The Harrison times., 1904-08-20

my ton there mas been paid
to these old war-scarred veterans $685.
o51-34 or more than double the amount
paid by the administration of my pre-
decessor, or, in fact, of any other gov
ernor that ever served in Arkansas.
and to these veterans of the Lost Cause
l submit this question: Did l not, by
my message on assuming the duties of
the governor office. recommend and
have passed bill increasing the tax
alton d quarter of mill on all property
in this state for the payment OF your
pensions? Does this look unfriendly?
Isn't it such a record that every Dem
| Ucrat in Arkansas might feet proud
| of?
THE MART VOWEL CASE
But, in some sections of the state.
| the Confederate soldiers because per
mitted one Mart Vowel, who shot and
murdered William Lovejoy, in Clay
| county, to be hanged. Let me Just
give you the history of this case:
L am aware of the fact that d false
state by the paid attorney of Vowel,
| supplemented by few designing ex-
COnfederates of Little Rock, that have
sent telegre1ns to each camp in Ar
kansas OF d.. ir.fI1arin atory nature,
urging them to wire and impof tue,
me to commute the sentence of this
unfortunate man. These camps did
so without knowing the facts. Now
L shall give them to you.
Mart Vowel had killed not only this
man but others, during his eventful
career y good old Confederate sold
ler from Tennessee came to Arkansas
to see him hanged. And while on the
scdHold this man made a statement to
numerous citizens who witnessed the
execution that Mart Vowel killed his
brother in Tennessee, shot him
through the head, and that his broth
er'S brains spattered in his face, and
that he came all the way to Arkansas
to see him hanged He killed another
man while digging a grave in Clay
county. He shot a poor boy while
asleep at his sawmill. This boys
| mother came to see me to tell me the
awful details of this tragedy, but 1 re-
| fused to listen Last, but not least, he
killed and murdered William Loveioy.
| as true, as brave and as gentle a Con-
| federate soldier as ever faced d blue
coat or charged d battery. He killed
him without provoca.ion, without
warning, shot him twice with a double
barreled shotgun. Lovejoy fell dead.
He then went to his buggy, some dis
tance away, and got a 4+-calibre pistol
and shot him through the head while
lying prostrate on the ground. Would
any Confederate soldier in this state
justify this conduct? Would anv Com
federate soldier say that this is in
keeping with that bravery and ci1iva1-
~ so characteristic of our gallant
troops All, my feI1ow-citizens, no
man lives on this earth who paws
higher tribute or greater homage to
these old battle-sCarred veterans than
myself. And if, in my official career,
1 can make the pathway down the
western slope of their lives more pleas
ant stnd agreeable: if I car r;f. .u-~
burden from their stopped shoulders,
to make life easier for them, l shall
feel that have accomplished a great
good for the Shattered fragments of a
grand army. And look with pride
to the fact that, during my three years
of adIrliBistfa twice as much
money has been paid them in the mat
ter of pensions as has ever been paid
during the administration of any other
governor of Arkansas. Now, let the
traducers, let the slanderers, let those
who would destroy me with this grand
body of our citizenship, submit to them
these figures and let them be the judg
es as to my feelings.
GOvEKNOK's POSITION AS TO SCHOOLS.
1t has been charged in this state
that, because my message has not
bristled with suggestions upon school
matters, 1 am not friendly to public
schools. Gentlemen, my education,
limited as it IS, was acquired in the
public schools of Arkansas. We have
IIiC DSSl puO4IC SCIlOOL SYSTEM Ol d1S
state in the Union. We pay as much
for the education of the negroes in
Arkansas as does Massachusetts for
the education of white children. Our
system of school education is
almost perfect i'll its every detail.
During the administration of the state
government under the Democratic
rule, school houses have dotted every
hill, upon every plain and in every
valley. Education has become pos
sibIe for every child in Arkansas, and
l am glad to say that, during my ad-
ministratiou of three years, we have
paid about S500,0OO more to the public
school fund in this state than the ad-
ministration of any other governor
that ever occupied the executive chair.
Let me submit you the figures:
During the years of 1898, 1899 and
1900 there was paid to the common
schools of this state from the state
treasury 81 ,276, ,SSO-74 During the
years of 1901, 1902 and 1908, while I
have been your governor, there has
been paid to the common school fund
from the state treasury 81, 500, ,O52. 81.
Is this not showing that any Dem
ocrat can feel proud of? Is it not