The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-02-02
MANkATo FREE PRESS
letters from my friends in Blue Earth

~
letters. from my friends in Blue Earth
county. s.. ,.
This section la within what ia
called the black belt" and, OF. course
the niger" as the whites call, him
here, is very much in evidence. The
population of this village (about 1900
is. / am told, a little more, than
half black, and of course they are
a very important element in the
future OF the county.
What Contact Does.
Tt is indisputable that residents
in the south, especially, in this
BLACK belt very materially mobiles
the northern mans views OF the
negro. 1t is impossible for one not
in Immediate contact with the race
problem Of the south to make cor
rect statement of its terms. The
darkey at distance of a thousand
miles may be regarded as an abb
structiOn by folks in the ordinary
walks of life,. but believe me, he is
very much else here, close at hand,
where he is az prime necessity as
fwell as n threat" 7 have no quarrel
with the negro. He is an innocent"
to great degree, even though ,he
proves criminal, but on the other
hand, have no quarrel with the
southern whites. IT seems to me az
! ter spending a number Of winters
among them and associating with
intelligent men and women Of good
moral character who have had every
opportunity to know all about che
situation-that if were resident
here should hold about as they do.
but at that the negro Is far from be-
ing a nuisance any more than the
poor and the ignorant and lazy are
a nuisance everywhere,
| Live Life Of Ease.
The main trouble with the negro
is just the same in a sense as the
trouble with the poor white trash
in a word, life. is too easy. 1t is SO
easy that it is not necessary in this
warm climate to either work all the
time, or yet to provide for the fu-
ture, so they all follow Mark Twain
rule-"never do today what you can
just as we'll put off till tomorrow
They don't care particularly for q
1 "job" because it isn't particularly
necessary Just now. II takes little
clothing, little fuel, little food, hut
!, much rest and they seem to be trying
to lay in a. good supply Of rest { hut
there's very little crime among theni.
They may pilfer littlee Just AS the
poor whites do, and occasionally
there is a negro murder, but very,
L Al cly
! They are not what we could call
good workers, but they are about all
there lis. The whites: serve as clerks,
salespeople, professions! men, land
owners and all that sort of thing, but
not as laborers, Now you can see
at a glance why this country with
a naturally. poor, soil-compared with
! the mighty riches of our Blue Earth
county: soil, and with a. very nearly
! tropical climate, only half her people
pretending to labor is SO backward
in riches and Development, and 1t al
SO gives a hint OF the wealth await
ing northern Development.
80 Would Welcome Roosevelt.
This particular point Citronelle.
is claimed to be delightful summer
residence The business people are
very nearly all from the north and
| though they, all vote the democratic
| ticket, most of StRgn !. would rather
see Theodore Roosevelt president
than to see almost any. of the demo-
Gratis which have been, mentioned,
get the place; but you may be GER
tain that none. of them will vote for
him. , & 81
These northern men Say that while
it is very hot even here for FIVE
months out OF. the year. that owing
to the high elevation above the Gulf
of Mexico that the nights are entire
ly bearable and even enjoyable. Per
sonally I should have mo hesitation
in trying it. This is quite breezy
point among. the pines which are
everywhere apparent. and which aid
to give this point a great reputation
as health resort.
The Many Advantages.
The advantages Of this locality
are briefly: Es -; s3
One. A matchless, climate for
healthfulness and for flowers.
Two. Sand pears, and pecans, both
never failing crops when once es'
tabished. 80.
Four. Sugar cane, natural crop.
Five. Cotton the great staple crop.
| Six. Very cheap lands.
Seven. Plenty OF help, such as it is
Eight. Opportunities for. profit in
the development OF the country along
new lines of agriculture and under
tnew methods. All this cheap land can
be worked into oranges, pecans. sand
pears, scuppernong grapes, etc.