The Mena weekly star., 1911-08-31

Iportions of the graduating essay Iof Miss Emma Moore of the Lcwls- lvile High school. The essay as a
 whole is clevcr and carries with it
 not only a just pride in "our Ar
 kansas but gives sound and sufil-
 cient reasons for this pride.
 ""The heavens declare the glory
 of God and the Armament show
 eth His handiwork. Day unto day
 uttereth speech; and night unto
 night soweth knowledge.
 The appearance of a new star
 in the heavens has always produced
 great deal of interest on the part
 of all people, and especially as- ltronomers. The newcomer is from
 the very outset watched critically;
 the trying ordeal of what is termed spectral analysis awaits it; and
 finally, after it's exact position in
 respect to other stars and celestial
 bodies has been determined, there
 is begun the process of discovering | it's influences and effect upon the solar system.
 What is true in this respect of the Armament above is equally
 true of the American Armament
 below.
 On June i5, 1886, there appeared
 upon the horizon of our national
 existence a new star-the great
 State of Arkansas. Before this
 time but twenty-four of these
 heavenly bodies adorned the Star Spangled Banner. But on the ad- missiono of Arkansas Territory as a state, the blue of our national flag was diminished by so much, and there shone out instead the white
 star of Statehood, the tweaty-iifth | iii tine Union.
 True Co our astronomical figure, Arkansas has for the past 75 years stood in the lime light subject to the criticisms of all--both good and bad.
 As a result of this criticism her exact geographical position and size in respect to other states has been determined; the quality of her citizenship and the wonderful pos abilities wrapped up in her inl- portance as state and her in- fluence in sustaining our national existence is commanding not only the love of those within her bounds but the admiration of those with out.
 By consulting the map one finds that Arkansas belongs to that group |of states known as the central group, and being situated in the southern part of this group, lies between thirty and thirty-nye de- |grees latitude, and ninety and nine ty five degrees longitude. She is bounded on the north by Missouri, on the east by Mississippi river, (which separates her from Tennes- see and Mississippi on the south by Louisiana, with Texas touching the southwest corner. The state is nearly square in form, each side measuring about 250 miles, and cov- CTS an area of 53,335 square miles, of which BIO are water. She ranks twenty-third in size among the states of the Union.
 Thus we see that her situation af- lords one of the most pleasant, healthful and productive climates in the United States; while her size makes her a very important factor in both politics and production.
 Having thus located definitely "The Twenty-fifth Star" we now come to the discussion of her nat ural resources and chief produc- tions.
 Up to the close of the civil war Arkansas had been merely a pass ing ground for those who, hearing that the west offered golden op- portunities, conceived of the greater opportunity as laying fartherest west. Now and then, however, there came one who saw in the stage the great lum- Der industry of the south, the vast 1 beds of useful minerals, and, as a | great sustaining basis, a splendid | variety of fertile lands.
 Although her virgin forests have as yet been merely touched, Ar kansas annual yield of lumber and | timber products is valued at the | sum of S35,000,000. She | boasts today of having located with in her bounds the largest saw-mill | in the south, together with | S5i smaller plants employing all to- gether more than 25,000 wage earn CTS.
 But pursuing our discussion fur ther, we find that, in addition to her boundless forests, Arkansas holds within her bosom i49 kinds of mineras--more varieties titan are found upon any equal area of the entire globe.
 Although the lack of transporta- ton facilities has delayed the de- of the mineral resources of the state, mining i'll some direc- tions is steadily growing.
 The coal output has increased from i,l47,000 tons i'll 1900 to about 2,500,00 tons at present.
 We shall now simply indicate some of the conditions existing at present in manufacturing. transpor- tation and banking. But little man. is carried on in the stale. Ael -ts.se taee vaiue Of manufacturing products has more than doubled