Comparitive_History_of_Arkansas_1974-1874

History Proves Changes Bring about Sameness By Mark Smith Arkansas History Final History recorded in the writings of mankind is interesting to study for the benefit of the modern social student. The study of history lends to more questions than answers in most instances and can rarely be capsulated on the page of writers to define the complete dynamic for the observed and researched time period. In this paper I will reveal a comparative study between two time periods, and although the manners and social customs of the people are different, the underlying trends of social hierarchy remain the same. This paper will cover two distinct time slices in American history, specifically Arkansas history. Due to time constraints available for the researching of this project, many of the finer details for specific subjects will not adequately be covered, but a general defining of the stasis of Arkansas life will be conveyed for the time period of 1874 and a comparative slice of time will be written about in 1974. Both 1874 and 1974 are years rich in historical content as recorded by the Arkansas Gazette. If time permitted I would have liked to consult the other less known public conduits to news of the day. The oldest surviving newspaper west of the Mississippi was the claim for the Arkansas Gazette before the buyout by the rival Arkansas Democrat on October 18, 1991. This foundational harbinger of news reporting for the general public in Arkansas is the source document consulted for the essaical content. The year of 1874 in Arkansas history finds the population in anticipation of the state recovering from the political battles of southern delegates to regain control of the state from insurgent carpet bagging legislative puppets from the greater stage of Washington. The year of 1874 will mark the end of Republican power in the state of Arkansas due largely to the legislative work pushed through by Elisha Baxter. Baxter allowed the Southern sympathizers to regain the power of the vote, and because of this action, the infrastructure building government the people of Arkansas had experienced under the governing of Republicans would come to an end. The people of the state, still recovering from the devastating effects of the Civil War, were enjoying a new boom in the agricultural climate due mainly to the “king” crop of the south, cotton. In January of 1874 cotton was traded at fourteen cents per pound. Markets were available by steamboat and locomotive transport. Depending on where you lived in the state, the rates for moving agricultural products to markets fluctuated some times as much as $1.25 per bale as noted in the Gazette Jan 9, 1874. Fulton was getting better shipping prices by rail transport than Arkadelphia, which was sixty miles closer to the final New Orleans destination. Arkansas’s political turmoil reached a critical mass in April 1874. Joseph Brook, who lost the election of 1872, was still wanting the office of the governor and was willing to do anything to secure the office. Only two years after the election, Elisha Baxter had isolated himself from his political allies in the state of Arkansas and would suffer the ill fate of his steely political backbone. Baxter is regarded, by some opinions of the time period, as a man of character because he held his position and worked to fulfill his vows during election. The platform was regarded by some in the Republican Party as campaign rhetoric only to be abandoned after the election, but Baxter did not see the election platform the same way. Because Elisha Baxter was a man of character and followed through on the campaign promises, he was isolated politically and the result is Joseph Brooks taking the governor’s office by force. Armed conflicts resulted and only intervention by the federal government resolved the issue in the state of Arkansas. By the fall election of 1874, order and peaceable government operations were restored to the state of Arkansas with the election of Democratic candidate Augustus Garland, who was often remembered as the best governor the state had ever seen. In the year of 1874, Arkansas also saw the meeting of a new constitutional convention. The delegates met and worked out a document that was eventually voted into existence by a three to one majority. Democratic rule in the state would never look back, and the reborn Arkansas began to crawl into the national procession of Southern states fulfilling the part of cooperation with the federal government. This document, which still is used by the state in the present time, is lengthy and limits the power of the governor’s office drastically. Some of the historians attribute this to the mistrust of the recently installed democratic congress toward the past republican administration. Whatever the reasoning the document in amended form is still used today despite efforts to replace the document in 1918, 1970, and 1980. Life in Arkansas was not limited to concern of the political turbidity of 1874. Citizens of Little Rock specifically, had entertainment choices ranging from theatre, social clubs, and horse racing to name a few. The theatres were filled with traveling minstrel shows and dramatic plays to allow the community persons outlets from the day-to-day drudgery of the agricultural society. Once, Woodruff scolded the theatre owners for not getting the Lydia Thompson Troupe into the town’s exhibition halls. Arkansas missed this opportunity to experience the burlesque because later in the year the troupe moved back to England and never appeared in the United States again. Tickets to these distractions from everyday life could be purchased at the local bookstores or at the drugstores. Horse racing was big business in the state and enjoyed groups dedicated to the advancement of the livestock involved. Social groups posted meeting times and locations in the statewide publication. One thing missing from the time period is sports coverage. Although a snippet of coverage was found for a traveling women’s team playing in the Little Rock area. Arkansas like the rest of the country recovering from the dramatic events of 1873 was in economic depression. Having never fully recovered from the ravaging effects of the civil war, the state issued promissory notes known as scrip. This state scrip was used to pay state and other government employees due to the absence of capitol in the states governmental coffers. The practice of issuing scrip started much before the year of 1874, but in 1874 the supreme court of the great state of Arkansas was dealing with the problem citizens of the state wanting to pay taxes with the valueless paper currency. Both parties, the state government and the citizens, involved in the process were void of the national currency, the greenback, which was no longer backed by silver, but gold only. Money seemed to be of concern to the populous of Arkansas in 1874. With the recent economic problems of 1873 still in the minds of Arkansans, another problem existed for them, capitol. The U.S. government had recently removed silver from backing the dollar or greenback, as it is commonly referred to in 1874. For Arkansas going to the gold standard was not a huge set back because there simply was not enough of the paper currency to go around. At some time before 1874 and post reconstruction the Arkansas legislature founded the Arkansas scrip to replace the lack of United States currency available to the citizens of the state. The greenback replacement was traded bought and sold at the local banks. Not only the state issued scrip, but also counties, and cities issued the paper notes guarantying payment. State banks were taxed on the income from the circulation on scrip currency, and the supreme courts ruled in March of 1874 that taxes could not be paid with the scrip. Ironic because state and county employees were often paid in the scrip, which left them holding a currency, which until late March was returning thirty cents on the dollar. By the end of March and June the currency was up in value to around fifty cents on the dollar and many ads were placed in the Gazette for the purchase of any held by the public. Woodruff even claims to have burned over $4000.00 dollars worth of city scrip on night and the resulting smoke smelling “monkeyish”. Travel with in the state continued to be problematic for the people living in the boarders of the state. Roads in the city of Little Rock were often reported to be in poor condition because of rain. It seems the dirt roads of the city were impassable tracts of mud after the spring rains in the temperament climate of springtime in Arkansas. Commercial transportation did get some boost in the year of 1874, mostly due to the influx of infrastructure being built by Northern business to access the mineral and agricultural resources of the South. Arkansas boasts the completion of two railroad bridges during 1874. One such project across the Arkansas River that was completed in January was simply referred to as “the bridge.” The other project completed was close to Fulton, Arkansas. The railroads in Arkansas were incomplete from Ft. Smith to Little Rock and advertisements in the paper boast a close connection between the track sections, which is relevant when thinking about the four-hour connection boasted. The ride between rail sections was done by “four horse carriage rides.” Considering the condition of the roads in the well traveled city of Little Rock, one can only surmise the “comfort” endured while making the connection. Regardless of the comfort levels for the transportation in Arkansas, the state was making progress in the accessibility to regional and national markets for the agricultural products in the state. Religion in the state of Arkansas was of very significant importance to the people of the day, at least the educated who could read, because the papers from 1874 are covered in various tidbits of local news relating to baptisms, conversions, meeting times, and other displays of prominence. St. Andrew’s provided to be of both religious and social importance. Local advertisements for social meetings taking place at the oldest church building still remaining standing in Little Rock are duly noted. Also the Episcopal Church began a foundation for a building on the corner of 5th and Scott streets. One conversion mentioned taking place by the Church of Christ speaks of an erring brother being allowed back into the fellowship after a “very moving testimony” one that lasted for a very lengthy time and resulted in many tears. What is not certain is the overall populations’ regular attendance to religious ceremonies during 1874 in Arkansas. Arkansas saw a troubling year in politics in 1874, only to be resolved late in the year with a new election. Governor Garland stabilized the political movement for the state and appears to achieve prominence and statesmanship just at the right time. Arkansas would continue to grow and develop as a state in the United States of America and by the time period we will look at next, many things had changed. The next time period we will look at in the history of Arkansas is 1974. Many of the transportation issues of the 1800’s had been overcome, but Arkansas was still struggling to become a leader in the nation in capitol for investments. The currency problems of the state were solved like many states in the south, and all states now were using the national currency, no longer called greenbacks. The political turmoil of the state continued to be reported in the papers. The country as a whole was recovering from a very unpopular war in Vietnam, and a president was indicted with charges of wrongdoing. One of the most famous incidents was recorded in American politics this year, Watergate. Women’s rights seem to be at the core of the political tones in the state as well as the nation. People of color are still fighting for rights in a country that has legislated the fact that they have rights. Drugs are something new in the state compared to 1874 as a problem. Arkansas had grown by leaps and bounds by 1974, but still had problems to overcome. Arkansas like the rest of the country in 1974 was adjusting to the effects of inflation, which limited the available capitol for investment within the boarders of the state. Unlike 1874, the national currency was available for use within Arkansas, but the currency was losing value. Local infrastructure projects being bid in 1974 for award in 1975 were cautioned that the value of the projects would not be the same due to the slipping currency value. Not only was inflation hitting the state coffers, but also large corporate interest in the state was experiencing the pinch on black ink and profitability. The energy providers for the state, Arkla Gas and Arkansas Power and Light, ask the governments for the ability to raise rates to the customers in Arkansas to off set inflation setbacks. Interesting is the case of Arkla’s billing practices in Jonesboro. It seems that the mayor was petitioned by the citizens of the city of Jonesboro to investigate the increase in bills to customers of Arkla in his city. After the investigation, the mayor suggested that Arkla refund the billed money to the people of his city, and not only that, but that the infrastructure of the delivery system for providing the natural gas to the city of Jonesboro be replaced due to the unsafe nature of the system. The colleges and universities in Arkansas saw a boost in 1974. The school in Russellville, Arkansas Technical College, received a ten year accreditation renewal in 1974 which was the maximum allowed. Of interest, UALR received and installed the largest telescope in the state on top of Stabler Hall. The funds for the installation were provided from a grant that totaled $29,000.00. Nabholtz construction installed the piece of scientific equipment, and the project was over seen by associate professor of physics Dr. Lawrence Coleman. Not all news for UALR during 1974 was positive. The university experienced the need to defend one of their professors during this time period. The legislative body of Arkansas tried to remove assistant history professor Dr. Grant Cooper from his teaching position because he was politically associated with the Socialist party. The amended Arkansas constitution would not allow the state to pay a person of the communist party wages from state moneys. UALR in his defense allowed Dr. Cooper to continue to teach without pay for the final three weeks of the semester, which was against the demands of removal of the congressional body of Arkansas. The public school systems of Arkansas also saw a boost in expansion in 1974. After the Central High crisis of the 1960’s, segregation remained in the fore fount of the minds of the people associated with public schools in the state. 1974 saw rezoning of districts to ensure equal representation of both white and black students within the student populations. Ten new schools were being worked on within the Little Rock school district alone, and new techniques were being utilized at the newly opened David O’Dodd School. This format of learning allowed students to progress at their rate of retention without disrupting the students that did not catch on as fast. Learning and teaching was at the forefront of one man’s mind during this time. Teaching is one of those professions without end, even after school is over a teacher continues to teach those around them. One such man was Dr. A.B. Weatherington from Arkadelphia. He started Ouachita College and lived a life of teaching, having started in the 1920’s in a one-room schoolhouse. The lessons he taught in 1974 are of the most importance to this recording of historical data. He helped a generation understand that desegregation is a positive thing. He taught that the diversity of peoples and thought brings about new ideas. He was clearly a visionary teacher and leader in 1974. A discussion about leaders and visionaries of 1974 would not be complete without discussing one man in particular, which changed the history of Arkansas forever. Bill Clinton was a law professor at the University of Arkansas, who was aspiring to take the third district congressional seat from John Paul Hamerschmit. Two items noted in the Arkansas Gazette in 1974 were his outlines of political thought for both the state and national political platforms. He suggested that Nixon, who was bargaining with the Russian diplomacy for a reduction in nuclear weapons, was bargaining from a position of weakness because of the turmoil of the Watergate incident. Impeachment was in front of the national leader, Nixon, and without resolution of this matter, the United States would not see improvement in this area. He also outlined education reform for the state of Arkansas and said without it the state would continue to decline in national rankings. He also demonstrated his grasp of economic situations by the understanding of the effect of inflation for the populous of the sate of Arkansas and suggested the rate of inflation was like having a five percent reduction in pay for the working class. The rights of black Americans was still a struggle in 1974, and one example of that in the state would come from the family of Donnie C. Williams. He and his wife filed a lawsuit to live in the newly developed community of Lakewood. Blacks were not the only persons discriminated against in 1974, women also found themselves in the court systems battling for the protected rights in the United States constitution. A female employee working at the “Tracks Inn” in Little Rock found herself with out a job after refusing to serve a customer after he “grabbed her genitals.” She then petitioned the courts about the wrongful termination of herself because the company policy allowed her in the past to refuse service to individuals who participate in such behavior. Interesting enough the duplicity of society can be seen in Arkansas with the state being recognized in the top ten of elected black officials, and the appointing of Mrs. Mary P. Davis to the directors seat for the school systems mentally retarded division. . Of note in the article she attended mostly black universities and received high degrees from them and then thrown in at the bottom of the article “she attended the U of A too.” Almost to say that she only received a quality education while attending the U of A, not the Black colleges she received her degrees from. Entertainment in the state of Arkansas was much different in 1974 than in 1874. The theater had been replaced with the motion picture and radio. The paper boasts the return of the electrifying band ZZ Top. The summer of 1974 saw the release of “461 Ocean Boulevard” by Eric Clapton. On the big screen Paul Newman was in “the Sting” and Jack Nickleson played in “The Last Detail”. Sports were a much larger reported item of interest in 1974. The Cincinnati Reds reported having problems in the clubhouse because the players returned from the winter layoff with long hair. The clean cuts that fans were accustomed to would no longer be seen on players like Johnny Bench, and Pete Rose. Arkansas also moved legislative efforts to preserve land from being disturbed by development. After an initial refusal of the legislation to vote to fund the protection of such land, Governor Bumpers allocated funds from another source to secure the natural state of the areas protected. Drugs also appeared to be a pass time for members of the community living in Arkansas, but the reports are negative in nature coming from the papers. One young lady of 29 was arrested and charged for selling LSD. Drug gangs in the schools reportedly attack teachers in the Little Rock school district. Comparatively the two time periods have very unique problems in relation to each other. In 1874 the state was recovering from a civil war and the country as a whole was searching for an identity that wouldn’t be realized until the industrial revolution of the 1940’s. Arkansas in 1874 was, like most of the south, barren of capitol for investment to expand industrial investment. The recently freed black culture was searching for an identity in the state and was hindered by the bitter southern whites. Little had changed for the black culture in the South in 1974, which is amazing considering the work done by the leaders of the civil rights movements in the 1960’s. Women who struggled in the 1800’s were still fighting for a place setting at the table of equality in the state in 1974. Politics in the state had stabilized by 1974, but the old way of politics remained in the state. Networks of political allies remained true to the party lines and little movement was made for the common good of the people. 1974 was a year with it’s own financial troubles with mounting inflation, and a president facing impeachment. For all the differences between the two time periods of 1874 and 1974 one-thing remains constant. Politicians seek the interest of government and big business. Minority and common peoples must fight for rights even after legislative work is in place to remedy the realized wrongs, and change is coming weather we like it or not, history proves it.