Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1910-07-27
GREAT WILLMAR ASSEM-
BLY, NEARING ITS CLOSE
CONTINUED from First Page

age production per acre by foreign
countries over that in the United
States is not due to any naturally
better soil or climatic conditions,
but is due solely to the extensive,
persistent and systematic method Of
carrying, mostly by means Ct itin-.
Grant instructors, the latest and
best method of agricultural practice
directly to the farming people
themselves" n.
Friday was Swedish day" at the
assembly, and it brought hundreds
of visitors from every part of the
state, as we'll as a large number
from other Northwest states. Fully
$500 persons attended the two ses-
sions. The chief speaker of the
day was DR.. P. P. Waldenstrom,
the eminent Swedish divine and
leader of religious thought in Swe-
den, who is at present making his
farewell visit to the many Swedish
settlements in America. DR.. WAL
denstrom lectured on ''Sweden Of
Today. He said in part: i
"Sweden is the oldest kingdom
in Europe. Politically the country
has been for ten years and is today
stirred as it seldom has been.
There are three great parties, the
conservative, the liberal. and the
social-democratic. The last named
has made tremendous gains the past
few years. Ten years ago there
was not social democrat in the
Riksdag. Today there are thirty
five. But of late a reaction has
been noticeable, and thousands of
laboring men have left the party.
This was brought about by the dis
astrous results which came from
the late general strike, when the
laboring people of Sweden suffered
defeat through bad leadership on
the part of the social democrats.
"In religious way Sweden has
changed wonderfully the past fifty
years. Religious intolerance has
given way to federation, and there
is a greater freedom of worship
than ever before. The Free church
movement was perhaps greatly re-
sponsible for this. At present
there is strong rationalistic ele-
ment within the same church, led
by a good many professors at the
theological seminaries, and adhered
to by many students and church
men generally, but it is to be
hoped that the movement is only d
temporary one.
agriculture is receiving more
attention than ever before, and as
a result the grain yield is now three
times greater than it was fifty
years ago, and the acreage has in
creased four-fold. In dairying the
country has also made great strides.
It has today more cows in nropor-
tion to the population than any
other country in the world.
"Of course, Sweden, like all
other countries, has a good many
problems to solve. Perhaps the
most serious just now are the heavy
emigration and the reluctance with
which young people enter into
] matrimony. There are today fewer
marriages in proportion to the pop.
ulation than in any other country,
> and the birth rate is the lowest in
: Europe next to France. Many
causes have contributed to bring
, this about. The education for wo.
men is faulty; too much stress is
placed on culture, and too little at.
tention is paid to the more practi-
!, cal attachments which are neces-
sary if she is to make a successful
wife and mother. Again, women
have taken mems places in bust
: ness, and this has always resulted
disastrously, for it is strictly
against natural law. Lastly, the
young people generally seem to have
developed more numerous demands,
and as the cost of living has gone
up considerably, they naturally hes.
itate to assume the responsibilities
of a home.''
In closing DR.. Waldenstrom paid
: a glowing tribute to American en-
! terprise. II find Americans gener.
ally imbued with spirit of faith
and optimism,' he said, land 50
long as they continue to retain
these characteristics they will al.
ways be great, always successful. -
DR.. Gustaf A. Andreen, presi-
dent of Rock Island college, ad-
r dressed the assembly last evening,
his lecture being in the nature of a
review of the part played by the
immigrants and especially the pho.
neers from Scandinavia in the de-
velopment of the United States.
, 'Our fathers have been pioneer
builders all thru history, he said.
"And wherever they went, they
, brought with them their great love
for home and freedom, as we'll as
their deep-rooted religious faith,
, and these characteristics have al
ways made them wonderful power
for good. The Swedish born Amer.
lean naturally retrains his love for
his native land, but he is as loyal