The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1909-01-08

oSAI& AtAuA CAAAaIe year In ana year
out than can be found in southern
Minnesota in particular.
These are things that hundreds of
thousands of people in the east, in
particular, are looking for. Mime
sofa has a population of approx
imateiy two million. 1t could &C.
commodate three times that mum
Der and not be overcrowded. One.
half of this number can ersily he
accommodated on agricultural lands,
and the other half in the various
enterprises and industries in the
innumerable prosperous and grow.
ing towns that would spring up.
It is contended by some that north
ern Minnesota being thinly settled,
would reap the greatest benefit, and
that the Twin cities would come
next in the order of recipients of
benefits. because, being the trading
points of the northwest increased
population in the north would mean
an immense increase in the busi-
ness of those cities.
This view is too narrow to be
given consideration by the legislat.
ure. While the majority of the i'm.
migrants may settle in the north
part of the state where the land is
cheaper, great many, and the most
prosperous Of the immigrants,
would select for their homes the
southern part of the state, which
from present condition of things is
demonstrated to be the most desir-
able section for a home. The
prosperous farmers from southern
Illinois and Iowa certainly would
not pass southern Minnesota with
it's opportunity to produce as good
corn as they were raising on land
valued at double what they can pur.
chase land for here. But even if all
of the immigrants or new settlers
should locate in the northern part
of the state, this affords no just rea-
son for the Legislature not doing all
in it's power to promote immigra-
ton. Minnesota is one great CON-
monwealth, and there should be no
sectionalism. The development of
one part of the state cannot be ad
vanced without the other part being
benefited thereby, for we are virtu-
ally nothing more than a single
community: What is true as to the
northern part Of the state is equally
true of the Twin Cities. They are
the trading centers, not only of this
state, but of the Northwest, and
whatever benefit accrues to them
through the development of the
rural districts is reflected through.
out the state.
Southern Minnesota has profited
greatly, if not to the detriment, at
least in part at the expense of the
northern part of the state, which
now pays it's full share OF the tax
burden. The southern part of the
state, because at the outset it offered
the greatest opportunities in the
matter of settlement, has all of the
state institutions, which have been
factors in the advancement of the
towns in which they are located,
and the people of the southern part
of the state should now be willing
to permit the northern part to enjoy
whatever advantage it may offer
through natural greater opportun
tiles in the way of cheaper homes.
There is really no question az to
the value of systematic advertis-
ing campaign. Az stated above,
Minnesota can provide homes for
three times as many people as now
live within her borders, and as
everyone must admit, the more den.
sely populated, the more prosper.
Gus will it be and the more influ.
ence will it have. That such adver-
Using will bring results is as GER
tain as anything can be. A practical
illustration on the benefits to be ex-
pected may be gained from what
Canada has accomplished in the
past ten years. The Canadian gov
eminent has spent millions of dol
lars advertising the resources of
Canada and one-half of it's agricul-
tural population has been acquired
through placing the facts concern
ing Canada before the people of
this and other countries.
One hundred thousand dollars
seems large sum to spend in ad-
vertising. but it is really less than
can pro6tably be expended during
the two-year period the appropria
ton is to cover.
Notice Of Application for Liq-