New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-19
ARKANSAS NOW
COMING AWAKE
A Slow, Elemental People
Suddenly Stirred by Eco
nomiC Ambition.
By ARCHER WALL DOUGLAS.
st. Louis, August II.


st. Louis, August II.
In the beginning environment is thu
dominant influence in the history OF
rare. And the native force Of the peo'
ple afterward is the measure Of thel'
progress. Not so long ago Arkansas
was a byword and a reproach for slow
ness. and yet for radicalism among
many in the unknowing East. Capital
which always takes counsel of its fears
refused to invest in state where So
called "freak legislation" abounded and
where capital was the target for at
tack. As usual, neither capital nor the
other side realized that misunderstood
inss Of any length and moment usually,
in the beginning, have some foundation
Of facts. however afterward they may
become distorted. Also that such mis-
understandings always arise from the
mutual lack of endeavor to comprehend
the other fellows point OF view.
Much of the environment of the peo-
ME of the state was of kind whose
advantages and opportunities could be
brought out only by courage and deter
mination. The greater part OF the
Northern and Western regions were
continuation OF the Ozark Ranges that
likewise cover the southern half OF
Missouri. Some of the counties to-day
arc untouched by railroads and many
more know Of only one line. The reg
ular roads, like all mountain trails, are
difficult to keep up, and rarely easy OF
passage.
Elemental Material.
The people in the mountains are
most elemental in their ways, customs
and ideas. Like the hill people in some
other Southern States, they have been
dubbed "Hill Billies" as term OF re-
proach by those who fail to perceive
their strong, virile qualities and natu-
raj capabilities. Because Of their iso-
lation, they arc most conservative ana
often suspicious of those new ideas and
customs, whose worth he's first to be
pr,yed before accorded reception. For
in the last analysis, modern civiliza-
ton and constant and easy communl-
cation and interchange of ideas are
Synonymous.
The remainder of the state is largely
plain country, heavily forested, but
with extensive malarial swamps IN
many Of the fertile sections. If one
section needed good roads the other
equally needed draining Of the fever
breeding marshes. Especially this lat
ter was and is true along that meal
culably rich territory, the delta of the
Mississippi. whose problem still is the
prevention of those constant overhows
which attend each great food of the
Father of the Waters.
Draining the Swamps.
Consequently the draining of swamp
lands is a proposition of great mo-
ment to the people of Arkansas, and
how thoroughly they appreciate this
fact is shown by the statement that
over $50 900, 900 has been expended for
such purposes during the last three
years, aud the movement is only in its
inception.
Now, Arkansas has all sorts of natu-
raj resources. There are great coal de-
rosits and many untouched deposits of
iron, zinc and lead. There is some cop
bel and nickel, much manganese and
more gypsum than in all the rest OF
the Union. There are extensive beds OF
Ignite, milestone. grindstones, porce-
lain clay and building stones. There
are all manner of hardwoods on the
mountains and great forests of yellow
pire in the plains. All the fruits, vege-
table and agricultural products of the
temperate zone are grown in great
abundance.
Now, all these resources and their
J possibilities of development were
known long, long ago. and were the
subject of many orations and more
resolutions by boosters clubs, all of
which things got nowhere. SO one day,
slowly at first and then with accumu-
lating emphasis, the people Of Arkan-
saa began to change their economic
faith, and their belief in the god of
things as they are gave place to that in
the god of things as they should be, for
the latter is the religion of progress.
The Spirit.
The feeling that brought about this
was typified to me in tour
! made through the state few years
ago in a quest for knowledge. stopped
overnight at little town Of some
9 900 inhabitants in the centre Of the
state. | was not much impressed at