St. Paul daily globe., 1891-06-09
MINNESOTA AND THE WORLDS
EXPOSITION.

required to make an adequate preSenta-
ton of the resources Of Minnesota at
the Columbian exposition is so great
that no time should be lost in
laying down its distinctive feat
ures. The building and the selec-
tion and transportation of materials
therefor, the collection of the agricult-
ural, mineral, timber and other prod
uctS, the provision for the educational
display, and of the manufacturing ex-
hibit, will consume much time, and rem
der necessary most careful and elab-
Orate organization and preparation.
But with all this provision there will
be another feature quite as important as
any others. What the visitor sees on
the ground will doubtless be impressive;
but in the midst of a world display from
every state and civilized country, much
of the lmpreSsiveneSS of our particular
exhibit will be disslpated unless means
are furnished for the continuous study
of the great object lesson, by means of
concise and accurate account Of what
Minnesota has been, is, and is to be, in
the form of what may be called a hand
book of its resources.
Without such manual the exposi-
ton of our products will lose much of
its force as lesson to the thousands
and tens of thousands who will be pres
ent on the memorable occasion. 1t be-
hO0veS our state commission, therefore,
to make early arrangements for setting
forth, in printed form, as complete and
exhaustive statement of the wealth of
The state in all the various lines as may
De possible within the time allowed.
Among the items to be treated in such
work are her population, govern
ment, finances, industries, transporta-
lion system, educational, benevolent
and reformatory institutions, etc., ETC.,
whereby investigators may readily
Judge of the actual condition of the
state, and the rank which it holds in
modern civilization.
To specify more fully what such a
publication should comprise, we would
urge the following:
The geographical position, area and
forms of contour and relief. This
should include statement of the land
lnder cultivation, and that which is as
yet unoccupled; the geology of the
state, the basis for treatise upon
which is furnished in the volumes of
The geological survey; the peculiarities
and advantages of the climate; the
population, including the different
nationalities, with description of
the different cities and commercial
.enters; an outline of the gov
ernment of the state, including
legislative, judicial and executive depart
ments; the financial system, including
the present condition of the state finan-
cially; the postal. commercial and vital
statistics, illustrating the intellectual
activity and the volume of business
transactions under the various heads;
education, including an outline of the
colleges, universities. professional
schools of all classes, high and common
schools. The treatise should also show
what is being done in the effort to culti-
Vate the fine arts, including industrial
art; the voluntary associations for hui
name and benevolent purposes, COM
prising also the historical society and
kindred organizations; a full and sys-
tematlc showing Of banks and banking,
and other financial agencies.
Of course one of the leading features
Of the manual would require an ex-
haustiVe treatment of the various
branches of agriculture, its methods, the
products best adapted to the soil and
climate, with statement of the plans
which representative agriculturlsts
known to be exceptionally prosperous
have demonstrated to be the most sue
ceSsful.
Next in Importance would be the
thorough exposition of the mineral and
timber resources OF the state. The world
is yet but little aware of the vast extent
of these sources of wealth.
For the first time, perhaps, in the his
tory of Minnesota, the materials for
making comprehensive showing un-
der these heads are available, and only
need the work of an industrious and
sklllful hand and ready pen to make a
presentation which will prove of lasting
benefit to the state.
Iii the department of manufactures,
too, Minnesota has made so marked an
advance in the last ten years that a
proper showing of the statistics of its
growth will prove a surprise even to
many of our own people. The returns
of the census of 1890 will furnish the
material for most interesting exhibi-
ton under this head.
The same may be said of our COM
merce, resulting from the growth of
the railway and waterway transporta-
ton.
The status also of the labor question,
including women's work, wages, and
other allied topics, would form a most