The Hope pioneer., 1896-03-13
ED. Washburn's Speech

81, v. UoSIIuuIu . op6oGli
Before the Steele County Imnli-
grafton Convention. c
Twas invited by your committee to
address you upon this occasion. the sub
ject given me being THE Future of
Steele County" While do not make
any pretense of being public speaker.
I could not resist tho temptation to
speak upon subject so dear to my
heart Us Steele County, its past. it's pre-.
sent and it's future. No man perhaps
could live in Steele county as long rs I
have and watch its marvellous growth
from an unbroken. sparsely settled
country, to the prosperous and popular
county it is now, without becoming pre-.
judiced in favor Of it. However that
may be. I shall endsavor to toll you the
truth. the whole truth, and nothing but
tho truth. / would like to read to you
. few statistics showing you the increase
in our population since 1889, also tho in
crease in our cultivated acreage since
that time. how much unoccupied land
there is today awaiting settlement. and
what per cent our wealth has increased
in the last ten years. / would like to
speak of our churches and schools. 90
pecially the lstter. but my time being
limited. shall have to omit that and
will say that beginning with the organi-
zation of tho County. March 3rd 1883,
Steele County was launched upon an
era of prosperity, unsurpassed by any
other county in tho state. We are not
here to compare Steele County with it's
neighboring counties. But it is fact,
that its marvellous growth both in wealth
and population, has not been surpassed
by any other in the state. and why?
Because Steele County has been moro
highly favored with natural advantages.
| Lying we'll within the great wheat bolt
Of North Dakota, its surface composed
Of rolling prairies. which affords excel.
lent drainage in wet eeasons. tits every
where blessed with pure water, a boon
to be highly priced. A rich deep soil
adapted not only to raising wheat. but
all other farm products. together with a
willing and sturdy yeomanry who are
not afraid to work. It ia not to be
wondered at. that Steele county has
blossomed like rose. and occupies to.
day an enviable position among the
counties of the state. These natural
advantages. o: which I have spoken, arc
the fundamental factions which have
contributed to Steele county's wonderful
growth. But they alone are not sufilci::
ent. We must have brains and muscle
to develop those resources, or we can
never expect to keep pace with our
neighboring counties. How or where
are We we going to get these brains Or
that muscle? 1t is true. that the citi.
! zens of Steele county are highly gifted
\ with both, but We have not citizens eli.
ough, that is the trouble. The only
remedy for this, that suggests its self to
me, is to increase our population by im,
/ migration and expect wonderful results
from this immigration movement, be.
lieve in it. l believe We can make il
profitable for good citizens to settle IN
Steele County and I believe the settle
ment of good citizens in our county
] would be profitable to us in more ways
| than one. Such has been the history
of all the eastern states Of which bave
any knowledge, know that was the re-
cult in Michigan. The settlers there
/! were for good many years few and far
apart. They had to Draw their grain
many miles. to market. Land was cheap
| In fact they labored under all the dis,
advantages Of settling up a new country
but immigration kept coming in and
they cleared and broke up the land
towns sprang up. land enhanced in
value and. to-day, you would have to
travel good many miles to find a moro
prosperous country than southern Mich.
| igan. That prosperity in a large meas.
ure is the result of immigration and the
same result. in my opinion. will follow
a large immigration to Steele County
\ With the settling up Of Steele County
land will enhance in value, just 20 long
| as there is unoccupied land that can ba
bought for comparative low figure, just
SO long will your land and mine remain
at the same relative value. I would say
to our friends who are thinking of com.
ing to Steele County. that those who
come now and secure this cheap land
! will share equally with you and pae il;
tho rise that is sure to follow. Another
reason why am in favor OF this move.
ment is, that ain influx Of immigrants to
\ our county would stimulate our manu-.
featuring industries. Cheese factories.
Crcameries, Starch Factories Flax
Mills aud the like, which we can never
! hope to have, until we have suflici lent
population to sustain them. You farm
crs, that live here ia the vicinity OF
Sherbroolse, would like to have cheeae
factory Or creamery or both located here
in your town would you not? And yet
you know that an investment of that
kind. at the present time, would be
hazardous, because the country tribu-
tary to Sherbrooke is not settled up
enough to support such an industry;
I but when the vacant land around here
is all occupied, when there is an honesr