The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1912-06-07

been our hCme. We Iove IL. we honor
It, We revere it. And, SO help us
God, as long as there is one single
spark of patriotic, manly sentiment
left in our Sc uls we shall continue to
fight for the preservation of the old
state capitol.
When the old statenouse was built,
Mr. President, the population of the
state was small. There was but lit
tie wealth to be taxed; and the old
building, though of but little money
value today represents many years of
high taxes and hard times for our par
ents. But from financial view point
what does its proposed sale mean to
us today? Fifteen cents to each in
dividual in the state. Mr.. President,
hay en't you fifteen cents worth of
sentiment wrapped up in that old
building? God pity the stingy, sordid
misery soul who would sell his inter
est in that precious old heirloom, not
for fifteen cents but for fifteen hun.
dred dollars, when he remembers how
his father and his mother labored and
toiled and sweated and were burdened
with taxes to build ii, and how happy
they must have been over their handi-
work when it was finished.
Sentiment Yes, Mr.. President,
am sentimental enough to say that
any citizen of Arkansas who is will
ling to sell his interest in the old
statehouse for fifteen cents is a knave,
unworthy to be called a son of Arkan-
sas A man who would take fifteen
cents for his interest IN that building
respected even by the local editor OF
a country newspaper.
Sentiment! Ask that old father,
stopped with toll and bent with age,
living now in the childhood of his de-
clining years, when the dreams of the
hereafter and the sweet sentiment of
earlier memories form the staff upon
which he leans in his advancing years
ask that old father II he would sell
his interest in the old state capitol
for fifteen cents. Ask him if he wants
TO see it bartered out to the greedy
SPECTATORS and have those beautiful
historic old grounds denuded of forest
trees and desecrated with modern
buildings.
Mr.. President, if we can't muster
fifteen cents worth of sentiment to the
individual in Arkansas; if we can't
save the old statehouse from destruc-
ton; if we have become so complete
ly concentrated that every public
act must be measured in terms of dol
lars and cents; then let us memorable
congress to convey the obelisk on
Bunker Hill into a bean oven bridge
the Potomac with Washfngton's monu-
ment, and change the sacred grounds
of Mount Vernon into national con-
vict farm. If there is no other spirit
in our state or nation but the spirit
of commercialism, then let US be com
mercial
But, Mr.. President, If we are CON-
pletely commercialized il our souls
are dead to every patriotic sentiment;
where, oh where, is the spirit of CHI
valry that has ever been the boosted
BOooCSSlOi VI oOulutIn lIldllUOOu ouT
mothers and wives and sisters and
daughters are crying out to us to save
the old statehouse. Can we turn a
deaf ear to womanhood? Can we ig-
more the culture and refinement and
beauty and sweet sentiment of the
fair women of our state? The women
have been our silent partners all these
years. They have been true to US in
prosperity and in adversely They
have labored and toiled side by side,
silently, but faithfully, with the lord
ly men for the development OF Arkan.
sas and the advancement of our civic
and social conditions. For the first
time they make direct appeal to our
chivalry and our manhood. They do
not demand, as they have right to.
that we save the old statehouse-their
statehouse-they come 10 Us appeal
ingly. pleadingly, begging us not to
barter away this old heirloom that
their mothers and fathers loved so
dearly, and which to them is dearer
than all the money In Arkansas
vi. ioolucht, nave you lllteeH Genus
worth of patriotism? Have you fifteen
cents worth of sentiment? Have you
fifteen cents worth OF respect for the
memory of our patriotic, pioneer dead?
Have you fifteen cents worth of love
and admiration for our womanhood?
Have you fifteen cents worth of chiv-
airy? Then let us unite in one de-
termined patriotic band. and say to
the women of our beloved state, Go
dry your tears; the house shall not be
sold"
The best medicine in the world for