The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1895-01-18
THE BOARD MEETING.
And Annual Officers
Were Elected.
The Minneapolis Board of Trade
Wants rlankatO to Send Delegates
spencer, Neb., People Appeal For
Aid--Good Report of the Legisla-
ton Committee.

The regular meeting of the board of
trade and election of officers was held
at thecity hall this morning.
A circular from the Minneapolis
board of trade was read, again calling
the attention of the board to the fact
that they had been requested to send
three delegates to convention to be
held in the Minneapolis board of trade
rooms, in that city January 10Th. The
circular states that it is proposed to
invite the business organizations of
the northwest with the object of adj
vancing the interests rof the entire
section in the same manner that indi
vidual boards are looking after the
public affairs of their own localities.
Similar organizations in the east have
proved abundantly useful. The Man
kato board was urged to at once
choose delegates. Mr.. Willard moved
that it be laid on the table.
Secretary Chapman read letter to
the mayor from r P. Stearns, of
Spencer, Nebraska, saying that the
people of that vicinity are in need of
aid, and they appeal to Mankato for
help. 1t was referred back to the
mayor, on motion of DR.. Andrews,
with the recommendation that he
take action upon it.
The secretary read letter from the
San Diego chamber of commerce set
ing forth many reasons why the Nicar-
augua canal should be built.
President Willard remarked that
he did not favor the scheme. He
thought that if the government built
the canal it should also own the pro-
perty.
Mr.. Pitcher, of the committee on
legislation reported in regard to the
chartegs The report was as follows:
To the Board of Trade, Gentlemen:
The committee on legislation, to
whom was referred the matter of de-
ter for the city of MankatO would re-
port that they have given the matter
such attention as the limited time
of its members had, and would recon-
mend that an amendment to theacOn-
stitution should be submitted to a
vote of the people whereby municipal
corporations should be permitted to
frame their own charters with proper
restriction and that such amendment
should be submitted to the people for
their adoption or rejection on the
18th of March, next, that being the
day fixed by statute for all the towns
10 this state to hold their annual
town meetings. If such amendment
should be adopted it would give
ample time for the legislature to pass
a bill to carry into effect the provis-
ions of the amendment and the
various municipal corporations
throughout the state, could prepare
and adopt their various charters soon
after the legislature adjourns.
Your committee did not desire to
prepare an amendment to the cOnsti-
tuition as such an amendment would
necessarily be very short, and there
are plenty of members in the legisla-
ture whose constituents are directly
interested in this matter who could
draft an amendment much better
than your committee.
Your committee had also under
consideration the bankruptcy bill now
before the United States Senate, and
from what little information the COM
mittee had, came to the conclusion
that the passage of the bill would be
more injurious than beneficial to the
citizens of this state. That we have
a very good bankruptcy act in this
state and so far worked satisfactorily,
and would therefore recommend that
our senators be requested to oppose
the passage of said bill.
O. O. PITCHER,
LORIN CRAY, Committee.
THOS. HUGHES,
The report was adopted, after which
the meeting adjourned to elect Of
ficerS
The following were elected for the
ensuing year, a number of them be-
ing unanimous:
President-John n Hall.
First Vice observation-disclosures Shoe
maker.
Second ice President-W. NJ. Farr.
Secretary-C. A. Chapman.
Treasurer. III. Stewart.
John Closick and Miss Mary NJ.
Navin both of MankatO will he mar