The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1882-11-17
A Word For Mankato.

Editor Free Press:
would like to speak of some things
through your columns occasionally not
officially for the Board of Trade, yet,
in such manner as / believe the Board
will approve.
1t is our great desire to advocate and
encourage such measures of public i'm
provement and public and private en-
terprise as shall place Mankato in the
front rank of western manufacturing
and commercial cities; rank to
which she is entitled by reason of her
geographical position and natural ad-
of circumstances" SO are cities. But
rs neglected circumstances and Oppor-
tunities will relegate any man into, OBJ
security, so they will to great extent,
any city. Men of wide observation
at home and abroad, unite in saying
that in the near future, MankatO will
BIZ great manufacturing and CONNER
cial centre, unless prevented by lack of
foresight, wisdom and liberallty in her
own peOple-unless favoring circum-
stances and golden opportunities are
neglected. All will admit that we have
been too respondent in the past, and
have had too much doubt about the
future. We have not done with our
might, but have waited too much for
something to turn up, or for others to
come and help us, yet it is rs true in
civic as in spiritual growth that "faith
is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not SEEN" But
again, faith without works is dead"
Hence the maxim, "God helps those
that help themselves" Yes, all we
need is faith in the future of our city
and AN united effort to advance her
prosperity. We are now practically
united us never before, but to accom-
pllsh anything there must be effort.
The imperative demand is not for what
we may do as we'll as not; it is for
something that we shall feel, in time
and money-a present sacrifice for a
future blessing. We need only to be
thoroughly in earnest to accomplish
our object, and we need only to do what
costs us something to become interested
and thoroughly in earnest.
What little we have done through
the Board of Trade and Citizens meet
ings shows the truth of this principle.
Through the spring and summer, times
and prospects were no better than for
years, yet what shortening and bright
ening up of our faces. We all stopped
grumbling long ago, except a few OF
the "moss covered" we came to see
that our city had bright future. Much
has already been done to improve her
appearance, advance her prosperity and
make her advantages known to the
world. This has been accomplished be-
cause one or two hundred citizens have
been sufficiently in earnest to come to.
gether to discuss the situation and to
give $500 to $500 in membership fees
to help the Board of Trade to publish
our advantages and to bring in capital
and manufactures.
What might have been accomplished
had we made the proper effort; had
we been In dead earnest, we can only
guess; but henccforth if we do what we
should, what wide awake citizens may,
with the present nickels far enough re-
moved from their eyes to see the future
coming dollars, we need guess no
longer, but may sec such revival OF
business here as we never dreamed OF.
Think of the multitude of favoring
circumstances in our present situation,
and say whether or cot we shall all
take hold with will and make Man
kato 'the future great"
M. G.. WILLARD,
Secretary Board of Trade