Arkansas is still a dis tinctly agricultural State, but there is a steady increase of manufactures. The number of establishments rose from 1,746 in 1899 to 2,925 in 1909; the number of wage earners from 31,525 to 44,982; the value of the products from $39,888,000 to $74,916,000. The following table shows the standing of the leading industries in 1909: No. of Value estab- Value added by lisp- Wage of menu meats earners products factureLumber and timber 1909 1,697 32,923 $40,640,000 $26,340,000 Oil, Vtton seed and cake 44 1,086 7,789,000 1,784,000 Flour and grist mills 113 .312 .5,615,000 756,000 Cars and shop work (t. R.) 16 3,249 4,154,000 2,395,000 Printing and pub lishing 295 981 2,082,000 1,546,000 Furniture and re frigerators 20 680 975,000 496,000 All others 740 5,751 13,661,000 6,664,000 Total 2,925 44,982 $74,916,000 $39,981,000 ====== While in 1914 the number of establishments and wage-earners had decreased, capital in vested, wages, and output had increased, as shown in the following table: Number of establishments 2,604 Number of wage-earners 41,979 Capital invested $77,162,000 Wages 20,752,000 Value of materials used 44,907,000 Value of products 83,940,000 The manufacture of lumber is easily the lead ing industry, employing 73.2 per cent of the wage earners and contributing over half to the value of products. While the number of establishments is large compared with the amount of products the tendency toward large scale production is easily apparent. Of the 1,697 lumber and timber companies, 97 em ployed 17,300 wage earners and produced $22,848,000, while the other 1,600 employed 15,632 wage earners and produced $17,792,000. In the oil, cotton seed and cake industry 30 establishments employed 920 wage earners and produced ..,819,000 while 14 employed 166 and produced .'•,000. The industries are centred mainly in five cities Little Rock, Argenta, Fort Smith, Pine Bluff and Hot Springs. The legislature of 1915 passed a law requiring rail roads to make repairs within the State.
Transportation and Commerce.— Though bountifully supplied with rivers the State has little water transportation of much value except that of the Mississippi. This stream gives deep water communication with other States and with the Gulf. New Orleans is the port for Arkansas and through this large quantities of lumber and cotton are exported. The Arkansas River is navigable a part of the year for boats of light draft from the eastern to the western border, a distance of about 400 miles, the White to Jacfcsonport, about 250 miles; also the Red and Ouachita for short distances, but the ton nage on all of them is very small. The main reliance is upon railroads. In 1861 railway construction had just begun. In 1870 there were only 256 miles in the State. By 1890 the mileage had risen to 2,203, in 1900 to 3,082 and in 1916 to 5,407, or one to every 10 square miles of territory. A railroad commission was created in 1909. Farmers still labor under great difficulties in getting their produce to the railroads. The State maintains a highway com mission which aids counties and localities in construction of roads. There are about 36,500 miles of road in the State, of which 1,185 are ' improved. Seven lines of electric street rail ways operate 134 miles of track.
There were 59 National banks in Arkansas (1915) with capital of $5,301,000; surplus and undivided profits, $3,331,121; re sources, $34,641,315. There are 404 State banks (five private, 46 trust companies included), sur and undivided profits, $5,457,353; capital, 13,763,892; resources, $61,989,094. Only seven ational banks have ever failed in the State, two of these in (one of which was restored to solvency), and one in 1916. In 1915, five State banks failed, assets $78,450, liabilities $127,847. The office of State bank commissioner was created in 1913. There are very few savings banks separately organized, but most State banks run a savings department, paying 4 per cent. Their savings accounts amount to $3,719,007. There are 41 loan and trust companies, capital $4,741,875. Five private banks report $105,000 of capital.
Finances.— The assessed valuation in creased from $299,730,877 ($199,331,562 real, $100,399,315 personal) in 1905, to $447,020,270 in 1915. A good part of the increase was due to the activity of the State tax commission, created in 1909. The total revenue Collected in 1905 was $5,037,665; in 1915, nearly $7,000,000. The poll tax amounted to of which $190,000 is paid by whites. Another large item for non-property taxes was for liquor licenses. This amounted to $93,000 in 1913, $69,540 in 1914, $54,550 in 1915 and was entirely cut off by law of 1916. The insurance companies paid $60,000 in fees and $112,412 in taxes. The return from the inheritance tax law was small, though the law is drastic in form. The only rec ognized bonded debt is that of $1,134,500 bor rowed from the permanent school fund many years ago and $116,000 taken in like manner from the University endowment. On these the State pays 3 per cent. In 1917, the legislature authorized the issuance of $750,000, short term notes, to take up outstanding warrants of sev eral years' accumulation. Education, Confed erate pensioners, charitable institution and of ficers' and employees' salaries constitute the chief subjects for expenditures.
educational conditions in Arkansas are not the best, neither are they the worst. A very decided improvement has been made in the last few years. In 1909 counties were authorized to elect superintendents and 25 counties now have this officer. In 1911 a State board of education (eight) was created with considerable administrative powers to be exercised with the State superintendent. Pro vision was made for the consolidation of weak districts and $50,000 was appropriated to aid high schools. The latter was declared uncon stitutional in 1915 because the appropriation was made from the school fund. The legislature of 1917 provided aid for rural high schools, also funds necessary to receive the Federal grant under the Smith-Lever Act. A State supervisor of high schools, a State supervisor of rural schools and a school improvement organizer are supported by the general education board. A compulsory attendance law was passed in 1909 (amended twice since), but 28 counties are exempt and it is not well enforced. A child labor law was adopted by popular vote in 1914. State uniformity of textbooks was provided in 1917.