The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-09-28

ana social 10DrlC. he not Only IuT-
nishes our large cities bread and meat
but new fresh blood muscle and brains
to take the place. of that which has
become exhausted or extinguishedin
the seething whirlpool of our large CT
ties. It is a notorious fact that our
most enterprisingNpd successful mer-
chants and professional men in our
large cities are, as rule, the sons of
farmers and men raised and had their
early training on farms. And it is, un-
fortunately, true that large proper
ton OF the sons of these men become
as an incident and result of city life,
enervated, spoiled and utterly worth
less, unfit to take the places of their
fathers and unfit for the duties of good
citizens. This moral and physical
abrasion and destruction is continually
going on in our large cities, and
we're it not for the fact that there is a
steady stream of bright, energetic and
honest farmer boys pouring into our
large cities the result would be de-
plorable. The human supply from
your farms is as important to our CT
ties as is the supply of agricultural
products. 1t is as important that you
raise good sons and daughters as that
you raise good crops. The latter pre-
serves and maintains the mere physic-
al and material equilibrium, but it is
equally important that the moral and
social equilibrium should bepreserved
intact. And what I have said Of your
sons holds equally true of your daugh-
ters. They make the best of wives
and mothers. Many an enfeebled and
dudish youth of our large cities if he
has had the sense, and many of them
have, to secure a farmers daughter
for wife has been raised by his bet
ter half to true manhood. There is
moral force and goodness in tho farm
er's girl which even he cannot resist.
You sons and daughters of our farm
ers should be proud of the fact that
you are children of worthy sires. That
your lot, your childhood and youth
has been cast in the atmosphere of a
farm house. 1t is pure, healthy,
moral atmosphere, giving a strong
and vigorous intellectual and moral
tone and temper snch as you can &C
quire nowhere else. Never envy the
lot of your city brother or sister. The
one may part his hair in the middle
and wax his mustache, the other may
have an abundance of silks, rings,
puffs and curls; but bear in mind, all
is not gold that glitters. Theirs is an
unhealthy atmosphere and most arti-
fetal life. They shine like fire fly,
but leave no footprints on the sands
of time. I have one word more to say
to you friends. The elective franchise
the ballot is one of the greatest pow
ers with which the citizen is equipped,
but like gunpowder it must be handled
with care. If our system of govern
ment ever fails it will be through a
misuse of the ballot. In our large CT
ties are large class of Migrants, vag
abonds and semi-criminals- men who
are continually moving on the edge of
crime. These. men have the ballot,
but they are indifferent as to the rights
of the State and their duties as citi
zens. In the hands of a bold bad lead
er these men can be used for any pur-
poses. Their votes are at the command
of the highest bidder. They take no
heed and have no care as to the re-
suits. The antidote for this evil and
danger is in your hands, and to you,
your wisdom, integrity and D.anhood
in the exercise of the right of suffer
age we ever look for protection. it is
among our farmers, if anywhere, that
we look for the purity of the ballot
and in your hands we know it is safe.
Equipped with your farms and your
ballots you have the balance wheel of
the Republic. The one great vital
and life preserving force, far better
than standing armies, and TRUST you
will always realize and bear in mind
this fact, for to you we must not only
look for bread and meat, but for civil
and moral protection. Though your
life is a life If trial, yet it affords you
a fuller, truer end more genuine indie
pendence of thought and action than
any other pursuit. May you always
prosper for your prosperity is the
prosperity of our State and system. In
times of trouble you are our national
guard and real standing army. In
your hands thei country is safe end in
the keeping of it's real friendss
Gov. Nelson closed his remarks by
an admonishion to foreign born
citizens. He told them that they
were precisely like the housewife,
when married, while holding a love-
for father and mother, the love for
her husband should be supreme.
While foreign citizens Of this country.
were entitled to hold,a faternal love