arkansas
much faster than the rest of the country
is aware. This state today stands among
the first in the mileage of railroad com
pleted recently and now under construc-
ton.
The population in 1870 was less than 800 :
900. In 1880 by the census. il was su2VJo.
Ten years ago the government count wa
,UI 900. For 1909, from the !ragmentary
results known, an increase TO l.5OO,OOo i
confidently expected. Where Is the otheI
state which can show jump Of nearly oV
per cent for the last decade?
The city of Little Rock went from ~,
GOO in 1881 to 1000 in 1880. and Is expected
to show nearly 10000 from the enumera-
ton now being tabulated.
Little Rocks remarkable growth is not
the whole of the Arkansas measure OF
prosperity. At Hot Springs the past
season was the largest one in the famous
resorts history. and the present atten-
dance is far beyond that considered nor
nal for the summer. a new railroad now
makes access easier than ever The dan
VIZ Wlthih the memory 81 usiFeleIs NO !
through Arkansas and the through pas
SenSer almost wondered at the temerlty
OF capital in invading the state. Now the
schedules are fast. The traffic is an oC-
casion OF agreeable surprise. Roads have
doubled the number Of trains. and the
coaches are crowded. To the one grea
item of lumber have been added many
other scources of revenue This year Ar
kansas sent 25GO ears of potatoes to help
feed the world. There are foar great po-
tato-rdlSlnS centels in the southwest.
One OF them is in the American bottom,
Tat rich alluvial stretch opposite the city
OF St. Louis. Another is the valley OF the
Kaw, which makes its exit from Kan
sas AT Kansas City. The other two are
In Arkansas. in the Arkansas Valley,
near Fort Smith, and in Eastern Arkan-
sas.
The City of Roses" is putting on it,
second trimmings of natures millinery.
In this long and tavOrinS climate the no
raj glory of May and June is reproduced
in September and October A ride through
the streets of the residence part of the
city is source of continuous pleasure 10
the eyes and to the nostrils Every ward
has it's contribution OF towering plant
and shrubs and vines. And the care be
slowed upon them tells Of cultivated taste
a. well as OF flowers.
Little Rock has gained in something
more than numbers by its added pupula-
ton. The paving and grading, the char
acter of the architecture the well-kept
grounds. the liberal use Of paint. all OF
the surroundings go to show prosperity
and thrift, which were not known in the
earlier days. The time was when Little
Rock had the mansions Of the Adams
family. Albert Pike and a few others in
the midst of a large collection of rarely
painted and uninViting houses. The Lit
tie Rock OF today is the city Of cottages.
Well built, well Kept. each in It's lwn yard
and beautiied by its own rose bushes.
The city is attractive far beyond the av-
erage Of its class in population
The spirit Of industry is one Of the
gratifying exhibits in connection with
Little Rocks evolution. Young men Of
the best families work. The old aristo-
cratic feeling which made toilers OF some
and drones of d few is one OF the things
departed. In a recent day sons OF two OF
the wealthieSt men in Arkansas We're met
at their VOCatiOns. One was plying his
pen as a stenOgrapher. and an expert he
NTAAh n ha
in working clothes, was testing a new
method OF COMPRISING cotton. an inven-
ton Of his own. and the result Of several
years Of intense application.
Ii is impossible to write about prosper-
ity in Arkansas, ana entirely divorce
politics. Republican league has be-
come with rapidity rather startling to
the old politicians, one OF the factors in
the state. 1t is composed largely Of
young men. And among these active
aggressive members are sons of Demo-
cratic fathers, representatives of the old
Southern families of the state. The spirit
OF industry and of ambition in the direc-
ton OF the states progress mas by natu.
raj transition carried these young men
from the party Of bourbonism into the
Republican organization.
Those ID Republicans are getting all
Of the best houses in town an old Ar
kansas colonel remarked in Little Rock
street car the other evening a. ne noted
some recent real estate changes and i'm
proyements and commented fOrcibly-
llG +AIhdllSt~ tOlOntl = observation was
accurate. In architectural design, and
especially in artistic finish, there isn't
anything else in Little Rock to compare
with the residence of Col. a. S. Fowler
an Ohio man. who persisted in casting the
one Arkansas vote for William Mckinley
at Minneapolis in 1892. Local talent uD-
der the direction Of Col. Fowler, whose
sense of harmony in coloring would have
made him an adept with the brush ii he
hadn't gone to war when he was a bow
and then devoted himself to money max
ing in 4 decidedly warlike atmosphere at
Little Rock following the supposed END
Of hostilities. The Fowler house is the
marvel Of Northern visitors 50 fortunate
as to inspect the interior.
Republicans are taking advanced posi-
tons in the social, commercial and indus.
trial life of the Arkansas capital. And
what Is more significant they are doing so
with the sympathy of many OF the best
themselves Democrats but reject the
present creed Of their wandering party.
There are more men in Little Rock, popu-
lation considered voting ana damninp
the Democratic ticket than in any other
southern city. No expectation is enter
tanned here that Bryan is to be elected
and there would be a bitter regret III ad-
vance i such result was thought prob
a Bile.
Il am going 70 vote for Bryan" one o:
the oldest and most widely known Demo-
Gratis of Little Rock said a few days since
adding before he completed his sentence.
Il hope he will not be elected, and /
know he will not be"
This is the position Of thousands of thu
best elements Of the state. il might be
said. The same sentiment showed itself
in the recent state election II cut the
usual Democratic majority. II would
have defeated the Democratic candidate
for governor if well wishes had been
equivalent to votes The old proscrip-
tive spirit against Republicans is waning
in Arkansas. 1t has disappeared in many
places as regards social and business re-.
lations. 1t is receiving successive stock
in politics.