The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-03-26
STAND Y0LD HEADS
COMMERCIAL CLUB RETAINS OF.
FICERS; AIDS GOOD ROADS.
and Enthusiastic Meeting
of the Business Mems Organizes
ton Last Evening; Several Mat
tiers of Importance to the City
Are Discussed; Graded Member
ship Fee Is Advocated.

The Mankato Commercial club last
night reelected all of its old officers,
and took steps to get an increased
membership and to continue its cam
paign of usefulness to the community.
The attendance was not large, but the
members present were united and
earnest.
After President Nyquist had called
the meeting to order, Secretary Otto
stated that there was balance in
the treasury of $l6l.75. There had
been paid out during the year 81 ,5l045,
and there was 500 yet to be collected
that was good There had been $59S
received in the good roads fund dur
ing the year.
Upon motion of w. D. Willard, the
treasurer was instructed to prepare
Ia report of the years receipts and
expenditures, and publish it, so that
the members could see just where the
money went.
Upon motion of DIR. G. j. Holman,
the club voted to take out mem
bership in the state federation of
commercial clubs of cities of this size.
The fee is $40, and membership brings
many advantages, including the adj
vertising of this section
Secretary Otto reported that Gates
Phillips had offered to donate a man
and team three days in the year for
five years to assist in crawling the
roads, and that the other liverymen
would probably do the same.
Old Officers Reelected.
A motion by H. E. Hance that the
secretary cast the ballot for all of
the present officers, to serve during
the ensuing year, was carried unani-
mously.
President Nyquist said that he felt
that he must decline a reelection. If
all of the members of the club had
been present and had been as unani-
nous, he would have accepted. 1t
was not right to ask Mr.. Otto to
serve longer as secretary without pay.
George NJ. Palmer urged Mr.. Nyquist
to accept.
Mr.. Nyquist replied that he was
willing to do what he could for Man
kato. While there were many good
men in Mankato who were willing to
do what they could toward building
the city up, there were many of the
other kind, who acted as drag, and
this made it hard to accomplish much.
He had been turned down hard by
some while collecting, although giving
his time and work for nothing The
club had been criticised because it had
not gotten factories, but it had not
received single proposition where it
was not required that from $4,000
to 100000 in stock be taken in Man.
kato, and the projectors had no money
themselves, but knowledge. 1t was
hard to get employees enough to keep
the factories operating in the larger
cities, and Mankato has not enough
population to supply factories with
help. The factory proposition is
hard one. He considered the good
roads work as more important, for
Mankato depended upon the agricul-
tural country surrounding it, and this
could not be taken away. Unlimited
amounts of produce can be raised in
the country tributary to Mankato. The
farms could be split up into smaller
holdings, and worked more intensely
and made to support more families,
and this would help to build up Man.
kato. The good roads work is ad-
vertising Mankato. Mr.. Nyquist wound
up by saving that if he thought that
the majority of the business men ia
vored him for president again he
would accept.
E. F. Soaring said that so far as
he had been able to learn, the bust
ness men were unanimous in favor of
Mr.. Nyquist serving another year, and
he ought not to take it too seriously
if some of the business men whom he
solicited for funds had turned him
down rather harshly, as solicitors are
not welcomed by everybody, even in a
lpublic spirited cause, and those who
had turned him down had not meant
to offend him, doubtless.
Graded Membership Fee.
u A. J. Veigel said that Mr.. Nyquist
was a good collector, and succeeded
: where others had failed. He did not
think that the club had enough of
the business men ON the membership.
There was not a single barber or
saloon keeper ON the list, for in
stance. He favored two grades of
membership fee, and when more money
was needed it might be raised by
special subscription.
Mr.. Willard moved that the advisory
/, board arrange with Secetary Otto to
pay him salary and retain his ser
: vices for another year, and this was
carried. b.
j. r. Snow said that he would like
to see the sliding scale of member
ship fees charged tried. 1t was 8
good suggestion and ought to result il
every business man becoming inter
. ested in the club. Members as vel
!. as money was needed, and if thu
!. members were gotten, not so mucl
4 money from each would be needed.
q Hobo Camp Destroyed.
y Saturday afternoon Officer CARRIER