The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-09-16
UNION OF AGRICULTURAL AND MANUFAs.
TURING INDUSTRY.

Ipresent as M fifth and last proposition
that there should be in the vast aud fertile
and well watered Mississi ppi valley u due sd-
mixture OF agricultural with manufacturing
cease exporting all our immense surplus to
mouths u thousand m five thousand miles
away, and cease importing articles manufac-
turcd by the hands beneath those mouths.
This double transportation Of food and fabric
Is u burdensome and unnecessary tax upon
both. The mouths that cut n the hands
that make should be to u greater extent upon
our own soil. l know that geology made this
region especially rich for agriculture, but she
has also given US rivers whose waters obey
the law of gravitatiOn rs surely as those Of
Massachusetts; and she has given us coal
wherein Is locked q latent but mighty and
willing force that man can command where
no rivers run. The West must awaken to u
realization Of the wisdom of more varied in
dustries. Indeed, i rejoice to m that she
and there ! read Of great factories and work.
shops projected, Or already In successful ope-
ration. Minnesota has too few Of these. She
is TO exclusively agricultural, ships too nue.
wheat east and brings back too many manu-
factured articles which she might herself pro
duce.
But I must hasten to u close. With more
location, q greater diversity Of products,
more attention to the comforts and attrac-
tiOns of life, and, would add, that systematic
grugality which has made tho people of Francs
sHo ~ POORACi IA u WOAAns NnC AuIlllcI5
Of this grand valley Of the Mississippi ought
to be the most prosperous and the most con.
tented Of American citizens. i would that l
had time to enlarge upO this virtue Of (ra-
edtty. Americans are the most wasteful Of
people. Their extravaganza Is only equaled by
their resources. And western farmers are
too often typical representatives Of this ma
tional spirit. Farms arc paid for with mort
cages, stock and machinery bought on credit,
the distinction between the necessary aud M
necessary Is dimly seen, costly implements
receive little care, the hope that springs
triumphant In the farmer' breast does not
always meet its fruition and worry and dis
appointment and bankruptcy too often come
instead OF competence and cOntentment. AL
honor to the moro careful, saving and thrifty
management largely characteristic of the
foreign element of our population. A Ger
man or q Norwegian is more likely to be con-
tent with small beginnings, keeps his expen-
dread of debt, and gains by slow but sure ad-
vances an Independence too often to be found
only In the hopes of the more improvident
American. Farmer fellOw-citizens, II you
OF 1t by mourning not one unnecessary ex-
pense, and by pushing the income to the
highest degree. II you are out Of debt thank
God and record q strong resolve to remain in
that happy condition of freedom. Thefarmer
who Is out of debt, who loves his business,
Who conducts II cautiously, ~frugally, and in
diligently, who has a farm every year grow
Ing, more productive. and u home little by
little df need be) growing more attractive,
to be accounted the most enviable Of
mOrtals.
But l have already overpassed the temporal
limits suited to an occasion like this. In hasty
fellow-citizens, 1 commend these
subjects to your candid consideration. ]
believe they arc matters more vital to -FOUR
interests than any temporary questions of
tics. These are important, but they arc less
important than the Others. These are tran
sitory-the others fundamental and perma-
nent.