The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1891-04-17
LETTER FROM UNCLE JOSH.
FIDDLER's CREEK, April 8.
No. IS.

No. Is.
Editor Free Press:
After breakfast we again resorted
to the veranda to enjoy our morning
cigar, and my first inquiry was in re-
gard to the wonderful bathroom.
"Mr. Lawrence" l began, ''how came
you in possession of that oil painting
that furnishes the back ground for
the swimming bath?"
"Why, naturally enough" said Mr..
Lawrence. sit was two years ago, I
think, that my children were spend
ing the season at the sea shore, some
where on the Massachusetts coast at
| Gloucester / think, where the tide
runs about nine feet. The children
were delighted with the place, and
my eldest daughter being fine land
scape painter, had no sooner returned
home than she set about reproducing
the scenes connected with her sea-
shore experience, and the painting
you saw was one of the results of her
efforts. She acquired the art in col
lege."
"Mr. Lawrence" said |, 1.-THE pic.
ture is perfect-it portrays my own
dear old homestead, the place where l
was born-and thought / should
never tire gazing on the picture-and
the effect was greatly heightened by
thot WOnHorf,11 coo
so, that" said Mr.. Lawrence,
laughing, sis the work of my son
Henry. Heis studying in the electro
engineering department, and over
hearing his sister remark that her
picture would lack the effect of the
ebb and flow of the tide, he told her
that he would undertake to supply
that want, and | think he succeeded
remarkably well. 1t is a very simple
affair, the effect being produced by
combination of electrical and mechan-
zeal Devices"
l said that to me it was wonderful.
| then said to Mr.. Lawrence that
much to my regret, | must soon take
my departure, but before going | de-
sired to learn further in regard to the
politics of the Fl F.
1.-THE story is short one, "he began,
1.-THE fact is, that what used to be
known as politics in the old times, is
to-day practically unknown among US.
Why, Mr.. Goodwin, when we look
back upoh the old conditions, when
the country was filled with incompe-
tent, self-seeking, clustering swash-
bucklers, political things, renegades,
shifting from one party to the other
for personal gain; whelps, who cared
no more for our country than
they did for the cannibalS of Central
Africa; wanting for nothing but a
place" where they could get liv-
ing out of the public crib: harping on
one set of lies through one campaign,
and shouting from the stump another
set OF lies throughout the next; sink
ing their manhood to the very lowest !
depths Of infamy in their efforts to
delude the people into the monstrous
idea that they and they alone were |
fitted to fill positions of honor and |
trust. Thank God, that day has gone
by, but when think of it all, l won
der how the people, who are naturally |
honest, endured the damnable nui-
Sance.
To-day, all the positions in the
gift OF our people, from that of United
States Senator down to the humblest |
place in our civil administration, are
filed by competitive examinations in
our schools and colleges. There is no
''hurrah" about tit is mere mat
ter of business. Everything is bust
ness with us first, last and all the
Jlme-generally interspersed, howev-
or, with healthy pleasures. There is
I growing desire, however, that State
ines may be practically wiped out.
In short, to become substantially
What our county lines are now, with a
view to the establishment of univer-
'al laws for all the people. This is
about all of what might be called
politics" among us. We do not insist
lpOn it, we only advocate it as meas
Ire beneficial to all classes, as it would
)rlng us closer together, establishing
sort of brotherly fraternity through
tut the land. 1t would take me too
Ong to give you all the details of how
We manage to control the price or our
,wn product, but we do it, and hap
der and more prosperous people than
)ur own, the sun never shown upon.
Dur chief aim is to build up niger
and we feel that we are
ust entering that path. We have al
'eady accomplished much scientifical-
y. Our rOadwayS speak volumes in
hat direction. One of our students
discovered the composition that forms
he surfaces. He found the material
n numerous deposits in our own lands
ind as prepared, it is about as cheap
Is the muck we removed from the
bitches. You will notice
jhe bitches are all lined with the
'ame material. 1 only mention this
as an illustration of what can be done
through study of the arts and scien-
'es. Why, we are growing forests
now where before it was treeleSs
plains. In short. nv friend. the mo-