The Van Buren press., 1912-06-08
SAVING THE OLD STATEHOUSE

been our home, We dove IT, 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 souls we shall continue to
fight for the preservation OF the old
state capitol
When the old statehouse was built.
Mr. President, the population OF the
state was small. There was but 1T
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 a financial view point
what does ito proposed sale mean to
us today? Fifteen cents to each In
diyidual In the state. Mr.. President,
haven't yen fifteen cents worth Of
sentiment wrapped up In that old
building? God pity the stlngy, 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 1t, and how happy
they must have been over their handl.
work when It was finished.
Sentiment! Yes, Mr.. President, I
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 knave,
unworthy TO be called son OF Arkan-
sas, A man who would take fifteen
cents for his interest In that building
Is too sordld and mean and low to be
respected even by the local editor OF
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 II he wants
to see 1t bartered out to the greedy
spectators and have those beautiful
historic old grounds denuded OF forest
trees and desecrated with modern
buildings.
Mr. President, II we can't muster
fifteen cents worth OF sentiment TO tho
individual In Arkansas; II we can't
save the old statehouse from destruc.
ton; II we have become 30 complete
! ly commerclall2ed that every public
act must be measured In terms OF dol.
lars and Gents; then let us memorable
congress TO convey the obelsk on
Bunker Hin into a bean oven, bridge
the Potomac with Washlngton's monu-
ment and change the sacred grounds
OF Mount Vernon into z national con.
wet farm, II there Is no other spirit
In our state or nation but the spirit
OF commercialism, then let us be com.
mercal.
But, MIR. President, II we are com.
pletely commercIallzed II our souls
are dead to every patriotic sentiment;
where, oh whore, Is the spirit OF chi.
yalry that has ever been the boosted
possession OF Southern manhood? Our
mothers and wives and sisters and
daughters are crying uut to US 10 save
the old statehouse. Can we turn
deaf ear TO womanhood' Can we TX.
more the culture and refinement and
beauty and sweet sentiment OF tho
fair women OF our state2 The women
have been our silent partners all these
years. They have been truo TO us in
prosperity and In adversely. They
have labored ard tolled side by side,
silently, but faithfully with tho lord.
ly men for the development OF Arkan.
sns and the advancement OF our civic
and social conditions For the first
time they make direct appeal 10 our
chyalry and our manhood. They do
not demand, az they have a right TO,
that we save the old statehouso-
statehouse-lhey come 70 us appeal.
ingly, pleadlngly, begging us not to
barter away this old heirloom that
their mothers and fathers loved so
dearly, and which TO them Ia doaror
than all the money IN Arkansas,
Mr. President have you fifteen cents
worth Of pHtrIotlsm9 Have you fifteen
cents worth OF sentiment Have you
fifteen cents worth OF respect for tho
memory Of our patriotic, pioneer dead7
Have you fifteen cents worth OF love
and admiration for our womanhoody
Have you fifteen cents worth OF chlv.
alry7 Then let us unto In one do.
tcrmlned, patriotic band, and say to
tho women OF our beloved state, 60
dry your tears; tho house shall not DO
sold"