The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-07-01


Judge W. L. Comstock in addressing
the old settlers yesterday gave SPLEEN
did review of the past and after some
Introductory remarks said in part:
The occasion of meeting of the early
pioneers is more conducive to retro
spect than anticipation. The span of
human life is short and as the years
run on we more and more look back
ward and linger midst the pleasing
memories of the past. And so today
we renew old friendships and associa-
tions, recount old experiences and re-
spect the memory of old time friends.
There are no wider differences in the
epochs of history than are the differ
enees between the present days and
the pioneer days of the past. Then
men strong of arm and determined of
will invaded the wilderness and with
indomitable courage, suffering, un
told privations converted the wild
places into garden of promise. Liv
ing among the sturdy pioneers as a
boy, when the receptive characters
ties of childhood were at the best, the
tablets of memory received impress
sions never to be effaced, and the
remembrance of those people always
fingers, and shall always linger in the
mind, strong, sweet memories of the
early, happy days in Minnesota.
Those were days when men were
not measured by their money, but We're
tried and trusted for themselves. In
those days the question of the worth
of man, other than his moral worth
was not considered but each man shar-
ed with his neighbors and his friends,
and often with the stranger, whatever
he may have had that the other had
not. Then men lived and strived for
their families and their friends and
the upbuilding OF their community.
With axe and firebrand they slowly
fought their way into the forest wild
erness, and with OK and pillow they
tanned the wild plains, that those who
came after them might reap the har-
vest of their labor. With strong hearts
and willing hands they wrought their
home places out of the wild places,
and then standing shoulder to should
err only turned away from their fire.
sides to defend them from wild and
savage foes. Then the will and cour-
age of both men and women were
tried to the utmost limit and only
the strong in mind and body could
accomplish the splendid endeavors of
the pioneers.
Our people boast of wonderful
progress since the early days, and in
many respects both materially and me-
chanically the progress has been won
derful, but yet a comparison of men
and morals both then and now, shows
little to the credit of the present time.
Then laws were few and all laws were
respected and observed; now laws are
many and people question whether
they are all to be observed or have
been made for some purpose beyond
the knowledge of the people.
Then the church was the great moral
heart of the people and not the de-
batting ground of diverting channels of
saving grace.
Then compulsory education was not
required, for every person appreciated
the inestimable advantage of educa-
tional knowledge, and distance or
weather could not prevent attendance
at the schools.
Then corrupt practice laws were not
required in the body polite. for men
were sought for public place who
were fitted for public duty and not
for special service to some special in
terest. Then the man within the coat
and not the coat upon the man was
an indication of worth among his fell
lows.
For quarter of century padlocks
were unnecessary and almost unknown.