The Mankato free press., 1912-02-02

L
curing this highway as state road.
Mr.. jefferson read a resolution as
follows: Resolved, that the Com
mercial club OF North Mankato favor
a petition presented by f.. e. Jeffer.
son, asking the commissioners of
| Nicollet county to designate what is
| known as the Mankato and New Ulm
road as a state road and pray your
honorable body of commissioners Of
Nicollet county to grant said petit
| tion and so. designate this road as
a state road" This resolution was
unanimously adopted, on the motion
of o. e. Walker.
Program Is Opened.
Otto A. Neitge opened the pro-
gram with a few appropriate re-
| marks in which he stated that he
thought this program and meeting
the best thing that ever happened
to North Mankato. He Thoughts that
by thus joining forces a great deal
Of good could be accomplished in
stead of one end Of town pulling one
way and the other end pulling the
other way. He welcomed and greet
| ed the new members and expressed
| the good wishes of the entire club
| because of the large attendance.
County Attorney George r. Olsen
opened the speaking part of the pro-
gram, his subject being Commercial
Clubs and Harmony of Commercial
Clubs" His opening remarks were
filled with delightful enthusiasm at
the ability of village the size of
North Mankato to get such a gather
ing of men together in one evening.
He congratulated the club on it's
good work and the splendid showing
made so far. He called this meet
ing a program, a reorganization and
rejuvenation, which. in fact, it
was. The results obtained would
very likely be permanent and he ex-
pressed his pleasure at being per-
mitted to be present at this celebra-
ton. He would receive a great deal
of benefit from the enthusiasm man.
ifested at the program in return for
the little service he gave by being
one of the speakers.
Benson on "Towns and Villages"
Senator Benson was then given
the floor and spoke on the topic,
Towns and Villages" He express
ed the same views as his predeces-
sor in regard to the pleaure of see-
ing the large increase in the mem.
bership of athe club. What interest
ed him was the claim and matter
of fact way in which North Mankato
took their success in getting a mu-
nicipal water paint. Other towns
would have held a special celebra.
iton at such a progressive move, but
in North Mankato, this came at an
event which the people hoped TO re-
peat many times over before they
had gone very far as a city.
Mr.. Benson explained the situa-
tion to some extent by saying that
it was difficult for small cities and
towns, to get manufacturing indus
tries because of the advantage the
larger. cities had in freight rates.
Unless the smaller villages could
compete on an equal basis with the
metropolitan cities, they would con-
tinually be at a disadvantage so far
as securing new industries for their
towns were concerned. What was
needed was readiustment SO that
the towns could maintain their in.
duStries.
Senator Bensof's speech contained
large number of pithy. suggestions
and advice that would be well to
follow and he was given a rousing
cheer as he took his seat, and his
place on the floor was taken by the
amiable and smiling Representative
Ole Peterson. His subject was
"Good Roads, and in this he seem
ed especially fitted to discuss. He
was in happy frame of mind, and
put the audience in the same atti-
tude by opening his talk with rath'
er humorous reference.
Letter From "Oie" Ball.
Mr.. Peterson said that the other
day when he returned to his house,
after having been at work cutting
ice, his wife told him the good news
that he had received a letter from
"Ole Ball" of North Mankato. "Of
course. when heard that it was
an ole who had written me, l
couldn't refuse the invitation to
speak here tonight"
Representative Peterson had three
hobbies which he presented before
the gathering. The first was to
have the burden of work Of building
and maintaining roads to be distrib-
uted among all the taxpayers. Sec
ond, he wanted these funds spent
for state roads. Third, he would
like to see some of the inmates OF
the states prison employed in crush
ing rock for the good roads. Though
briefly presented these propositions
were well received. .
Had Heard Of the Club.
Mr.. Palmer INDUCED in a few op.
ening remarks stating that he had
heard that North sMankato was a
live wire, and that they were really
doing things in North Side. He
hoped that their ambitions would be
fully, realized, and stated that there
was no jealousy over on the other
side, meaning Mankato proper, but
that the people there were glad TO
see the .Nicollet county town take
up good roads also. .g<-,%
: He stated that there was only one
town In Blue Earth county that rs
not starting good roads work. a
few years ago good roads was a
dead. issue-today it is on the lips
of every progressive citizen OF every
little town and village of the state
And there are reasons. The people
in the cities depend on the outside
IF the crop for even one season
is. a failure, the people of cities feel
it's effects in some way. The business
mon must not underestimate the