The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-03-21
PULL FOR MANkATO
Street Car Committees Make
an Appeal.
Business Men and Property Owners
Asked to Help Get the Street Car
Line.
To the Public

During the past week the undersign-
ed committee, supposed to be acting
in behalf of a large majority OF the
citizens of Mankato, and acting upon
instructions EXPRESSED by the unani-
nous vote of the members of two such
representative bodies as the board OF
trade and the Merchants Protective
association, have given a good part OF
their time, regardless of their personal
interests, to canvassing the city for
subscriptions to stock in the proposed
electric railway and lighting company.
That we have met with some meas
ure Of success can be seen by glance
at....the columns of the newspapers,
giving a daily. account of our pro-
gress. We are indebted to the press
for most loyal support in an enter
prise involving to q vital degree the
well-being and future prosperity of
Mankato. We believe that the success
or.sfailure of this undertaking will
permanently shape. the future of this
city. If it fails. the future of Man
kato..is anything but. .promising. 1t
will--ssreceive a blow in our opinion
from which it will never recover, and
all that business men can hope to- look
forward to is, at best, continuance
of the present volume of trade, with
no hope for the up-building of their
trade and profits.
On the other hand, IF we succeed,
the. range of vision and foresight of
those who fail to subscribe, but who
are able to do so. must be narrow and
short, indeed, if they cannot see the
Handwriting on the wall. It will
attract the immediate attention to the
enterprise of this city and will give
Mankato an enviable reputation as a
live, progressive city. 1t will ATTRACT
to- this, city hundreds or Thousands, so
that..the increase in the next ten years,
instead of being fifteen per cent in
population as during the past ten
years, will be nearer fifty per- cent.
1t will start a building revival. 1t
will enhance the value of outlying
property. 1t will enable men of mod
crate means to build homes that can
be quickly reached and which the
present situation will not permit. 1t
will make Mankato a busy railroad
center and distributing point, to
which the location of the city justly
entities it. So palpably clear and sure
are these results that it is amazing
that any.business man, who can afford
it, no matter how disinclined he might
be to spare the money, can allow this
opportunity to go by.
Can any of us afford to pass by this
fair and reasonable propositions Does
merchant consider money spent
in advertising waste, if it brings
him trade? If not. is money spent
in this enterprise a waste, if it brings
him permanent increase in business
by building up the city and giving
an impetus to trade? We believe it a
good investment for any business
man, no matter what his means, nor
from what standpoint he regards it.
It is bound to help his business even
if the immediate cash outlay pays no
direct interest on the investment 4;
while, on the other hand, the chances
are more than even that besides the
impetus it gives his business, his
stock will increase in value as the
population, and business of the pro-
posed road increases. Who can doubt
the good effect on business? Those
owning property on the edge of the
city are short-sighted indeed If they
allow a few hundred dollars in cash
to stand in the way of the one hope of
causing an active demand for their
property; and those who are both
merchants and real estate holders can
doubly we'll afford to get together
their spare coins and invest in the
electric line and rest content with no
fear of loss. We do not feel tkat we
should be expected to hunt for sub
scribers and argue with them, when
the proposed line is no more for our
benefit and interest than for those
who wait and put us off. $50 not
let your neighbor shake the tree unless
you help pay for the plums.'
We appeal first to the business in
stincts of the people, and ask all to
look at this proposition from a stand
point of the good it will do you. II
that fails to impress you, then we ap-
peal to those who are public spirited,
and to local pride. Let US shake of
this lethargy and build up city here
and not make excuses for our failure
to subscribe. We greatly appreciate
the public spirit of those who have
given larger sums in proportion to
| their means than others who could
| better afford it and who would be
/, benefited even more. It is not oul
intention to criticise those who do moi
subscribe freely if they can not afford
| it; we merely desire to point out &
, few facts, which they have evidently
overlooked, and have endeavored t.
show that a few dollars subscribed
! does not mean that much thrown
away. 1t is bound to come bacl
many fold, either directly or indi
rectly. To expedite and assist tn,
committee giving their time to thi
enterprise, we ask all good citizens t.
meet us in the spirit in which we g
1 forth-for the good of all.
Come forward and put your nam,
| down-everv cent counta Hereafte