The Mena weekly star., 1910-04-14
HONOR ARKANSAS
 CONFEDERATE DEAD
Gen. Shaver, Asked to Locate Site for Monument On Battlefield of Shiloh, Will Give Lecture to Aid
 the Fund.
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor of The Star:
 1 Dear Sir:-I gladly avail myself of your kind offer of the use of your columns that an opportunity may be afforded to lay before the good peo- pie of the city of Mena and Polk county matter that 1 am fully per- suaded will attract both special and general attention, and with great force appeal to the generous consid- eration and thoroughly enlist the good will and tender sympathy of every loyal and patriotic Arkansan. regardless of past affiliations or old animosities engendered by the war between the states.
 The matter briefly stated embodies an effort and purpose to pay tribute to the memory of the Arkansas dead who, AS years ago offered up their lives on the bloody Battlefield of Shiloh. Though not generally known. 1t IS nevertheless fact. that each and every state, Union and Confed- crate, that participated in this battle, except Arkansas. has with loving memory and tender solicitude reared on that sanguinary spot memorial monuments of granite and rich, stately shafts of marble to com memorate and mourn thelr honored dead, and to transmit to posterity the story of the valor and heroism of their ancestors, that finds no par allel in all the annals of war of which we have any accounts or record.
 So far. the humiliating fact con- fronts us, that Arkansas has neg lected and failed to perform a duty to her dead soldiers who sleep be- meath the sod of this classic ground, the odium of which reflects disgrace on the good name of the state, and is cause of shame and mortifica- tion to every good citizen.
 The Daughters of the Confeder- acy of the state several years ago took the matter in hand, and, after long, tedious and strenuous effort, and under difficulties and in the face of obstacles almost unsurmountable, at last succeeded in raising the sum of $3000, and with this modest sum. without aid of any kind from the state, have contracted for a monu- ment, and as soon as the site can be fixed will proceed to have it put in place.
 am in receipt of letters from the lady commissioners, asking me to locate the site, and in connection with this request, state that there is small amount of about $l25 that will be required to complete the erection of the monument.
 The city of Mena is the only city of the first class that has no Chap ter of the Daughters of the Confed- eracy, circumstance which readily accounts for the fact that neither Mena nor Polk county has been called on to contribute to the fund for the monument. By request of the Daughters, and prompted by a deep sense of the obligation of my duty to my dead conn ades, and dis posed to do all in my power to com plete the placing of the monument, l have adopted. as the best I can do, the plan of d lecture on "The Battle of Shiloh" to be given on the even- ing of the 18th of April, 1910, at the Davis opera house, the free use of which has been promptly and cheerfully offered me for that pur- pose by Dr. ]. R. Davis, the pro- prietor.
 Having adopted the lecture plan. 1 feel that ought to deal fairly with my hearers by telling them that assume the role with profound dis trust of my ability to render satis- factory return to my hearers for the money invested. Be that as it may. there still remains the consoIing thought that the entire proceeds of the lecture. be it large or small, will go to the completion of the monu- ment.
 The state of Arkansas has abund- ant cause to be proud of the record made by her troops in this battle. The courage. valor and heroism of her troops were not exceeded by those of any state, North or South. Out of an aggregate of something like 4800 that entered the engage ment, the casualties amounted to near 400 killed and 1250 wounded.
 Waiving the fact that our state government is open to the grave charge of gross deriliction of duty to the states heroic dead, neverthe- less, in this connection it cannot be truthfully said that the people of Arkansas are in any respect wanting in loyalty or state pride, or that they are obtuse or slow to discern or appreciate the measure of their obligations in the line of their duties and responsibilities in any and all matters affecting the honor and reputation of the state, when the same is presented to and fairly lad before them. 1 have such faith and trust in the great big heart of this people that feel assured that thay will make a cheerful and liberal