Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-09-19
ARKANSAS SOCIETY
ACTIVE SINCE 1910.
Meetings of States Citizens
in Capital Have Been Held
FOR 35 Years, However.
~ MARGARET b. DOWNING.

Arkansas organized a state society
N 1910, along with some dozen others
At these local clubs, but, as in many
'1s.ances It citizens had been gather
ffg in social sense for almost 30
Iars previously. When the eloquent
nmes *. Jones, Senator from that
'':ace and the able manager of the
F%cond GSover Cleveland campaign,
'.s in public life, he, Mrs. Jones and
'nnir daughters were active in promOt-
tx these informal gatherings, and
ss.>ther back, when Cleveland was
~ Igurated for the first time, the en-
nee of citizen of the State, Au
titus H. Garland, into the cabinet
-,aas tittingly observed. The present
active and prosperous society dates
from October, 1910, and it's first meet
ing was coincident with the opening
Of Congress Hall, where SO many of
its most brilliant functions have been
staged.
Representative William A. Oldfield
presided at the meeting, and among
his associates at that time in Con
Scess were Joseph Taylor Robinson,
now in the Senate: Robert Bruce
Mason, John Charles Floyd and Ben
Eravens, all of whom became charter
members with John Garrett White
side, Jerry South Matthews Williams
md Gilbert l.. Smith. About $50 local
citizens of the state attended this I'M
tai meeting.
From its inception the Arkansas So
c.ety has combined the usual social
features which create corCia CO
operation and understanding between
the members with an earnest and dill
gent effort TO make the resources of
the State known to the citizens oI
other commonwealthS dwelling in the
National Capital. The meetings We're
held monthly for several years and
usually at Congress Hail. but it soon
became apparent that better results
were to be obtained by fewer AND
! ore concentrated efforts. For the
J @.t five years there have been but
hree social meetings. one grand
anquet. held at Mardi Gras; two
canoes and card parties combined.
Business Meeting in Fall.
There is d business meeting in DC
tober. when the program for the Win
Ter is arranged and a careful schedule
made OF Just what features of Ar
Kansas history. of it's industrial devel
opments and cultural progress, are to
be expanded ~ the speeches which
precede all the meetings. Senator
Robinson and Representative Oldfield.
who remain in Congress. are among
the most constant attendants, and
they speak before the society at least
twice annually. Senator CaraWay is
also a loyal member of his State So
ciety Senator Robinson. who adj
dressed the association at its last
meeting, took great pride in elaborat-
ing the fact that the Hot Springs Ma.
tional Park of Arkansas is the only
one of the series of national parks
which is self supporting. the Govern
ment having to pay nothing for its
maintenance.
Another of Arkansas unique pos
sessions is the only diamond mine in
the United States officially accepted
as such by rhe Bureau of MineraioGy
and which. though not producing at
the present time, has, according to
experts. most promising future
When Senator Caraway is talking Of
The resources of the State he draws
an eloquent picture of the failure OF
crops In adjacent regions, but Ar
kansas has, because of abundant
mineral springs. the number of large
rivers and splendid forests. never
known a failure of crops or anything
remotely resembling a famine. Repre-
sentative Oldticld can talk very at
t"actively of his State and does SO not
only before the Arkansas Society
but also thns" of the neighboring
States of Missouri. Oklahoma and
Kansas about the rice crops, which
s'npaSS those OF Louisiana and South
carolina combined. and of the peach
orchards. three or four of which are
l""cc.' than all of the area which
at renowned peach State. Delaware,
q votes to this crop.
Merritt First President.
senator Caraway has served the So
G. ty as president, as have nIt.l'
Crimson and several Of the members
Congress-. Tho first president was
dw;r T. Merritt. deputy commis-
.>,n..e: of Indian affairs. Mr.. Merritt
9rcd an able and energetic eXeCu-
- but his duties called him away
VA the city very often, and after
I terms he was succeeded by Irwin
.3F. Al this time the society de-
81" 10 hold its meetings in the
] '.Ei;hn School. going to Congress
ior the banquet and balls which
n.art-"d the social year. Activities for