The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-04-01
w. E. Barker Relates His Many Ex-
periences in Tennessee.
Country Is Prospering and Northern
ers Are Flocking In.
New Industries Are Starting Up and
Opportunities Plentiful.
Manners Of Natives, and Hospitality OF
People Widespread.
From Mondays Daily.

From Mondays Daily.
W. E. Barker, who spent the entire
winter in Tennessee, for the most part
in and around Tennessee City and Nash
vile, says his sojourn brought revela-
ton to him. His previous ideas about the
south were by no means in accordance
with what he found. He is enthusiastic
over the commercial prospects of that
section of the country. Great possibili-
ties, he thinks, have lain hidden and I'M
appreciated in Sunny Tennessee"
Northern people, especially from In
diana and Ohio, are pouring southwark
into that rich, undeveloped country. The
southern whites welcome these immi-
grants from the north. The southerners
want to see their country developed and
they like to see people coming in who
know how to do it. The southerners
want to be taught how to improve their
opportunities. A northerner coming down
into the south not only shows how man
of energy can make himself prosperous,
but inspires the southern whites YLo cb-
serve his doings to follow his example.
Surely, an entirely new south is bound
to result from this grand movement
The natural energies of the south have
never been taxed in any degree like those
of the north. 1t seems reasonable TO as
sumo that in time the south viii sup
port as large or larger population in
proportion to its area than the north.
An enterprising adventurer from the
north is well treated from the start. Mr..
Barker was himself surprised at the
readiness with which the southern peo
pie received him into their social circles
and made him feel at home from the
time he met them. In Tennessee the
stranger finds hospitality everywhere,
No rural home is so poor that its in
mates will not give supper and shelter
for the night to the passing traveller. If
there is pound of pork or cornmeal in
the house it will be shared with the
stranger. The southerner has not yet
learned to be provident. If he mas enough
for today he is happy. Tomorrow he
will allow to take care of itself.
The southerners can recognize north
ern man with surprising readiness. One
day Mr.. Barker entered the capitol
building at Nashville. No sooner was
he inside than man said to him, ''You
are northerner; how do you do?" why
do you accuse me of being northerner?"
asked Mr.. Barker, in half feigned sur
prise. Il know you are" said the
southerner, because you closed the door
behind you" 1t is seldom that a south
erner will close the door behind him. Mr..
Barker had found the door of the capitol
half open as the southcrners usually
leave their doors, and on coming in, he
had closed it from force of habit.
During his four months stay in the
south, Mr. Barker engaged in the business
of selling land to settlers. This cccupa-
ton necessitated his riding to a con-
siderable extent on the southern rail-
roads. He was filled with wonder at See
ing the locomotives rush up and down
steep inclines such as no northern rail-
way company would think of allowing
to exist along its road. The trains run
speedily too, and dash down steep hills
and across trestles without their velo-
icty being diminished one iota by way of
precaution. Mr.. Barker wondered why SO
few accidents occurred wnen so little
care was exercised.
1t was amusing to see what vast num-
bers of houses were raised upon piles
or stills instead of being placed on stone
foundations. The climate is mild Sc the
people are in no hurry TO become mod
ernized in this respect. Few of the houses
have cellars and the people keep their
butter, milk and eggs cool in caves or
holes in the ground.
The mildness of the climate is no.
ticed in respect to both heat aud cold.
Among the mountainous and rolling reg
ions of Tennessee, all thickly clothed
with timber, there IS neither the extreme
cold of the northern winter nor the
oppressive heat of the northern summer.
The nights are always cool and in
the hottest season of the year, one can
not sleep at night without blankets.
There is little wind felt, and the wintry
blasts that strike other parts of The
country where the land surface is more
exposed, are wards1 off from most parts
of Tennessee, but the hills and noun
tains and the dense, luxuriant forests.
Mr.. Barker did pot feel sick u day
while in the south. The climate OF Ten
nessee he thinks remarkably heaithtul
The water of the springs is almost uni.
formly soft, and contains scarcely any
lime In the spring, he was informed, the
odor from the gum trees and the innu'
merable wild flowers growing in the for
ests is most delightful.
The soil of Tennessee varies greatly II