The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-11-29
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER %, 1895.
BUILDING AN EnPlRE.

AlN "a AA>A-e
The Northwest immigration con-
yention which has just been held In
the twin cities, has made a record OF
a wonderful showing for the North
west. but just what the Immediate
or permanent results from it will be
remain to be seen. One criticism that
we have seen made against the
gathering is that il spent so much
time listening to papers and speeches
telling how great the Northwest is In
every respect, that it had little or no
time left for the more practical mat
tiers of how to attain the object for
which they had gathered. This may
be accounted for on the ground that
the former was much the easier task
of the two. There is no question as to
the Northwest resources, the ques-
tion is how to get them before the
people who are wanted here. Capital
is needed as much as immigration. In
fact if plenty of capital could be at
tracted here TO develope the great
natural resources of the Northwest
empire the question of immigration
would be quickly solved. Things are
to point now, that if capital can be
attracted, the people who are wanted
will quickly follow.
Take the matter right here in Man
katO, for instance. We have the
foundation, the natural resources,
the location and the railroad facili-
ties for city of from $4,000 to 10000
population. What is needed to make
it SO is to attract the capital here
necessary to build up the business for
such city. OF course it can't all be
done at once. 1t must come by
gradual growth. If capital could be
attracted whereby two or three in
situations which would give employ
ment to 30, 100 or 200 hands each,
could be located here, it would not
need an immigration agent to get peo-
pie here. They would drift this way
rapidly of their own accord. We are
progressing all the time, but we could
progress considerable faster without
any particular harm.
In regions where farm lands can
still be had at low prices, it may be
necessary to resort to immigration
agents, for the reason thatSpeople are
fast becoming possessed of the idea
that all the good farming lands of the
Northwest are occupied. But many a
good farm may yet be had and at the
most reasonable terms.
The Northwest has had great de-
velopment, as can be seen from the
statement Of facts made by President
J. j. Hill, of the Great Northern, be-
fore the convention. He said that
when he first assumed control of the
railway system he has since SO greatly
developed, the shipment of wheat
over it reached 100000 bushels an
nually. This year he said the bust
ness would reach 90, 100000 bushels.
So with the iron industry. The out
put of ore this year in the state will
reach 100000 tons, when only a few
years ago there was no suspicion that
Minnesota could be reckoned among
the iron states. And so we might go
into other industries. And yet for all
this great showing, the development
of the Northwest is only in it's in
fancy. Simply the foundations for
mighty industrial empire have been
laid. 1t is the structure which is now
10 be raised, and practical methods of
doing this work are now needed. If
the Northwest immigration conven-
tion has opened the door for these, it
mas started it's work we'll.