Newport weekly independent., 1902-09-05
INTERESTING. INTERVIEW.
Hon. John H. Keel Discusses Arkan-
 ssas Politics To Reporter For Col v orado Springs Labor News and N Boosts His Home State.


 X Labor News came across Hon. John N HI. Keel, member of the Arkansas # Legislature for the past six years. Mir, s Keel is a characteristic southerner and is possessed of that genial hos ! pitallty that so marks the southern people. In the course of the conver- sation MT. Keel was asked what he thought of the chances of Gov. Davis of Arkansas, succeeding Senator Jas. H. Berry in the United States Senate. "Governor Davis is the idol of the working class of Arkansas and a staunch and true friend to the mem bers of organized labor,n said Mr, Keel, ."and he will without doubt be the choice of the legislature as well.n
 "What do you think of cool Colo rado?" queried the reporter.
 SWell, from what I have seen of it. l like 1t fine," said MT. Keel. "Its climate is delightful and it's people are courteous and hospitable. From q health standpoint it is certainly an ideal country, but from standpoint of agriculture, Arkansas leads this or nearly every other state, for that mat ter'
 "What part of Arkansas do you hail from MT. Keel, and what are the chief products of your section?"
 "I live at Newport, in the north eastern part of Arkansas on the White river. Cotton and corn are the chief products but the soil will produce al- most any plant common to the tenn perate zone. The production of from fifty to one hundred bushels of corn per acre, and from half a bale to a bale and half of cotton per acre, is not an uncommon occurrence in my county. Besides these products, wheat, oats, rye, barley and Irish potatoes are grown in abundance. Wood and water are plentiful, and are absolutely free to the renter. We have a free school of from three to- ten months annually in every com munity."
 "But what about your governor? He is said to be demagogue of the most radical type"
 "Well right there is where the peo- pie abroad are misinformed. When chief executive of any state is striv- ing to have fair and free compe- tltion in the sale of all articles of com merce for the people of his common wealth, as Gov. Davis has been doing TOT years, 1t IS an easy matter for some of our modern trusts to have the newspapers which they control islander said executive, and this is ex- actly what they have done in the case of Gov Davis. No public official was ever more indignantly slandered than this youthful governor of Arkan- sas, and yet he has gone steadily on lighting sin, Satan and the devil, backed up at all times by the great producing classes of his state, ire spective of party or politics.
 "He reformed the state charitable institutions and defeated United States Senator Jas. K. Jones, the chief or ganizer. of the Round Bale Cotton Trust, for his fourth term in the United States Senate. He is now using his best efforts towards secur- Ing the passage of just and equitable anti trust law, and we are certain to secure this law, at the next session of our legislature.'''
 "Would not the driving out of the Standard Oil Company and other great trusts that are furnishing the necessaries of life, work hardship on your people?" asked the reporter.
 Yes, that is true. It would for a While. But we propose to put men aoove money, and we are willing to go back to the old tallow candle and nome made brooches regime rather than let an insolent trust have us at its mercy.
 We welcome capital into our state, and we are going to see that it has proper protection, that is, that the pig corporations shall not freeze out the little ones. We want law that will stimulate competition, and that law we shaH,strive to attain.
 II see from the papers," said the newspaper man, 'that Gov Davis is nlmself candidate to succeed United Sfnt1 C