The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-15
ARKANSAS \
 STATE Al
Stormy Politics Give
 Industrial Peace
BROOKS-BAXTER STRUGGLE
In Reconstruction Days Arkansas Was Seriously Threatened With Civil War-Stories of Some of
 States Great Men.
BY FREDERIC j. HAsKlN.

BY FREDERIC ]. HAsKlN.
 Arkansas was the twelfth state to be added to the union of the original thirteen colonies Her star first blazed in the blue field of Old Glory seventy-one years ago today Her aplication for state hood was the cause of many bitter de- bates in Congress. The slavery questicl was paramount then, and when she was admitted it was the result of a com promise. The Ohio anti-slavery members of Congress desired a definite settlement of a state boundary line, and the terri tory of Michigan wanted to come in as tree state. The Ohio and Michigan forces consolidated with the Arkansas advocates, and it was agreed that the two new states should come in, one free and one slave. John Quincy Adams led the opposition in the House. Arkansas was admitted on June 15 1S36, and Mich igan came in the next January.
 Arkansas has suffered more than any other state because of joke. The, Arkan- sas Traveller was a good story that was kept alive by ripping good, tune for liG dN6id dBt liuulcl, diu AnCiC nay HoNS been n baokwoods prototype for the man who was so monumentally indinerent to patching his roof. But no state would care to be known to fame by the stand ard of it's most shiftless citizen. There fore Arkansas rebels against the Arkan- sas traveller idea.
 Few of the states have more varied or abundant resources. The buckshot soil of the Mississippi bottoms in Ark ansas produces cotton in almost incred- ible abundance. The western part of the state has as good corn land as may be found anywhere. The hills and mountains grow apples that cannot be beaten in the world for quality or quantity. Coal and zinc and lead underlie her hills in great abundance. Her forests have scarcely been touched by the axe, and there Is a greater percentage of virgin timber here than in any other state.
 The first white man to enter Arkansas was De Soto, who crossed the Missis- sippi river, which he discovered, and went far into the interior of what is now Arkansas. DeSoto was i'll, even then, and the Indians told him of a wonder full healing spring They took him there he bathed in it's hot waters and was much bencGted. The Hot Springs of Arkansas are now a federal reservation and many thousands of persons go there each year in search of health. The In- dians knew the virtues of these springs and from their tales the credulous Span iards created the story of the Fountain of Eternal Youth. DeSoto died in Ark ansas and was buried either In the Missls- sippi or In the Arkansas rfeer near It's mouth. That was in 1541. sixty-six years before the settlement of Jamestown.
 
 me first permanent settlement on the Mississippi, and the first settlement in the great territory of Louisiana was at Arkansas Post. This was established by the Chevalier Henri de Tonti, the man with the iron hand, twelve years before D'1berville built his fort at Biloxi, which was the forerunner of the New Orleans settlement. De Tonti is known as "the Father of Arkansas"
 John Law, the Scotch financier who duped the French nation with his Mis- sissippi bubble, sent a colony of Ger mans Into Arkansas, but with the burst Ing of the bubble they deserted and went south into Louisiana to settle "the Ger man coast" The little post de Tonti had set up lived, but did not grow. When 1t was hundred years old 1t boasted of but l96 persons. When the territory of Louisiana was bought by MT. Jefferson and became a part of the United States Arkansas Post had but 800 inhabitants. No sooner had the stars and stripes been unfurled, however until there was a tide or immigration from the states on the other side of the Mississippi The two little settlements at Arkansas Post and Hopefield were soon to have scores of rivals
 The population had grown so much that on the Fourth of July, 1879, the present state began It's separate existence as Ar kansas territory. James Miller of New Hampshire, the hero of Lundy's Lane. was appointed governor but he failed to arrive at once and the duties of the posi- ton fell upon the shoulders of Robert Crittenden of Frankfort, Ky, the ap- pointed secretary of the territory Crit tenden was only 22 years old but he took hold without hesitation, convened legis- lature and organized government
 It is remarkable coincidence that the neighboring states of Arkansas and Louis jana should both have been started off or their careers by men so young Governor William c. c. Claiborne, whom Jefferson appointed governor of the whole territory of Louisiana, and who was first governor of the state of that name, was the young est man who ever served in Congress- He was elected to Congress when barely 22 and served two terms as the successor or Andrew Jackson, although he h not reached the age of 20 as requiredny the constitution. Crittenden, the fatber Of Arkansas politics, was the brother of John J. Crlttenden, the great Kentucky senator. He died before Arkansas be came Stdle- 00u3
 Matthew Lyon, late of Vermonts ' picturesque character who was sold
 Ireland to New England in slavery iTal yoke of oxen, and whose favorite 4si 4 was By the bulls that bought me-" ss1 a candidate for delegate to Congressm the first territorial election in Arkansas. Brilliant as his record was, he was ldc- feated by James Woodson. Ambrose oIi Sever, ,one of the greatest men the state has produced, went five times as delegate from the territory, and 1t was he who
 "aged the fight for statehood.
 he state was admitted and Sevier
 -hley had been sent to the
 'N fight which had -as removed t.