The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-09-17


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: MINNESOTA. s.. . /; ~
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Her Productions, Her Capabilities an1l
. the Advantages Witch She sRresculs
for Settlers and Bustnoss Duty
OF Cur People. 49,. ;. i, ,..., -, az.
Having chosen Minnesot. for my home
nearly twenty, years ago, and having lbe.
come more attached to the State each
year, propose to address . few,words 10
my fellow citizens with view to do the
State some service. My connection, ! for
several years, with the efforts to make
Minnesota known abroad, naturally drew
my attention, not only to our own State,
but to the States and Territories compel.
ing with us for emigration. Through all
these years have tried to post myself
thoroughly as to the advantages of each
locality, and now. taking into considera-
tion oil that can properly pertain to the
question, the advantages and disadvanta.
ges of our own and other countries, upon
full, fair review of the whole subject,
l Am ready to assert without apprehen.
sion Of mistake, that Minnesota presents
more substantial Inducements to those
seeking homes than any State or Terri.
tory on this continent.
1t is not the purpose of this brief ar.
ticle ia. .enumerate these advantages or to
argue the question. I desire to call
the attention Of our people to what seems
to me our duty in view of the fact that
ehave State, the superior of all others
now inviting public attention.
For some years Eastern papers have
only spoken Of our State IS a region
swept by terrific storms and devastated
by armies Of grasshoppcrs. Rival local:
tiles, finding Minnesota head and shout.
ders above them in all that makes an at.
tractive State, have magnifled these and
continue to dwell upon them until many
persons have actually come to associate
our name with succession Of calamities
that render US objects of commisseration.
We have observed this, and quietly
smiled At the figure our own Minnesota
was cutting in the journals Of the coun.
try, while We here at home were quietly
growing large crops and steadily progress.
ing in wealth and importance. Let US
put new song in their mouths. 1t is
time Minnesota should come to the front
time our glorious young State shonld
assert herself and take the position to
which she is entitled.
The world should be told that we have
here in the centre Of the continent q
State with an estimated area of fifty-four
million acres, Of which less than three
million acres are under cultivation, and
that instead of claiming Of the world its
charity, We have this year raised thirty.
five million bushels of wheat--better
wheat and more to the acre than any
State or Territory ever has or can
produce; that our crops of oats, barley,
rye and potatoes are equally good; that
We are maturing corn crop that entities
us to rank proudly among the corn.grow-
ing States of the West. Young as we
are, we to-day stand at the head of the
wheat'growing States of the Union. and
this is proud historical contribution to
the centennial; not only ahead in guam.
tity, but far ahead in quality quality
that makes our wheat bring IS much in
our fields as the wheat of some States
brings when it reaches Eastern markets
Tell them that these crops are raised On
lands that are bought at from one dollar
to twenty dollars per acre, and men Of:
ten clear their entire farm and all ex.
penses out Of the first crop: that farm.
ing here is done with half the labor re.
quired in New York and New
England: that such is the vigor
men enjoy in this climate that man can
do as much field labor here in one day
as he can in some States in two; that 50
much Of our farming here is done by
machinery that but little is left that
is irksome or forbidding in
farm life; that We have 4
market at our door; that our broad riv.
ers and our two thousand miles Of rail.
roads traverse our entire territory and give
every section of our State market that
we have eight rival routes to tho East,
one by way of our own lake port at Du.
luth, another progressing toward Bay.
field, also on Lake Superior, the great Va.
ter route of the continent; that We have
the Mississippi river as an outlet to the
gulf and eight competing lines of railroad
connecting US with Chicago, St. Louis and
the East. Tell them that We have = eli
mate unequaled for comfort and health
the year round; that our winters, upon
tie severity Of which our rivals SO much
delight to dwell, are by many preferred
to our summers, pleasant as they are con-
ceded to be; that We are above and be-
yond the region in which malarial inlu.
noes prevail: that the health of our peo-
pie when contrasted with the middle
south, and southwestern States, is alone
sufficient to determine thinking men.
Tell them Of these things and that We
have here already seven hundred thous'
and people; that We can justly boast ol
possessing the most magnificent endow.
ment for educational purposes Of any