The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-06-26
An Address Delivered BY Rev.
Clare on "R0maces of
The Frontier
Picnic Dinner Served; EuI0gy
For the Dead Is Given
BY Mr.. Hughes.
From Thursdays Daily.

The Territorial Historical society
held its annual meeting and picnic
at Sibley park today, and the members
and their friends assembled in numbers
in spite of the threatening weather.
The picnicers took their provisions
in packets and at noon a picnic din
ner ''such as mother used to make"
was served on the tables Coffee, sugar
and cream was furnished free on the
ground.
A short business session was held
after dinner, followed by music by
Lamm's orchestra.
Rev. Peter Clare delivered an adj
dress on "The Heroism and Romance
of the Frontiersmen." He spoke in
part as follows:
early days and events are worth
remembering. Foundations are signi-
ficant and prophetic. 1t will be an
evil day when the sacrifices of the
past are forgotten in the Injuries of
the present Minnesota was good
place to start. What climate it has.
Better and more of it to the square
mile than anywhere. In such a climate,
among early settlers it was considered
almost a crime to be sick or to die.
There is tradition that the two first
men who died did not die, the one
was hung for killing the other. What
dimensions, the early settler had at
his command. It's a big state now but
then you had part of Michigan and
Wisconsin and Iowa thrown in for
good luck. Bigness is not greatness,
but bigness and goodness are great
ness. The natural resources were of
the best. Soil, forests, stone. iron,
rivers, water power. Grew best wheat
in the world. No. l Northern. State
now ranks first for iron production
and is known as 'the Bread and Butter
State" But the greatest wealth and
and women who laid the foundations
of statehood. Soil and forests and
mines are useless without brains and
Drawn to subdue and utilize them. It's
splendid sight when human brains
and human hands move out to the
conquest of barbarism and the subiu.
cation of the wild forces of nature and
the formation of a great common
wealth." Here the speaker dwelt upon
the heroism of the early settler in
the Indian massacre and the first
rank that Minnesota took in the
Civil war. The formation of govern
ment and our public school system.
The other side of the frontiers
mans life was next taken up, and
shown 'Roughing tt had its COM
pensations. 'What freedom was in
those days. No signs along the for
est edge: Hunters will be arrested
They could hunt anything from bear
to a brigand. No warnings to Keep
off the Grass No Merry Widow hats
to block the highway or overshadow
the preacher at church. What days
of health were those. The doctor lived
so far the patient got well before he
arrived The appendix had not been
discovered, the microbe had not ar
rived, so men ate like wolves, drank
water like fishes, slept like logs.
WHAT friendships were formed, what
Inequalities were practiced. What
freedom from forms and shams and
conventionalities Life was simple,
natural, strong. Incidents and illustra-
lions of all these things We're given.
''The heritage these early settlers
had handed down to the present gem
Grafton was spoken of. Problems as
perplexing, battles as sharp, conquests
as far-reaching awaited the present as
the past. The bright outlook, the pos
sible future were held up as the chal-
lenge to our fidelity, courage and hero
ISM"
Thomas Hughes spoke of "Our De-
parted Associates" in the absence of
General J. I'll. Baker, who had been as
signed the subject, but who is attend
ing the Chicago convention. Lamm's
orchestra furnished several selections.
The old officers were reelected.