davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
COMMISSION PLAN OF GOVERNMENT.

The Free Press hopes that the
charter commission will frame char
ter that, if adopted by the voters, will
put this municipality under the man
agement of a commission.
The commission plan of conducting
the affairs of cities is no longer an
experiment. Wherever the plan is in
operation the governmental machinery
is found to be running smoothly with
beneficial results for the taxpayers.
Municipalities are business corpora
tions in which all the taxpayers have
direct interest. The taxpayers are
the stockholders, and they should favor
system of government that will be
less expensive to operate and yet will
be the means of accomplishing more
for the people than cah possibly be OBJ
tanned under the present plan.
The interests of the stockholders
should be more carefully conserved
but they never can be until city gov
ernments are put upon a more bust.
ness-like basis and competent men are
employed at adequate salaries to take
charge of affairs.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
EBERHART ON ROADMAKING.

Lieutenant Governor Eberhart was
one of the speakers at the good roads
meeting held in Owatonna on Satur-
day, and according to The Journal of
that city, he made a stirring address,
covering the subject completely, and
throwing out some excellent hints and
suggestions on how to better the con-
dition of highways. The Journal says:
Governor Eberhart mentioned that
he was in the contracting business
and from that point plunged boldly
into the heart of his argument. He de-
clared that if he were given contract
to take care of the roads of county
and started in to carry out his con-
tract by means of the system employ
ed in every county for roadwork he
would be called crazy. If he should
call upon every road district to select
some man to attend to the roads in
for him to do SO, and to employ la
Dor to work on the roads at such
times as it was convenient for the
laborers to do the work, he would be
adiudged out of his head. And yet
that it just the way we Minnesota
people tackle the contract of road
work.
"He agreed with Colonel Cooley
that the principal evil is that the road
districts are too small. In Blue
Earth county where they spend $40,
600 year on road work he was salts
fled from his own knowledge of such
work that the entire amount accomp-
lished by that expenditure could be
done for $4,000 and pay good sal
airy to a competent man to conduct
the contract. The road districts
should be made large enough so that
they could afford to hire competent
men and to have the good necessary
machinery. The crew should be main
tanned the summer through, keeping
the roads i'll constant repair and build
ing anew where it was needed and
there was time available"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
INSTITUTED "AlIM0NY DAY."

There is always something new I'M
der the sun. The latest is "alimony
Friday" This Unique day has been
instituted by Judge Albert G.. Barnes
of the Superior court of Cook county,
Illinois and will hereafter be a reg
ular feature of that abode of JUS
tice.
Judge Barnes declares that the set
ting apart of such day has become
necessary to the expeditions trans
action of the courts business on ac-
count of a startling increase in the
number of men who failed in payment
of decreed sums to their contesting
wives
81 think that my plan will prove
successful" said the judge. ct is a
saving of time to have motions of this
kind heard on one day instead of hav-
ing them scattered through the week.
After short time 1 expect that my
entire calendar on Friday will be
taken up with motions dealing with
alimony"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
the PRIMARY ELECTION LAW.

The Mapleton Enterprise says: at
will take brave man to vote to do
away with the primary election law and
return to the old convention system
where the politicians were the whole
thing"
There are a great many honest men
who prefer that the politicians should
control conventions rather than permit
law to remain on the statute books
that will allow democrats and mug
wumps to manipulate the republi
can primaries. That Is one great
reason why good, square republicans
are in favor of the repeal of the
primary election law.
There are men who have but mighty
little political principle. They do not
know what political honor means. They
will participate in republican primary
and vote the democratic ticket at the
general election, and boast of it. 1t
is just such petty business as that
which causes all honest party men to
demand the repeal of the primary cleo
tion law or amend it so that perjury
and wholesale lying and chicanery shall
not be encouraged among those weak
lings who are lost to all sense of de-
cency and honor in politics.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
WHAT IT COSTS TO Be GOVERNED.

The states income for 1908 was
$l2,446,2S0, of which 1884, $50 was
raised by taxation. 1t costs every
man, woman and child in the state
1882 to be governed. The money eX-
pended during 1908 for the govern
ment in the state reached $37 100000.
This includes the expenditures of all
towns, villages, cities, counties, and
the state government for all purposes
during the year. After the state S
share of the federal expenditures is
added the cost for the state is $780,
100000. s'
The recommendations to the legis-
lature are summarized under two
were possible under the old form of
the constitution, as follows:
County assessors in place of pres
ent local assessors.
Repeal of statute requiring assess
ments to be made at full cash value
enforcement of which would vastly in
crease assessments and also salaries
of many officials
Statute requiring detailed returns
from corporations as to taxable prop
erty. "a i't'".
Reduction of the amount exempt
from Inheritance taxation, now $l0,-
600.
Increase in gross earnings taxes of
railroads,
Grant of power to tax commission
to change personal property SEIZED
ules.
Law making the 500 exemptions
apply only to household goods and
wearing apparel.
Mortgage registry tax to be divid-
ed between state and county only, in.
stead of going to all local subdivisions
Logs to be listed for taxation i'll
the county where they were cut.
The other set of recommends tions
covers reform which are only made
possible by the wide open tax amend
ment These are special taxation of
credits at three mills on the dollar
a gross earnings tax on public SER
vice corporations, and the tonnage tax
on iron ore.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15

lively recollection 1 of the great SER
VICES rendered by Yuan Shi Kai to
every Christian nation in securing
communication by secret means with
the legationers besieged in the COM
pound at Pekin during the famous
Boxer uprising. At that time Yuan
Shi Kai was toatoi of Shanghai, and
did not hesitate to use all of his great
power to secure news from the com
pound, which gave the first assurance
to the outside world that the diplo-
mats, their families, and attaches
were holding their own within the
legation precincts.
1t was this information which Yuan
Shi Kai conveyed through the American
Consul General at Shanghai to Mr..
Hay that encouraged the European
government to join with America in
the remarkable allied march to Pekin,
resulting in the liberation of the lega-
TONERS. For some time there is rea-
son to suspect that Yuan Shi Kai was
not closely in touch with the new ad-
ministration in China. There had been
charges affecting his official integrity,
but these had come to naught so long
as the famous Dowager Empress, ISL
An, lived, for she had unlimited con-
fidence in Yuan Shi Kai and he was
clothed with greater degree OF auto
cratic power over China's external re-
lations than was the late Ii Hung
Chang 1t was Yuan who organized the
modern Chinese army; dropped out the
spearmen and the bowmen and the
bearers of stinkpots and the makers OF
loud noises and substituted well-drilled
khaki-clad soldiers educated by Euro
pean officers.
During the Boxer uprising with his
well trained troops, Yuan was almost
the only viceroy in China able to ex-
tend protection to foreign life and pro
perty, and in his later position, with
extended powers, he had planned to
make the Chinese national army a
force to be reckoned with by any
nation. His displacement is attributed
to Manchu jealousy, as he had a great
many enemies among the Manchus
Yuan was generally looked upon and
regarded as the head man in Chinese
affairs, the Regent Prince Chun being
looked upon as a figurehead. Ma Tung
his successor, has been in the foreign
office great many years and is re.
garded as an able man, but not OF
such progressive and advanced ideas as
Yuan. He has never been out of China
except on not highly important com
mission to Japan. He is Manchu and
about fftysix years of age.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
COUNTRY's FOREST RESOURCES.

Few people have anything like a
clear idea of the amount of forest
wealth leIU in this country. Those
who think at all about this natural
resource which has assisted in mate
rial development since the landing of
the. first settlers are usually too much
influenced by the condition of that
particular state or section in which
they are most familiar.
If they live in a much deforested or
treeless region, the people usually
imagine that the country's timber sup
ply is even more limited than is act
really the fact, on the other hand.
with those whose homes are located in
not been experienced, the feeling is
likely to be altogether the other way,
and some become so Indifferent at
times as to think that there is really
not much reason to worry about a
timber problem. Both can profit by
a reading of the actual facts.
The forests of the United States
now cover about $50 million acres, or
about onefQurth of the land of the
whole country. The original forest
covered not less than $50 millions of
acres. or nearly one-half. The forests
owned by the government cover one
fourth of the total forest area, and
contain one-fifth of all timber standing.
Forests privately owned cover three
fourths of the area, and contain four
fifths of the standing timber. Besides
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
LIFE WORK OF YUAN SHI.KAI.

Today. is the sixty first anniversary
of the birth of Yuan Shi-Kai, until
recently the Grand Councillor of China
and Commander and Chief of the Chi
nese army, and reputed to be the real
ruler of the Empire of the Dragon.
His dismissal from office created a
profound sensation throughout the
world and threatens to result in seri-
Gus disturbances in China. Yuan was
born near Pekin and was the offspring
of noble Chinese family. He early
manifested his ability as a statesman
and diplomat. His dismissal from the
highest post in the government, next
to the emperor, will, it is predicted,
seriously cripple China's credit and
postpone the withdrawal of foreign
troops for at least half a decade.
Yuan Shi Kai, as the great viceroy
of Chill Province, was one of the
most influential and powerful states
men i'll the Chinese empire. He has
been called the strongest man in
China, and Intimately more powerful
than Ii Hung Chang. A thoroughly
practical man, he brought business
methods to the administration of the
empire. He worked assiduously for
the advancement of the middle king
dom, and his watchward was that
China was capable of accomplishing
just as much as had Japan. He in
spired national patriotism which to-
day is doing much to sweep away
middle age superstition and rebuild
the empire. He was a member of the
grand council since 1907, and in that
year he relinquished the post of vice
roy of Chill, but it was in this office
that he gained the greatest renown.
Yuan Shi Kai organized an army in
China that was the wonder and amaze
ment of foreign military critics. He
succeeded in obliterating all the popu-
lar and caste objections to military
service, SO that the sons of the no.
bility today are proud to appear in
uniform. He substituted modern text
books for ancient classics, he com
PEELED the abolition of torture, and he
transformed Pekin from the fiIthiest
city in the world into metropolis.
well paved and cleanly kept, that
compares fevorably with many cities
of Europe and America 1t is an
undoubted fact that Yuan Shi Kai en-
couraged and represented the most pro-
gressive ideas in the central govern
ment
Yuan's office corresponded to that
of the premier of England, but he
had much more power than that Dig
nitary. His reputation mas been spot
less, although at the time of the deaths
of the emperor and dowager empress
of China, Yuan Shi Kai was accused
of having poisoned his majesty. This
allegation was contained in a dispatch
received from Shanghai at the New
York branch of the Chinese Reform
association, but it was given little
credit.
Americans and Europeans have a
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
Jan. /. s, $1,000
ORDER FOR HEARING ON CLAIMS

STATE OF MINNESOTA, County of
Blue Earth.--ss. In Probate Court
In the Matter of the Estate of Duane
+. Rasdall. Deceased.
Letters of admit istration on the estate
Of said deceased being this day granted
unto 2. w. Pitcher of said County.
IT is ORDERED. That all claims
and demands of all persons against said
estate be presented to this Court. Tor
examination and allowance. at the Pro-
bate Office in the City of Mankato in
said Blue Earth County, ON the foi-
lowing day, viz: Monday, the 5th
day of J uly, A. D. 1909, at ten o'clock i'll
the forenoon of said day.
IT is FURTHER ORDERED, That
six months from the date hereof be
allowed to creditors to present their
claims against said estate, at the ex-
piration of which time all claims not
presented to said Court, or not proven
to it's satisfaction, shall be forever bar
red unless for cause shown further time
be allowed.
ORDERED FURTHER, That notice of
the time and place of hearing and ex-
amina ton of said claims and demands
shall be given by publication of this
to the day appointed for such examina-
tion in the Mankato Free Press,
weekly newspaper printed and published
at Mankato in said County.
Dated at Mankato. the 2eth day or
December a. d. 1908.
BY the Court
VIM +. HUGHES.
Judge of Probate.
probate Court Seal)
S. B. Wilson.
Attorney.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
MANKATO FREE PRESS

having three times the area and four
times the forests, the timberland pri-
vately owned is generally more val.
liable.
Forestry, or, conservative numbering
is practiced on 20 per cent of the for
ests publicly owned and on less than
one per cent of the forests privately
owned. This covers the cOuntry's for
est resources as they stand today.
Senator Smot, chairman of the section
of forests. of the national conservation
commission, in outlining the future
has said: by reasonable thrift, we
can produce a constant timber supply
beyond our present need, and with it
conserve the usefulness of our streams
for irrigation, water supply, naviga-
ton, and power.
under right management, our for
ests will yield over four times as
in the woods and in the mill at least
| one third, with present as well as
future profit. We can perpetuate the
naval stores industry. Preservative
treatment will reduce by one-fifth the
quantity of timber used in the water
or in the ground. We can practically
stop forest fires at a total yearly
cost of ne-fifth the value of the
standing timber burned each year, not
counting young growth. We shall
suffer for timber to meet our needs,
until our forests have had time to
grow again. But if we act vigorously
and at once, we shall escape permanent
| timber scarcity"
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15

latter is said to have a representa-
tive at the sale who will purchase for
the president some memento Of the
German diplomat. The auction will
continue through tomorrow, Friday
and Saturday afternoons. The catal-
ogue, which runs to nearly a thousand
numbers, embraces poreclains, bronzes,
enamels, embroideries, rugs, tapestries
and furniture, much OF this material
having been brought together by Bar
on Won Sternburg while residing i'll the
Orient. Among the tapestries there
is. one made in France in the eigh-
teenth century by order of Chinese
emperor.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
Jan. 1. 8, $1,000.
ORDER FOR HEARING PROOF OF
WILL.

STATE OF MINNESOTA, County OF Blue
Earth.-ss. In probate Court.
In the matter of the estate of James
Glynn deceased.
Whereas. an instrument in writing. purport-
ing 10 be the last will and testament OF
James Glynn. deceased, late cf said
county. has been delivered to this court:
And Whereas. Sarah j Mckinney has
fled Herewith her petition, repre-
senting among other things. that said
James Glynn died i'm said County. on the
IL, day of December. ly08. teState, and that said
petitioner is the executrix named IN SAID last
will and testament and praying that
the said instrument may be admitted
to probate and that letters
testamentary be issued thereon to her
self.
1t Is Ordered. That the proofs of said in
strument and the said petition be heard be-
fore this Court. at the Probate Ohice
i'm the city of Mankato in said county on Mon
day,the ist day of February. A. d.. 1909. at
10 o'clock in the forenoon, when all persons in
terested may appear for or contest the pro-
bate of said instruments:
And 1t Is Further Ordered That notice OF
the time anC place Of said hearing he given
to all persons interested. by publishing this
order once in each week for three successive
weeks prior to said day of hearing. in the
Mankato Free Press, weekly newspaper
printed and published at Mankato In said
county.
Dated at Mankato.the 23rd day of December
A. D., 1908. s..-'t
BY the Court,
probate Court Seall WM.F. HUGHES.
Judge of Probate
A. Il. Pau, Jr. and c. ]. Laurlsch, Attys.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
Trolley Cars Would Look Good to
The People of Madison.
HANCE SAYS FEASIBLE POINT
Up to Residents Of That Pretty Place
and Local Newspaper Urges TAX
ing Hold Of Proposition.

The Madison Lake Tribune says:
Our prominent citizen, Dan Brown,
while in Mankato recently, met and
talked with Henry Hance, electric line
promoter, who built the fine electric
line in that city year ago Mr..
Brown was much impressed with his
talk with Mr.. Hance, and regards
chances very bright for an electric
line to this place the coming summer.
Mr.. Hance said that Madison Lake
is the most feasible point to build to
and the first point the line will 60. The
The Eagle Lake road is an easy one
to construct line over, and goes
through a very thickly settled country
touching the thriving little village of
Eagle Lake and ending at Madison
Lake, one of the best towns in the
country, located on the prettiest lake
in the state.
Mr.. Hance urged consideration of
the project by our people and hoped
all would favor it and give it support.
Up to Madison Lake.
Coming from this source The Trib
proposition is up to our people now to
either take hold Of and encourage or to
discourage and perhaps keep out al
together, in which event it may 60 to
some other point of lake resort. 1t
would naturally seem that our people
should be vitially interested in this
project. The age of electric lines i'll
this country is at hand. For many
years lines have been building up the
country districts of the East. Every
where an electric line goes the prop
erty increases in value-country be-
comes more density settled on account
of the easy and cheap means of trans
poration, not only for passengers, but
for freight, produce, etc. Small fact
cries are located along the lines and
in the smaller villages. These lines
create work and opportunities for men
and women to earn live hood-and
on account of the territory they cover
in time no one place can secure any
special advantage over another by
their construction
Would Help Madison Lake.
An electric line into Madison Lake
, would bring many new families to
our towns to commence with-men
who were connected with the line-it
would mean many Summer residents
for our lake resort who cannot come
now on account of the necessity OF
the head of the house being required
in Mankato each day. This would
give work to our carpenters and trades
men and bring other work to our town.
There would be an average of two
hundred or more people here each
week day during June, July, August
and September and many hundreds
each holiday and Sundays.
Steps should be taken Immediately
by our Commercial club to study this
matter-get at the sentiment of our
people-so that we may be prepared
when the time comes to act-and if
favorable to the project, an effort could
be put forth to secure commencement
on the work of the line as soon as
the frost is out of the ground.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15

STATE OF MINNESOTA. County of
Blue Earth--ss. In District Court,
Sixth Judicial District.
Mary Hamilton as Administrative of the
estate of Thomas Hamilton, deceased.
and Mary Hamilton. John Hamilton.
William Hamilton and Eta Austin.
plaintiffs.
Jane Hamilton, William Hamilton,
George Hamilton. Elizabeth Winch.
John Winch, May ICisenlohr and all other
persons unknown claiming any right.
title, estate. interest, or lien in the
real estate described in the complaint
herein.
NOTICE OF LIS PENDENS.
NOTICE is HEREBY GIVEN That an
action has been commenced in this
Court upon the complaint of the above
named plaintiff against the above nam
ed defendants, wherein the plaintiffs al
lege that the plaintiffs are the own
ers of the real property hereinafter
described. and brings said action for
the purpose of obtaining an order for
Judgment of this Court, adjudging that
terest, lien, claim, or estate in. to or
upon that real estate. or any part
thereof. and removing the cloud from
the title of the said plaintiffs.
The premises affected by this action
described as follows: The West half
CIV. ~ of the Southwest Quarter (S.
w. "a of section Thirty 600, Town
ship One Hundred Five Q05) North
Range Twenty Nine (29), West of the
Fifth P. M. containing eighty acres
more or less
Dated this 3rd day of December, 1908
PAUL c. COOPER,
Attorney for Plaintiff.
Truman. Minnesota.
The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-15
Dec. 11-1S-25, Jan. ISIS.

dec. lilo 20, Jan. 1870.
STATE OF MINNESOTA. County of
Blue Earth-ss. In District Court
Sixth Judicial District.
Mary Hamilton, as Administrative of
the estate of Thomas Hamilton de
ceased. and Mary Hamilton, John Ham
ilton, William Hamilton and Eta Aus
tin, plaintiffs.
William Hamilton, Jane Hamilton,
George Hamilton, Elizabeth Winch.
John Winch, May Eisenlohr: and all
other persons unknown claiming any
right, title, estate, interest or lien
in the real estate described in the
complaint herein.
THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, To the
above named defendants:
You and each of you are hereby
summoned and required to answer the
complaint of the plaintiffs in the above
entitled action, which has been filed in
the office of the clerk of said Court. and
to serve a copy of your answer to
said complaint upon the subscriber at
his office in the village of Truman in
the County of Martin and State of Min
nesota. within twenty days after the
service of this summons upon you, ex-
elusive of the day of such service. ana
if you fail to anscwer to the said COM
plant within the time aforesaid. the
plaintiff in this action will apply to
the court for the relief demanded in
the complaint.
Dated this November nth 1908.
PAUL C. COOPER,
Attorney for Plaintiff
Truman, Minnesota.