The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-04-28

ouopeOu WIN ohS VI tWo Ahiuoi ShohSOe'
On motion, the committee appointed
in the morning to report on permanent
organization was continued, and Maj.
Rose, of Mankato, and A. G. Dunn, Of
Winnebago City, added, to draft
constitution and also to report
back permanent officers. The gentle
men retired and their report will be
found in the minutes of the evening
session.
At this juncture there was nothing
left for the assembly to do but speech
making, or rather general interchange
of ideas and learn facts from each other
Mr.. Duykman, of Sleepy Eye, young
man who had just returned from Scot
land, was called upon for some remarks.
He said that the climate of that country
was not to be compared with our own,
and that the soil was inferior. He knew
of some renters that paid as high rs SEQ
per acre rental per year, although the
average was about $l5 to $lS. These
renters had to enrich the lands ut their
own expense, which cost from 81 to $40
per acre more, bringing total rental
of from Sa3 to $50 per acre yearly.
Said that all the advertising that reach
ed the section he visited was from the
Manitoba country, and when he told
residents there that he lived in Mime
sofa, they wanted to know whether the
State was near the Canadian Northwest.
Much of our advertising matter that is
sent over there is wasted-never reaches
those who are interested. Mr.. Duyk.
mans observations led him to believe
that if the beauty, grandeur and advau-
tages of our country could be placed be-
fore the people Of Scotland in the same
effective way that the pamphlets of
Manitoba are circulated, we could gath
er host of those that are now going to
p"e oNSA-hoouCu oiStIlCl WHcIc thc
beauty of scenery, grandeur of climate,
ETC., are all humbug and only on
paper. MIR. Duykman talked very en-
couragingly of the future of Southern
Minnesota, and seemed determined to
get his share of those Scotchmen (Of
which We took him to he One) to settle
among us.
The next gentleman called upon was
c. w. Slayton, land commissioner of the
c. St. p. NJ. & o. road, who only two or
three weeks since returned from a trip
to Europe where he had been in the in
terest Of southwestern immigration. Mr.
Slayton has now nineteen agents in his
employ in various European countries,
and as they are all at work showing
up the beauties of this particular local.
ty, he expects soon to hear of large
colony starting for America. Mr.. Stay
ton has had large experience in immi-
grafton business, and he finds the most
effective way to reach those who are de.
sirous OF coming to this country Is to 60
there in person and be prepared to an
swer all kinds of questions. The circu-
lars and and pamphlets are good as far
Us they go, but there is an insatiate hun.
ger tor Il personal interview with oul
representatives. In England, men often
lease tracts of land for seventeen and
twenty years, and the most stringent re-
quirements are exacted by the landlords.
The lessee is even bound by agreement
to protect game, and only the landlord
and his friends are allowed to ride indis
criminately over the premises and kill
whatever they see fit. Freights there are
very much higher than here. There to
pillow an acre of ground in a day is an
average, while in this country from two
to three acres OF soil are turned. Blu,
the difference is easily explained. Tile
English turn furrow from to 8 inches
wide and about inches deer, while we
turn a furrow from IL to IA inches wide
and only about 3 to 4 inches deep. One
thing that operates against us in the
way of gaining immigration from Eng,
land in particular, is that the leaders
there all recommend Manitoba, and as
it is portion of the Dominion, of
course it is comparatively easy to make
the emigrant enthusiastic for that
country. In discussing the best mode
Of inducing immigration to Southwest
ern Minnesota, Mr.. Slayton thought that
great number could be obtained from
the Manitoba section, as there were hun
dreds of people there anxious to get
away, and were only waiting IN invita-
ton. His idea, which was seconded by
several well posted gentlemen, was that
it would be All excellent scheme to sta.
ton one or more live agents up there
and turn the tide this way. In fact he
cited to several instances where parties
had been lured to that over-estimated
country who gladly returned to South
western Minnesota, bought land and
settled down to farming.
Mr.. Hall, of Mankato, asked Mr.. Stay
ton what the State Board of Immigra.
ton was doing for Southwestern Mime
sofa. He briefly stated that the pamph.
lets sent out by that body contained a
fairly impartial statement of this sec
ton, but was free to admit the great
Northwest was placed little to the
fore.
Mr.. Burchard found the same to be
true regarding the return of many who
had went to the Northern Pacific, as that
stated by Mr.. Slayto This country
can raise sheep, cattle, hogs, wheat, oats,
rye, barley, and in fact everything that
grows, while the Manitoba and Red
River country is exclusively adapted to
wheat growing. When that crop fails,
as it must after the virtue of the soil
has been exhausted, what are these peo
pie to do In the opinion of Mr.. Bur-
chard, as we'll as the entire number of
gentlemen present, those people must
seek new homes again in a very few
years
Col. VIM. Thomas felt little anxious
about Norway and Germany, and asked
Mr.. Slayton (who by the way was the
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