The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-10-26
NON. ALBERT L. COLE.

Il l.. CULE.
enactment large sums of money have
been saved to the state
Mr.. Cole was a member of subcom-
mittee of the house which drafted a
bill which is now law, which pro-
vides that stealing of timber from state
lands shall never outlaw and also pro-
vides for reward, not to exceed 5000.
to be paid to any person furnishing
evidence leading TO the conviction of
any one found guilty of stealing stand
ING timber from state lands. Not in
twenty years. and perhaps not in the
history of legislation of the state has
any person introduced so many bills or
aided in the enactment of so many
laws to safeguard the state against
timber trespass and to cause the lum
berng interests of the state to pay
their fair share of taxes.
In the session of 1905 Mr.. Cole was
, successful in securing the passage of
other important legislation. The Cole
I; immigration law was really his first
move in the direction of that well de-
fined policy of state development which
has come to be associated with his
name. The result OF its operation has
been to attract wide attention to our
unoccupied lands, to secure larger at
tendance at the periodical land sales, to
| break up spectators combines and to
Get a better price for the lands sold.
Auditor verson is on record as saying
| that, had the law been passed years ago,
| it would have saved millions of dollars
to the state funds. 1t has already put
hundreds of thousands of dollars in the
state treasury more than would have
been received under the old law.
Mr. Cole gave his attention during
his service in the legislature to drain
age legislation and is the author of the
bill for the comprehensive system which
has been inaugurated in this state. He
was an ardent advocate of the good
roads movement aided in perfecting our
election laws and gave his support to
! every measure passed by the legisla-
ture designed to control the operation
of railroads and other corporations in
the interest of the people. He also
voted for the adoption of a 2-cent pas
scnger rate and for the anti-pass and
| reciprocal demurrage bills, which unfor-
tunately were not enacted into laws.
Mr.. Coles advanced views on state
development, with which the public have
become familiar, have had their effect
upon his daily practice. Anything which
will aid in the upbuilding and enrich
ING of the community in which he lives
finds in him an energetic and resource
full advocate.
Mr.. Cole has made hobby of good
roads and it is in no small part due
to his influence that Akeley has done
lot of road building by subscription
with what aid the county was willing
to furnish A local company in one case
proposed to give one-half if the COM
munity would make up the other half.
Cole put himself down at once for one
half the sum remaining-as much as
the rest together. In such matters he
gives his time as well as his money.
With equal liberality he contributes
to the support of churches in the little
town. The church affiliations of the
Cole family are Methodist or Congrega-
tional. as the local means of grace may
furnish but in giving to the churches
he is equally liberal to all denomIna-
tons.
Mr. Coles tastes and habits are SIM
pie. Outside of the business he is a
domestic man. and home is where he
spends his evenings as far as his bust
ness will let him.
a. L. Cole is all for business" isl
the epitome furnished by one friend aft
er another. His life is business. His
amusement is hard work. His diversion
is chasing from one place of business
to another.
Only in the last year or two, as his
circumstances became easier, he has
learned to give a little time to play
and get diversion otherwise than in his
business pursuits. At Walker he has
his summer cottage on bank overlook