Guarding Our Best Interests

Improving the area’s transportation system highlighted the importance of the Chamber’s involvement in political and military issues. An efficient transportation system heightened the possibility of the federal government selecting central Arkansas for a military site, and the Chamber recognized the benefits such a site could bring to the area. Military and governmental issues are a strong focal point of the Chamber, and through these areas it strives to increase business revenue, state population, and awareness of political activities for Arkansas. Political involvement took place slowly; however, its horizons expanded considerably at the realization that support or opposition of certain political issues presented advantages or disadvantages for Little Rock as the city expanded. Military issues illustrate the opposite trend. With a great deal of involvement in the early years, the Chamber lessened its focus in this area later in the century.

Within thirty years of its establishment the Chamber had its first taste of war since the Civil War. The United States had interest in the Spanish-owned island of Cuba during the ante-bellum years. They saw it as an excellent site for cotton production and the expansion of slavery. After the Civil War, interest in Cuba remained because of the sugar plantations, the tobacco fields, and the mines. By the 1890s Americans owned nearly $50 million of property and industry in Cuba. Therefore, when the Wilson-Gorman tariff seriously restricted trade in 1894, both the American investments and the Cuban economy were thrown into recession. The Cubans called for independence from the political control of Spain and the economic control of the United States.

Remembering the legacies of fighting for their own independence, the Americans supported the position of the Cubans. They attempted to persuade the Spanish to grant Cuba at least limited autonomy, but hesitated initially about actually engaging in war with Spain on Cuba’s behalf. Tempers ignited when the battleship USS Maine became the victim of an explosion. Although the incident proved to be accidental, Spanish conspirators were blamed and President William McKinley declared war against Spain April 29, 1898. This occurred after the Senate voted to pass the war resolution with an amendment that the United States would not attempt to annex Cuba as a territory.

The United States won the war, which lasted only ten weeks. Abiding by their word the American government did not annex Cuba as a territory. They did, however, deny the Cuban citizens any official role in the securing of their own independence. The Cubans also provided land for American military bases. A treaty between the two countries allowed the United States to intervene at any time if it was deemed to be in the best interests of the island. With this treaty, the American businesses resumed control of the sugar, tobacco and mining industries in Cuba.

In Little Rock, Arkansas, the Chamber watched the war’s events unfold. References to the war and its effects on Pulaski County concerned the Chamber as noted through a resolution passed in 1896 urging Congress to avoid all discussions of war and to concentrate on currency and other economic conditions within the country. With the Civil War and the Spanish-American War fresh in the memories of Little Rock citizens, the Chamber looked toward the small army unit stationed north of Little Rock and speculated about the possibility of land and troop expansion. Camp Pike, today called Camp Robinson, became a central issue for the Chamber.

Named for Brigadier General Zebulon W. Pike, an explorer, the post was an active one in 1895. A small station, it fell under the command of Captain Thompson. The Captain and the Chamber both desired an active and full-sized regiment at the camp. However, the lack of a free bridge across the Arkansas River as well as a good road system between the post and the city discouraged the idea and a full-sized active unit proved unnecessary until 1917.

After declaration of war against Germany in 1917, the United States government planned to place sixteen military districts throughout the nation. Little Rock was to be one of those sixteen. The Chamber donated three thousand acres of land in the region of the original Camp Pike to the government for the purpose of developing a regimental sized army unit. The troops posted at Camp Pike came from the 87th Division in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The construction, overseen by Major John R. Fordyce, contracted Jas. Stewart and Co. of New York and St. Louis. The development of the camp, completed in just three months, enabled an active regiment to function effectively.

Upon the completion of World War I, the number of troops stationed at Camp Pike decreased, but the camp continued as a small and quiet operation until 1922. At this point it evolved to become a National Guard training ground. Thirteen years later, in 1935, the Chamber began working with the military in order to bring Camp Pike back into full active status. John R. Fordyce, then a colonel, worked closely with the Chamber to achieve this goal. The Chamber stressed to the army the advantages of having an active unit at Little Rock. The advantages outlined referred to the strategic location within the United States, low maintenance costs, and excellent transportation systems throughout the region. Submitted to the Department of the Army, the report highlighted these benefits and other gains such as the low malaria and typhoid incidents in the region. In December of 1938, the army agreed to consider settling a regiment at the camp.

On August 26, 1937 Camp Pike changed its name to Camp Joseph T. Robinson. The post was named for Joseph Taylor Robinson, a native Arkansan, who served in the positions of U.S. Congressman, Governor of Arkansas, and U.S. Senator. A dedicated Democrat, he remained a Senator for four terms. Before his death in 1937 he helped to institute child labor laws as well as create the Federal Trade Commission.

The Chamber persevered in the matter of Camp Robinson. For the army to finish the plans to put a unit at Camp Robinson, the state needed the support of the voting population. The Chamber actively urged the senators and congressmen to approve the bill for the post, citing that the federal expansion of the military and the already developed camp made Little Rock an excellent location for the army unit. The Chamber continued to show its determination until 1940 when the army made the final arrangements to place a unit at Camp Robinson. Initially, the City of Little Rock, through the Chamber, was to donate the land to the army for its use along with free land improvements, updated sewer and water systems, and paved roads. The army decided to lease the land instead. Troops from the 35th Division arrived at Camp Robinson in January of 1941, only to be mobilized for war in the following December. For the period of World War II, Camp Robinson was a training ground for young soldiers headed to battle as well as a prisoner of war camp for Germans.

During the campaign for the active regiment at Camp Robinson, the Chamber discussed the effects the unit might have on Little Rock as a community. The results of these discussions demonstrated an anticipation that the post would provide more benefit than detriment to the city, as it would increase civilian jobs and likely provide an increase in trade. Also, the post would attract military-support industries to set up manufacturing plants in Little Rock. Today, the camp contains over two thousand buildings covering over 20 acres of land. Included among the buildings are a post office and a hospital. The site also contains ten thousand acres used for maneuver practice purposes.

With Europe bent under the strains of World War II, the United States began the Civilian Military Training Corps (C.M.C.). The C.M.C., a nationwide effort, recruited young men and prepared them for the possibility of war. The Chamber decided that due to its responsibility for bringing Camp Robinson to Little Rock it had a duty to support the C.M.C. They actively engaged in a campaign to raise $30,000 for the project in order to house, feed, clothe, and otherwise care for these young recruits who would be training at Camp Robinson. Later, the Chamber endorsed the nationwide efforts of the C.M.C. money-raising campaign instead of pursuing their original goal of $30,000. By joining with the nationwide effort to raise $10.7 million, Arkansas as a state had the obligation to raise $45,000. In turn Pulaski County’s quota was $6,500.

After World War II, in 1947, the government created the Air Force as an independent branch of the military, separate from its parent branch, the Army. The War set the stage for the federal government to begin expanding the military across the nation and allied countries. The Chamber coupled the advantages of this military expansion with the creation of the new Air Force and had the foresight to envision a potential new industry in Arkansas—the possibility of an air base situated near Little Rock.

The presence of air troops in Arkansas actually began as a single Army Air Corps unit that was displaced from Chanute airfield in Illinois. The unit was placed at Adams Field, since developed into Little Rock National Airport. Adams Field was named for George Geyer Adams who was born in Little Rock in 1899. Adams enlisted in the Army and served in the Heavy Tank Corps in France during World War I. Upon his return to Little Rock in 1919, he joined his father in the family grocery business, but he continued to retain his military status by enlisting with the Arkansas National Guard Observation Squadron. As chairman of a committee at the airport, Adams led the way for vast improvements to the facility. Sadly, in 1937, a propeller engine assembly broke loose and struck him down. In his memory, the airfield bears his name.

The Chamber realized that an air base required large amounts of land, space, and money that were beyond the budget of the Chamber alone. Therefore, it looked to the Pulaski County Citizens Council for assistance. The community’s initial lack of enthusiasm for the air base became apparent when the Council was only able to raise $31 million from the surrounding communities out of the estimated goal of $50 million. However, as plans continued, support from the community increased.

Over a six-month period, negotiations with collaborating chambers, current private owners of the land, and the Air Force resulted in numerous meetings and letters. State and county officials collaborated with the Chamber to encourage the Air force to station a permanent and active air unit in Arkansas. In a 1952 letter to the secretary of the Air Force, the Chamber wrote:

"…it is the wish of ourselves and of those for whom we speak that our genuine desire to have a permanent Air Force installation placed here, and the people of our community would welcome the officers, airmen and civilians employed by the military who would be assigned here…We attach a study which gives in detail statistics and facts concerning our community…"

A comprehensive study of the Little Rock area included in the letter covered topics such as the construction facilities in Little Rock and North Little Rock, utility supplies, and labor costs. It also went on to mention the amenities of Little Rock including excellent transportation systems, health and hospital facilities, and its central location in a state with a temperate climate.

The federal government refused to pay for land in Arkansas to locate a base. The government’s position was that with suitable lands elsewhere, if Arkansas wanted an air base, Arkansas needed to furnish the land and utilities itself. Thus, the Chamber began a search for suitable land. The Industrial Development Committee members, including 1952 Chamber Chair Richard Butler, raised $1 million dollars to purchase the land for the air base. Says Butler, “That was a lot of money then…[it] doesn’t seem near as much [now] as it was in those years. ” The first place to be considered, Adams Field, lacked the proper size and the ability to expand, making it an unsuitable location.

By 1952 the Chamber and other business people in Pulaski County had three suitable land choices for an airfield: Wrightsville, Woodson and Jacksonville. Gas pipelines, poor drainage, and lack of accessibility to Wrightsville and Woodson eliminated these two townships. Jacksonville, however, had nine thousand acres of developed land, thereby fitting the requirements of an air base. These nine thousand acres, set aside in 1941 for the Arkansas Ordnance Plant, were left unused when it closed in 1945 at the end of the Second World War. The War Assets Administration sold these buildings to several smaller industries such as the Hiwasse Manufacturing Co, and the excess land was then available for use. The Chamber now had the task of convincing the military of Jacksonville’s excellence as a base location. Pulaski County agreed to cover construction expenses of a full eleven thousand-foot runway, up-dated utilities, and properly maintained roads. The approval for Little Rock Air Force Base passed Congress on July 3, 1952. “A lot of us pounded the pavement to get that accomplished,” says former 1974 Chair Robert Taylor. The Chamber negotiated the purchase of the land and made the actual transactions from the small industries that tenanted the areas. The Base Fund Drive reimbursed the Chamber with monetary and land gifts from many investors such as the Arkansas Power and Light Co. The Little Rock Clearing House Association, the Arkansas Gazette, and the Arkansas Democrat also donated monies. The final boundaries of the air base encompassed 6,500 acres of the Jacksonville site.

The Jacksonville area felt the economic effects of the air base immediately. Property prices rose considerably and both construction and employment in the nearby communities increased. Unfortunately, however, the necessary relocation of families in the nearby town of Toneyville resulted in many residents moving completely away from the area, as rising property values forced families to search further afield for comparable land space. As soon as final approval was given Little Rock began construction of a four-lane highway from Little Rock to Jacksonville. The Chamber conducted a survey of family homes in the Little Rock and North Little Rock area to find out what type of housing could be provided to the families of the airmen stationed at the air base. The military housing decided upon consisted of two and three bedroom duplexes and three and four bedroom units. They were built in three groups on a 330-acre plot of land south of the base.

The Chamber and other Little Rock officials hoped to ensure that the Little Rock Air Force Base was “something both the Air Force and the people of Pulaski County could be proud of.”

A close liaison between the Chamber and the officials at the air base achieved this reality. The official ground breaking ceremony took place on December 8, 1953, but construction immediately stopped a week later due to union strikes. Four months later, the construction resumed with a no-strike and no-lockout clause in the workers' contracts. The first base commander, Col. Joseph A. Thomas, helped to oversee the construction of the base. Although twelve names were submitted for the title of the base, it has always been called Little Rock Air Force Base. The official dedication occurred on October 9, 1955. Over the next few years, the base won the Strategic Air Command’s “Base of the Year” and several other distinctions. The increased housing and personnel to the area gave Little Rock’s economy a significant boost. Even small businesses such as pharmacies, mechanic shops, real estate companies, and home furnishings stores reported a tremendous boom in sales since the beginnings of the air base. The 1960 announcement that the air base would support the Titan II inter-continental ballistic missiles meant an even larger contribution to the economy and increased prestige for Little Rock as construction for the missile sites began in north central Arkansas. By 1980 the air base was one of the largest industries in Arkansas, exceeding $90 million in payrolls alone. According to Robert Taylor, the air base is one of the best contributions to the area in which the Chamber was involved.

Completion of the air base and the installation of an active military unit resulted in a decrease in the Chamber’s direct involvement in military concerns, although interests in its success and needs remains. The Chamber subsequently became more actively involved with state and local government. Rather than advocating one particular candidate over another, it made known its support or opposition of particular issues. The Chamber often provides a united political front for the business community of Little Rock and the immediate surrounding areas on issues such as tax issues.

In the early 1960s, existing tax laws governing the levying and the collection of taxes resulted in allowing out-of-state sellers, distributors, and manufacturers to have tax advantages for which in-state business people could not be eligible. These tax advantages for out-of-state businesses hindered in-state companies. The State Legislature, with whom the Chamber worked closely, provided the solution to this disparity in the form of Amendment 51. In response to an 1874 tax law, Amendment 51 became a new addition to the Constitution of the State of Arkansas. The Amendment gives citizens the right to vote for a certain amount of money to go to city improvement initiatives and for operating purposes. The amendment doubled the amount of money that could be allocated because the original amount in the 1874 tax law resulted in inadequate funds for operating a city the size of Little Rock. The higher amount would also give rise to proposed urban renewals and an improved police department.

The Little Rock Air Force Base provided another means of raising funds in the state. In the early 1960s, the Air National Guard unit at Adams Field joined with the facilities at Little Rock Air Force Base. The Armed Services Committee at the Chamber endorsed a program to strengthen the Reserve and National Guard in Arkansas. These units already contributed $3.5 million dollars to the annual state income and speculation stated that by bringing the units up to full strength, that the revenue could increase to as much as $5 million.

Other local and state issues in which the Chamber actively participated included the development of the river navigation, the River Market, and the switch from a two-year term for Constitutional officers (such as the position of Governor) to a four-year term. The Chamber supported this issue because officers often spent one year of their two in office campaigning for the next two-year term. The new four-year term enabled officers to provide a better service to the constituents that they serve. Additionally, the Chamber began an interview process of potential political candidates concentrating on their personal platform for the business development and welfare of the city. The answers, explains former Chair Rett Tucker, are published in the membership newsletter and provide local businesspersons the opportunity to know how the political stage responds to them with regards to each individual candidate.

Although the Chamber normally remains outside of national political affairs, a few congressional policies concerned it enough to warrant its involvement; for example, the presidential election matter, federal land use, national health insurance, social security, and the Tax Reform Act of 1976. The presidential election matter centered on the methods of voting in the new presidency. The two types of votes considered dealt with the popular vote and the district method vote. The popular vote entailed voting directly on the candidates. The candidate receiving forty percent of the votes would win. With the district method, candidates relied upon a congressional district area and the candidate with the most votes in a given district won. Each state had two votes and the candidate with the most districts within a given state would receive the state’s two votes.

Congress requested the opinions and concerns of the individual Chambers throughout the nation, including Little Rock. The Chamber discussed the pros and cons to both types of voting methods and decided that although the direct method appeared to be the best at first, the candidates may only concentrate their platforms and canvassing on the high population areas and ignore the more rural voting centers. As a result of these considerations, the Chamber chose to vote against the popular vote method.

The Federal Land Use question involved the federal government’s right to establish detailed guidelines for states to apply in regards to the use of private land. The Chamber opposed this proposal on the grounds that Americans have the right to own and use property. The Chamber concluded that the legislation proposed would effectively take away that fundamental right without just compensation to the private owners.

The Chamber dealt with other congressional bills such as the Forand Bill of 1960, which threatened social security benefits and health care programs, and the Clean Air Act, which affected industries throughout the state of Arkansas. In response to the Clean Air Act, an amendment by the Arkansas State Legislature allowed businesses already established in Arkansas to have more flexible Clean Air Act regulation. These more flexible rules allowed established plants to continue operating under less stringent guidelines and avoid heavy fines. New businesses, however, had to follow the guidelines as set by the act.

The Chamber’s involvement with the military and governmental affairs of Little Rock provides excellent examples of its role in the city’s expansion. Its military involvement in the early years helped boost the economy of Little Rock by attracting businesses and industries to the area. The governmental policy concerns of the later years support the established industries and help to create new ones. The Chamber has focused its effort on issues that directly affect the business development of Central Arkansas. In the words of “Mack” McLarty about the Chamber’s political stance, “...I think generally the Chamber has [prioritized] and really determined what [it] wants to accomplish”.