The courier-index., 1919-06-06
LITTLE ROCK LETTER
fRv Clio Harper)

Little Rock, June 2.-One of the most interesting financial situations developed by the war is that Amerl- ca has become nation of govern nent bond holders.
 Pulaski county alone has bought more than $15, 100000 worth of Liberty Bonds, and while many of the original purchasers have already sold their bonds, by far the greater proportion is held by them as re- serve.
 There is no means of determln- ing just how large volume o1 OoV- ernment securities is held m the state. but a valuable index IS found in the amount owned by and on de- posit with the 400 state banks.
 The barometer of bond holding IS one of the most interesting. For wears the statements issued by the Rank Commissioner showed only s2.O4O in government bonds held by all the state banks of Arkansas. That was the amount reported No vember 10, 1915. By March 5, 1917 the upward trend had started with S14,995.57 reported. Just two years later however the miracle was fully accomplished, and there was in the state banks a total of S11 ,836,879.80 This does not include the bonds held by the national banks of the state. nor the even larger amounts that are filed away in desks and safe deposits.
 All of this tremendous sum is a | reserve, an aggregate saving, de- pendable resource the people have never had before. Those who are holding government bonds are as never before well-equipped hnan- eially. There is more money Tn the state than ever before for the lifting | of mortgages, the financing of devel- | opment projects, the running ex- penses of living, and investment in enterprises which ordinary folks have never before been able to ne- gotiate.
 Here is a strawberry story that has not been published before:
 Two years ago party of twenty one progressive citizens of DeQueen, with a vision, organized company | to go into strawberry raising, new industry in Sevier county. They | bought 60 acres of virgin land north | of DeQueen and cleared the 60 | acres, selling enough timber to pay | for the work, with balance of $85 over Last year they raised and marketed their first crop for $9,000 representing S6,700 net, bought some Liberty bonds, declared 20 per cent dividend, and saved enough to put in this years crop. This spring they took in 25 acres more, sold $12,380 worth of the berries, made $S,000 net, declared an 80 per cent dividend, and leaving enough in the treasury for another years crop. Shares originally sold at S25 are selling now as high as $40, and none for sale at that price. Others are catching the fever, and now many others are planting strawber- ries.
 Much has been said about the sugar saved in Arkansas that furn- ished candy to the A. E. F. last Christmas. Governor Brough has just received the following interest ing letter from Major George S. Bryan, U. s. A., stationed at Qued- hnburg, Germany:
 "l bring to you a message for the people of Arkansas message from the hearts of an American detach- ment in the heart of Germany.
 Tt is a relatively small matter, simple thing about which I will write; yet these small matters, these simple things, are, after all, the Real Things of Life; for they speak language of unselfshness, of Pat