The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-01-27
LAKE CRYSTAL.

Thinking an item from this locality
would be acceptable, though, as mat
ter of fact there is but little news to
give you.
There is the usual quantity U>wheat
coming into the elevator, and IS cents is
about the price tor No. ,.
The merchants are doing a good
trade as usual, and the villagers gener-
ally are supposed to be happy.
Mr.. ii Humphrey has sold his bust
ness block, and it would seem from that
he has ''gonc West to grow up with the
country" Hank will be missed as
much rs any man in the place, and it
would he difficult to find another who
would benefit the village us much as he
has.
Twas pleased to read "Edgewood's"
communication as it had the right ring,
"bombastic" though it was according to
the RerieU. The editor Processes great
concern lest the farmers become preju
diced as he styles it, against him. just
what has come over the benighted mind
of the manager of that paper to cause
his profcsscd solicitude for the well be-
ing of that portion of his patrons whom
he once styled "bcnighted farmers" he
wholly fails to state, but it is to be
hoped that whatever may have hap
pencd, his conversion will prove sincere
and permanent. But if we are to Judge
the future by the past, let us ask, what
has he done for the farming community
that he has earned their everlasting
gratitude. Is it because for two or
three months before harvest and as
many months after, OF each year, he
knowingly publishes greatly exaggerated
statements OF the condition and yield
of farm crops which is one Of the
direct means OF causing low prices of
all kinds of grain for period Of time
sufficiently long that farmers have usu.
ally been compelled to dispose Of the
larger portion of their produce on a
depressed market! Does he know the
average yield of wheat in this county
for the last ten years has not exceeded
ten or twelve bushels instead of from
fifteen to twenty; and that this State did
not produce fifty five millions bushels
OF wheat for the year 1880, rs the
papers made out early i'll June. Is it
because of repeated statements in his
paper in the interests of few real
estate dealers that it Is made to appear
real estate is worth as much or even
more in this than in any other county
in the State, whereby the State Board of
Equalization put the land OF Blue
Earth county at figure ($l0.75) per
acre which is higher than it would sell
for cash to-day! Again, let me ask is
it because he opposes with all his per-
suasive eloqucpce any form Of "Town.
ship organization" and imagines a
farmer ought to deem it a privilege to
be allowed to travel, as many of us do,
from 100 to $50 miles each year and
spend at least four days time, in order
to pay our taxes. 1t is cminently pro-
per and satisfactory to him that the
country towns are compelled to pay
into the county treasury all special
school and town taxes which i'm turn are
deposited without interest, by the coun-
ty treasurer in the different banks, who
may loan the identical money at a high
rate Of interest, back to individuals
living in the towns in which the taxes
were collected Does he merit the APP
proval OF grangcrs generally, because
he favOrs the election of five reprcsen-
tativcs to the legislature at large in the
county instead OF allowing one from
each district as most of the balance OF
the state does. X. Y. 4.