USA > Louisiana > The province and the states, a history of the province of Louisiana under France and Spain, and of the territories and states of the United States formed therefrom, Vol. III > Part 39
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manufactures and agriculture, resigned March 30, 1893, and was succeeded by W. G. Vincenheller.
H. G. Bunn succeeded S. R. Cockrill (resigned) as chief jus- tice of the supreme court May 3, 1893. W. E. Hemmingway was re-elected associate justice in 1893 but soon resigned. A vacancy on the bench was filled by the appointment of R. H. Powell as associate justice, and at a special election C. D. Wood was chosen to succeed Judge Hemmingway. Judge Wood resigned and was succeeded October 31, 1894, by M. L. Hawkins. . J. E. Riddick was appointed associate justice in 1893 to fill a vacancy and was elected September 3, 1894. The Third chancery district was created February 2, 1894. Its chancellor, Leland Leatherman, has served since February, 1894. J. H. Evans was appointed judge of the Fifteenth judicial district, September 2, 1893, to succeed H. F. Thomasson, deceased, and was elected to succeed himself in 1894, 1898 and 1902. II. N. Hutton became judge of the First circuit, October 30, 1894, F. G. Taylor judge of the Second circuit, October 31. On the date last mentioned the following circuit judges were reelected: R. H. Powell, Third circuit; E. S. MeDaniels, Fourth circuit; J. G. Wallace, Fifth cirenit ; R. J. Lee, Sixth circuit; W. P. Feazel, Ninth circuit; J. M. Elliott, Eleventh circuit; E. E. Bryant, Twelfth circuit ; C. W. Smith, Thirteenth circuit; B. B. Hudgins, Fourteenth circuit ; J. B. MeCaleb, Sixteenth circuit. The Seventeenth cir- cuit was created March 13, 1894, and J. S. Thomas was appointed its judge and George M. Chapline its prosecuting attorney and they were elected to succeed themselves September, 1894. C. V. Teague entered upon a new term as prosecuting attorney on the Seventh circuit and W. W. Bandy on the Second circuit and Paul Butler became prosecuting attorney on the Third circuit in 1894. October 31, that year, J. N. Tillman succeeded himself as prosecut- ing attorney on the Fourth circuit ; H. W. Wells on the Tenth circuit ; S. C. Martin on the Eleventh circuit ; T. N. Sanford on the Twelfth circuit; H. P. Smead on the Thirteenth circuit; Sam R. Chew on the Fifteenth circuit, and J. B. Baker on the Sixteenth circuit ; and C. C. Reid, Jr., became prosecuting attorney on the Fifth circuit, J. T. Hicks on the First, J. H. McCollum on the Eighth, Hal I .. Norwood on the Ninth, Frank Pace on the Four- teenth.
In the period 1889-93, United States government offices in Arkansas were held by Republicans; in the period of 1893-97, by Democrats. Many good positions out side of the state were
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given to Arkansans. The Hon. Clifton R. Breckinridge, ambas- sador to Russia, was the first citizen of Arkansas appointed to such a position.
The twenty-ninth legislature was held January 9, to April 8, 1893. Senate: President -- E. B. Kinsworthy ; secretary-Jolin W. Howell. House of representatives: Speaker-T. C. Humphrey ; clerk-D. N. Halliburton. In 1893 the Ex-Confederate Home near Little Rock passed to the ownership and maintenance of the state. A building was erected and opened for the reception of Confederate soldiers. The exhibit of Arkansas at the Columbian Exposition was the most comprehensive ever made by the state and that of the department of education was so notable that the department was granted forty-two awards, thirty-nine of which were for the schools. In the horticultural department of the exposition seven awards were made to Arkansas counties for apples and in the agricultural department three for cotton. The general railroad strike of 1894 extended to Arkansas. Attempts to stop trains were made. The troubles got beyond control of sheriffs, and order was restored by militia.
James Paul Clarke was elected eighteenth governor of the state of Arkansas in 1804, at the age of forty, and served two years. J. C. Pinnix was acting governor in 1896. Mr. Clarke was born in Mississippi, August 18, 1854, and located at Helena in 1879. In 1887 he was elected to represent Phillips county in the legis- lature and in 1889 in the senate, and in the session of 1891 was president of the last mentioned body. In 1893 he was elected attorney-general. After serving one term as governor he refused to again become a candidate for that office and engaged in the practice of law at Little Rock. Governor Clarke was elected by the Democrats by a plurality of 48,724 in a total vote of 126,986. In 1894, P. D. McCulloch, J. S. Little, T. C. McRae, W. L. Terry, Hugh A. Dinsmore and Robert Neill were elected to congress to serve 1895-97. H. B. Armistead was secretary of state and C. B. Mills state auditor during this administration. Ransom Gulley succeeded R. B. Morrow as state treasurer and E. B. Kinsworthy succeeded Mr. Clarke as attorney-general January, 1895. J. F. Ritchie served through this administration as commissioner of public lands, W. G. Vincenheller as commissioner of mines, manu- factures and agriculture and Junius Jordan as superintendent of public instruction.
H. G. Bunn was elected chief justice of the supreme court in 1896 and S. P. Hughes was re-elected associate justice. T. P. Martin was appointed chancellor of the Pulaski chancery court
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January 21, 1895. The following named prosecuting attorneys were re-elected in 1896: J. T. Hicks, First judicial circuit ; J. N. Tillman, Fourth circuit; C. C. Reid, Fifth circuit; R. B. Maxey, Sixteenth circuit; George M. Chapline, Seventeenth circuit ; Hal L. Norwood, Ninth circuit; H. W. Wells, Tenth circuit ; Paul Butler, Third circuit. The following new prosecuting attorneys were elected : James A. Gray, Sixth circuit ; D. M. Cloud, Seventh circuit : J. M. Carter, Eighth circuit ; Jo Johnson, Twelfth circuit ; T. J. Gaughan, Thirteenth circuit ; George A. Mansfield, Fifteenth circuit; W. J. Crump, Fourteenth circuit; O. N. Kil- lough, Second circuit.
The thirtieth legislature was held from January 14, to April 10, 1895. Senate : President-Gibson Witt ; secretary-Charles T. Gordon. House of representatives : Speaker-J. C. Colquitt ; clerk -George C. Naylor. Amendment No. 3 to the constitution was adopted by this legislature. It authorized the filling of vacancies in township, county, district or state offices by appointment of the governor instead of by re-election. A further appropriation was made to pay the expenses of county institutes and in that year nearly 5,000 teachers were in attendance at their sessions. In this year, 42 counties of the state entered npon an experience of the local option liquor law. An exhibit of the resources of the state was made at the Piedmont Exposition, Atlanta, which opened September 18. The Southern Educational Association convened at Hot Springs, December 31, 1895. Nearly Goo South- ern teachers were present.
Daniel Webster Jones was elected nineteenth governor of the state of Arkansas in 1896 and was re-elected in 1898, serving four years. At different times during his two administrations, J. C. South, J. C. Tappan and R. I. Lawrence served as acting govern- ors. Governor Jones, who was about fifty-six years old at the time of his election, was born in Bowie county, Tex., December 15, 1839, when the state was an independent republic, and his father, Dr. Isaac N. Jones, a member of its congress. From infancy, however, Governor Jones was reared in Arkansas and he was educated at the academy of Benjamin J. Borden at Washing- ton. He entered the Confederate service at the beginning of the war, served in Gratiot's regiment until it was mustered out, and at twenty-three years of age was colonel of the Twentieth Arkan- sas Infantry. Though dangerously wounded at Corinth, he was on duty to the end of the war, at the close commanding a brigade, and was made a prisoner of war at the capitulation of Vicksburg. In 1865, he began a prominent career in civil life, gained eminence
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as a lawyer, was prosecuting attorney on the Ninth circuit, 1874- 76 and was attorney-general of the state 1884-88, and governor 1896-1900. In 1876 and again in 1880 he was a presidential clector. In November, 1903, he was appointed adjutant-general and chief of staff, with the rank of colonel, to Maj .- Gen. T. J. Churchill, commander of the Arkansas division of the United Confederate Veterans. Governor Jones, a Democrat, was elected by a plurality of 55,288 in a total vote of 141,801, and was re-el- ected by a majority of 38,827 in a total vote of 111,897. P. D. McCulloch, J. S. Little, T. C. McRac, W. L. Terry, Hugh A. Dinsmore and S. Brundidge, Jr., were in 1896 elected to serve in congress 1897-99, and they were re-elected in 1898 to serve 1899- 1901. Alexander C. Hull succeeded II. B. Armistead as secretary of state and Clay Sloan succeeded C. B. Mills as state auditor January, 1897. T. E. Little succeeded Ransom Gulley as state treasurer and Jeff Davis succeeded E. B. Kinsworthy as attorney- general, January, 1899. J. W. Colquitt succeeded J. F. Ritchie as commissioner of state lands October 30, 1898. Junius Jordan resigned the office of state superintendent of public instruction October 30, 1898, and J. W. Kuykendall was appointed to fill the vacancy. Frank Hill succeeded W. G. Vincenheller as commis- sioner of mines, manufactures and agriculture October 30, 1898.
HI. G. Bunn was re-elected chief justice of the supreme court in 1896 and S. P. Hughes was again elected associate justice. J. E. Riddick was re-elected associate justice in 1898. Marcus L. Hawkins succeeded James F. Robinson as chancellor of the Sec- ond chancery court March, 1809. The Fifth chancery court was created June 24, 1897. Edward D. Robertson, its chancellor, has served since that date. The Fourth chancery district was created March 1, 1809 and John M. Elliott has been its chancellor from that date. In 1898, H. N. Hutton entered upon another term as judge of the First judicial circuit ; J. M. Pittman, Fourth cir- cuit ; R. J. Lea, Sixth circuit ; F. G. Taylor, Second circuit ; A. M. Duffie, Seventh circuit ; W. P. Feazel, Ninth circuit ; C. W. Smith, Thirteenth circuit; J. B. McCaleb, Sixteenth circuit; J. M. Elli- ott, Eleventh circuit ; and S. T. Rowe became judge of the Twelfth circuit, George M. Chapline, of the Seventeenth circuit, F. D. Fulkerson of the Third circuit, W. I .. Moose of the Fifth circuit, Z. T. Wood of the Tenth circuit, E. G. Mitchell of the Fourteenth circuit. Judge Elliott resigned and A. B. Grace was appointed to succeed him March 3, 1899. In 1898, R. B. Macon became prose- cuting attorney on the First circuit ; S. D. Campbell, Third circuit ; W. M. Green, Eighth circuit ; J. M. Walker, Fourth circuit ; Law-
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rence Russell, Fifth circuit; J. S. Steele, Ninth circuit; W. R. Quinney, Tenth circuit; W. B. Sorrells, Eleventh circuit; F. E. Brown, Seventeenth circuit; and James A. Gray was re-elected prosecuting attorney on the Sixth circuit, E. M. Cloud on the Seventh circuit, Jo Johnson on the Twelfth circuit, T. J. Gaughan on the Thirteenth circuit, W. J. Crump on the Fourteenth circuit, George A. Mansfield on the Fifteenth circuit, R. B. Maxey on the Sixteenth circuit. Mr. Crump resigned and was succeeded May 19, 1899, by James M. Shinn. Mr. Mansfield resigned and was suc- ceeded January 28, 1899, by E. H. Mathes. John N. Tillman succeeded J. M. Pittman, by appointment, as judge of the Fourth circuit court, August 27, 1900. October 30, 1900, A. B. Grace entered upon another term as judge of the Eleventh circuit; R. B. Macon entered upon a new term as prosecuting attorney on the First circuit, S. D. Campbell on the Third circuit, S. D. Russell on the Fifth circuit, W. H. Martin on the Seventh circuit, W. M. Green on the Eighth circuit, J. S. Steele on the Ninth circuit, W. B. Sor- rells on the Eleventh circuit, F. E. Brown on the Seventeenth cir- cuit, W. R. Quinney on the Tenth circuit, and S. R. Simpson became prosecuting attorney on the Second circuit, J. S. Maples on the Fourth circuit, J. H. Hamiter on the Sixth circuit, Ben Cravens on the Twelfth circuit, J. M. Barker on the Thirteenth circuit, James H. Shinn on the Fourteenth circuit, Robert I .. Rog- ers on the Fifteenth circuit, P. II. Crenshaw on the Sixteenth circuit.
The thirty-first legislature was held from January II, to March 11, 1897 ; a special session from April 26, to June 16, 1897. Senate: President-William 14. Moose; secretary -- John W. Ilowell. House of representatives : Speaker-J. C. Tappan ; clerk -- (). C. Ludwig. The regular session adjourned without passing appropriation bills for the current expenses of the state govern- ment. The special session, called by the governor, passed appro- priation bills and enacted the Smith railroad bill, the Bush bill. and the law levying a tax to pay the interest on the "permanent school" and "sixteenth section" funds. By the provisions of the Smith railroad bill the state, with a view to increasing the railroad mileage, gave 1,000 acres of its forfeited lands to the Springfield, Little Rock & Gulf Railroad Company for every mile of railroad the company should build within its borders. The Bush bill authorized the use of convicts on railroads to be built on state account. The overflow of the Mississippi river in April, 1897, was one of the greatest floods in the history of the state and nearly all of Eastern Arkansas was submerged. Levees broke above and
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below Helena, and Marion was overflowed and Helena and Osce- ola were partly under water. Railroads were washed away and there was great damage to property. Relief societies were organ . ized throughout the state and country ; congress appropriated one hundred thousand dollars for the sufferers and sent boats and crews to aid them. The flood did not subside until early in May. On the night of January 11, 1898, a terrible tornado killed about fifty persons at Fort Smith, maimed others, rendered many home- less and destroyed property valued at one million dollars. Public sympathy was aroused by the disaster and the sufferers were given prompt relief by their fellow citizens.
Under the constitution, the militia of Arkansas consists of all able bodied male persons, residents of the state, between the ages of eighteen and forty-five years, except such as are exempted by the laws of the United States or this state, to be organized, offi- cered, armed and equipped in such manner as may be provided by law. The governor, when the legislature is not in session, has power to call out volunteers or militia, or both, when there is ade- quate demand for such action. Governor Jones found the state guard disorganized and ineffective. It consisted of two regiments of infantry, one battery of artillery, one troop of cavalry and one signal corps. Two new regiments, the Third and Fourth infan- try, another cavalry troop and another battery were soon organ. ized. There being no appropriation by the state for militia pur- poses, these organizations were equipped as far as possible with the antiquated equipment then on hand. This was the condition of the militia at the beginning of the Spanish war. The declaration of war was anticipated throughout the state and the governor was besieged with offers of service by organizations and individuals. April 25, 1898, the president's call for two regiments of infantry of 1,000 men each was received. Cash must be forthcoming. Through the Bankers' Association, Governor Jones called on the banks of the state for a loan of sufficient money to mobilize these two regiments, assuring them that if the United States govern- ment should fail or refuse to refund it he would ask the general assembly to do so. The banks promptly supplied him with six thousand six hundred dollars; the Hon. Jacob Treibler. United States district attorney, tendered him five hundred dollars, the Ilon. Nathan Adler, of Batesville, two hundred and fifty dollars, which he accepted, giving the same promise that he had given to the bankers. Other expenses, necessarily incurred after these loans were exhausted, brought the total amount to about ten thou- sand dollars. No two regiments of the state guards were well
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enough organized and equipped to be mustered in intact and the governor made up two regiments from selected companies of the state guard from different parts of the state. The companies were recruited to 100 or more men each and in May the troops concen- trated at Camp Dodge, Little Rock. The First regiment, Col. Elias Chandler, was mustered in May 20; the Second regiment, Col. Virgil Y. Cook, May 25. The First regiment was ordered to Chickamauga Park, Georgia, and arrived there May 27, and was assigned to the First brigade, Second division, Third army corps. It was fully equipped and was ordered to Porto Rico, with General Wade's proposed expedition ; but the order was counter- manded because of cessation of hostilities. The regiment returned to Little Rock and was mustered out at Fort Logan H. Roots, October 25, 1899, without having engaged in active service. The Second regiment arrived at Chickamauga Park, May 30, and was assigned to the Second brigade, Second division, Third army corps, and fully armed and equipped. September y it was ordered to Camp Shipp, Anniston, Ala., where it remained in winter quarters till February 25, 1899, when it was disbanded and mustered out. During this period it was successively in the Third, Fourth and Second army corps.
The thirty-second legislature was held from January 9, to April 19, 1899. Senate: President-M. J. Manning ; secretary -- John W. Howell. House of representatives: Speaker-A. F. Vandeventer : clerk-J. G. B. Sinns. In his message to this legis- lature, Governor Jones urged the creation of a commission to enforce, by adequate penalties and forfeitures, the laws against abuses and unjust discrimination and excessive charges by rail- roads, canals and turnpike companies for transporting freight and passengers. In his opinion, the people of Arkansas had borne such injustice with great patience and now it should be brought to an end. He endorsed the Bush bill passed in 1887 to create a state board to locate, establish, survey, build and operate state railroads and telegraphs, but pointed out imperfections in the act that had rendered abortive the attempt of the board established under it to secure capital to construct a line from Little Rock northward, through counties needing a railroad, and recommended an amend- ment to the law making its provisions definite and certain and authorizing the board to lease any road when built to responsible lines not owning or controlling any rival line. He believed that the board should be empowered to sell or dispose of any state lands within twenty miles (instead of twelve as the act provided) of the track of any railroad so built by the state. He deplored the undis-
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puted fact that the Missouri-Pacific Railroad Company had such a monopoly of railroad interests in the state that it had been impossible to get capital for railroad building here, and pointed out that capitalists were willing to furnish money for building railroads to be built by the state. He recommended a revision of the laws relating to the chartering of railroad companies, with a view to preventing irresponsible parties or obstructionists from obtaining such valuable privileges and hokling them to the detri- ment of the state and against others who would really construct railroads if the way was clear. He recommended a complete revision of the state revenue laws, especially in their relation to the ascertainment of value of corporate property and the powers and duties of assessors and boards of equalization. He recom- mended the co-operation of Arkansas with other states to bring about uniformity in state laws. He favored the election of United States senators by popular vote. He characterized the contract system in vogue as "a system of human slavery" and advised. improvement in the manner of dealing with prisoners convicted of misdemeanors. He recommended the adoption of a system of reform for juvenile offenders, differing radically from the system in force. With reference to the penitentiary, he recommended its removal from the city limits and suggested that its site would be an admirable one for a new state house. He had encouraged the growing sentiment in favor of the erection of a new state capitol, and now he stated that competent architects and builders whom he had consulted had advised him that a durable and beautiful build- ing adequate to the needs of the state could be erected in six or seven years at an expense of about six hundred thousand dollars. This estimate was based on the employment to some extent of con- vict labor. The governor favored quadriennial instead of biennial elections for all except legislative offices and an express provision that the governor should be ineligible to succeed himself.
The thirty-third legislature was held from January 14, to May 4, 1901. Senate: President-Robert J. Wilson ; secretary-J. F. Hurley. House of representatives : Speaker-T. H. Humphreys ; clerk-A. S. Hays. In his final message before this legislature, January 18, 1891, Governor Jones stated that through legislation the actual bona fide public indebtedness of the state, long an uncertain quantity, had at length assumed definite proportions, and, after deducting items not properly debts, was found to be one hundred fifty-eight thousand dollars. He recited that, under an act approved April 17, 1899, the board of state capitol commission- ers created by that act had employed George R. Mann as architect
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to prepare plans, specifications and detailed drawings for the state capitol building, and to superintend the erection of said build- ing until completed. Mr. Mann had furnished and delivered to the commission a complete set of such plans, specifications and detailed drawings, which the board had found to be suitable and had accepted for the state. With the convict labor provided for by the act, the necessary excavations had been made and the foundation laid upon the old site of the penitentiary. The board had secured a valuable option for a nominal consideration upon granite lands for a quarry, but had found it inexpedient and unnecessary to obtain a piece of land suitable for the manufacture of brick, brick from old buildings taken down having answered all purposes thus far. He recommended that the building be erected and completed under the sole management and control of the board of commissioners, aided by the architect, that it should not be let out by public contract to any builder, and that the pres- ent board should hold office, as had been provided, "until the com - pletion of said building and the acceptance thereof by the state." The act providing for the new state house had required it to be located on the site of the penitentiary and invested the board of penitentiary commissioners with authority to abandon said peni- tentiary grounds and turn them over to the statehouse board. It also authorized the penitentiary board to procure new grounds in Pulaski county, cause new buildings and walls to be constructed for use as a penitentiary and pay for same out of the funds at its disposal. In compliance with this act the penitentiary board had abandoned the penitentiary grounds and purchased fifteen acres of land in Pulaski county and had begun the construction thereon of the walls and part of the buildings of a penitentiary. The work thus far done had been fully paid for out of the proceeds of the labor of the convicts and without cost to the state. The governor renewed his recommendations contained in his message to the last legislature respecting county convict farms. All the reasons for a change in the present law then urged still existed. The abuses and excessive punishments imposed for misdemeanors under the present system were a blot on the civilization of the state. He also renewed recommendations contained in, his inaugural address in 1897 for a reform school for juvenile offenders. He believed that the sentiment in favor of such an institution was growing among the people of the state. In conclusion, Governor Jones took up the cause of indigent Confederate soldiers, who had been but inadequately provided for under the act of 1891, and recommended a more liberal law on the subject. The aid of the
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state had been practically inaccessible to otherwise needy appli- cants who owned homesteads. Ile contended that, instead of refusing help in such cases, the state should pay the taxes of the old veteran and make him and his wife comfortable during their few remaining days. "Let the law be so framed," he said, "as to keep out the imposter, but let it not be such as to humble the pride of the proudest men who ever stepped to the wild music of war, in any country, at any time, in the whole world's history."
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