ARKANSAS. 



31 



rights. Our native land, whole and without a stain, 

 shall link us equally with the past and the future. 



The credit and wealth of the nation are apparent in 

 every way, now that it is felt that peace and order are 

 firmly established. The receipts at the custom-house 

 in the capital for the last six months exceed by 1,045,- 

 500 hard dollars those in the same period of the pre- 

 vious year. Our bonds have reached the highest quo- 

 tations in London, while here there is no price, as 

 nobody will sell. Ships now leave our ports with 

 what we formerly imported, and every year we have 

 some new production to export. Here is one fact: 

 4,000 tons of flax shipped at the Riachuelo between 

 loth January and 15th April this year. The gross 

 revenue of the national railways was $805,379. The 

 Central Argentine Railway is now beginning to return 

 what it received as guarantee. The balance in favor 

 of government in 1880 was $130,993. The shares are 

 at a premium in London. The mint is finished, and 

 might have been at work, but the Executive decided 

 to wait to lay before you some measures to meet diffi- 

 culties that have arisen since you passed the coinage 

 act. The abolition of forced currency and a uniform 

 circulating medium are of prima_ry interest to the 

 country. Forced currency and privileges are against 

 the spirit of a free government and the Constitution, 

 which guarantees freedom of trade and industry ; 

 they also drive away foreign capital.disturb business, 

 and inflict enormous loss on the Treasury. Every 

 effort that Congress and the Executive can make to free 

 the country from this burden will be amply repaid. 

 The day on which we get a uniform currency, and are 

 free from inconvertible paper and privileges, there 

 will be an immense influx of foreign money. Bad 

 coin, like the primitive languages of America, is not 

 a means of civilization, andj if we have progressed in 

 spite of monetary chaos, it is solely due to the exu- 

 berant vitality of the country. 



The twelve- million loan, authorized in October last, 

 for railway extension in the interior, was successfully 

 contracted for with Paris bankers at 82, and the works 

 are progressing. As you will see in the Finance Min- 

 ister's report, it is the first loan launched here (and 

 perhaps m South America) direct, and with special 

 commissions. 



The National Bank, reorganized in 1876, shares the 

 general prosperity of trade. The price of its shares 

 shows its unproved credit, and it will be of much 

 greater service in the interior when the monetary con- 

 fusion that interferes with the circulation of its notes 

 shall have disappeared. 



ARKANSAS. The biennial session of the 

 Legislature commenced in January. The finan- 

 cial affairs of the State occupied considerable 

 attention. A State Board of Finance was cre- 

 ated, consisting of the Governor, the Treasurer, 

 and the Auditor, and is empowered to bor- 

 row money to meet the expenses of the gov- 

 ernment by pledging the State's bonds, which 

 shall not be hypothecated for a less amount 

 than three fourths of their face value. The 

 debt thus contracted is to bear no higher rate 

 of interest than 6 per cent per annum, and is 

 to be payable in two years. A senatorial com- 

 mission was appointed to examine the Audi- 

 tor's and Treasurer's books, upon the suspicion 

 of a default in the Treasurer's accounts. That 

 officer's honesty was not impugned, however, 

 by the instigators of the investigation. 



A law was passed, prohibiting the sale or 

 giving away of intoxicating liquors within a 

 radius of three miles from any church or 

 school -house in the State. 



The Legislature passed one measure which 



promises to be effective, if enforced rigorously,- 

 in diminishing a class of crimes for which the 

 State has borne an evil reputation. It is the 

 so-called " pistol bill," which makes it a mis- 

 demeanor, punishable by a heavy fine, to sell 

 or to keep for sale, or to furnish in whatever 

 manner to any person, any species of sword or 

 dagger, or any kind of pistol, excepting the 

 regulation navy revolver. It also prohibits the 

 carrying of deadly weapons of any sort, except 

 the wearer be on his own premises, or on a 

 journey, or be an officer of the law. Officers 

 and justices of the peace are subject to like 

 penalties for neglecting to arrest or to enter- 

 tain proceedings under the act. 



A law to protect the public against unquali- 

 fied medical practitioners requires every person 

 desiring to practice as a physician or surgeon 

 to prove his or her qualifications before a 

 county board, and to be registered in the office 

 of the county clerk. Persons denied registry 

 may demand an examination, as to their pro- 

 ficiency, by a State medical board. 



The law relative to larceny was changed so 

 as to make thefts of property under the value 

 of ten dollars petty larceny only, the law having 

 been excessively severe, thefts of above two 

 dollars being punished as grand larceny. 



Arkansas is still one of the most backward 

 States in educational facilities. The public- 

 school appropriations amount to only $205,000 

 per annum, being considerably less in propor- 

 tion to the school population than is spent by 

 any other State. Congress has granted over 

 1.000,000 acres of land to Arkansas for school 

 purposes. In some sections the State fund is 

 supplemented by liberal local levies. Consid- 

 ering the facts that the public-school system 

 was not established until 1868, and that in 1870 

 only 75 per cent of the adult population could 

 read and write, substantial educational progress 

 is being made. The State tax for school pur- 

 poses is only two mills on the dollar. The 

 local tax raised in the individual districts is de- 

 termined by popular vote every year at an an- . 

 nual school-meeting. The tax usually voted in 

 the more progressive districts is five mills. 

 Some depend solely on the scanty allowance 

 afforded by the State fund. 



A state of violence and intimidation, in which 

 the authority of the law was superseded, pre- 

 vailed for several months in Perry County, 

 terminating in the assassination of J. L. W. 

 Matthews, editor of the "Fourche Valley 

 Times." The judicial acts of County Judge 

 Harris had been murmured at by a group of 

 citizens, who complained that the murdered 

 man had procured or influenced obnoxious pro- 

 ceedings. One day a band of armed men rode 

 into Perryville, and frightened the judge from 

 the bench by their menacing appearance. The 

 Governor was appealed to, and General New- 

 ton, of the militia, visited the county, but found 

 no outward evidences of lawlessness. There 

 were no further disturbances until the evening 

 in July on which Matthews was shot. Judge 



