The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-03-29
EFFORTS TO ORGANIZE
we're WELL RECEIVED
W.. Whipple Writes Interestingly;
- Boosting the League.


ton OF the Southern Minnesota De-
velopment league which will be held
in Mankato on April 2, and gives an
interesting interview with w. J..
Whipple, secretary of the Winona
Board of Trade, who is very enthu-
siastic over the meeting. In part Mr..
Whipple said:
"The meeting to be held at Man.
kato, Tuesday, April 2, for the for
nation of a club for the develop
ment of Southern Minnesota is GER
tainly q laudable enterprise. No
doubt a concert of action by the
united energies of the various com.
mercial bodies in this part Of the
state would show excellent results
for the object intended.
From a territorial viewpoint
Southern Minnesota is unfortunately
situated to attract foreign immigra-
ton, or secure accessions of popu-
1ation from other states. For In
stance, Winona county is located in
the almost extreme southeastern
part of the state. Persons from
other regions of the country con-
templating visiting Minnesota natur-
ally would purchase railroad ticket
to either st. Paul or Minneapolis.
This inclination would apply to the
landseeker, the business man and
the professional man alike. When
landseeker reaches either one of the
largest cities of the state, it is there
the land agents and representatives
of railroads by the score surround
him and breathe out honeyed words
of glorious possibilities toward the
setting sun. By them cheap lands,
the fertility of the soil and the
beauty of the landscape, farther west
are described in the most fascinating
colors Southern Minnesota is as ut
terly ignored as if it were in the
state Of Kansas.
County Is Criterion.
did it ever occur to you that Wi
mona county and the counties ada
cent thereto, in many respects, pos
sess more substantial attractions and
honest inducements to the husband
man, than almost any other section
of the state. Take Winona county
as a criterion of Southern Minnesota.
Not a failure of crops has occurred
since the first furrow was turned to
the sunlight, more than fifty years
ago. Some seasons have been more
bountiful than others, but not fall
ure from droughts, insect, food, hail
nor any other Of the elements, which
have prevailed from time to time
elsewhere, to the detriment of the
farmer has been recorded.
Nowhere, beneath the canopy OF
heaven can there be found a land
more blessed with the smiles OF the
benignant Creator, for the material
success Of the husbandman or any
other man than is found in South.
ern and Southeastern Minnesota.
"The prodigal hand of nature has
diversified her bounty with fer
tile soil, streams of pure, running
water, trees which furnish ample
fuel besides adding graceful shade
from heat in summer and a protec.
ton from the rigors of winter, for
both man and beast. The bountiful
valleys with their sloping hillsides
and the undulating prairies are all
susceptible to the inexpensive Gull
tivation for the various products
grown in the latitude Of the North
Star state. ...
"It was these attractive induce
ments, combined with salubrious
and healthy climate, which greatly
induced the first immigrants to Min
nesota. The same climatic and other
natural conditions which existed
then are to be found here today.
It is true, however, that our popu.
lation has somewhat decreased dur.
ing the spasmodic blooms which
have beguiled a portion of the young.
er men farther west in the United
States and into the Canadian pos
sessions. Nevertheless, this exodus
has in nowise had tendency toward
the abandonment of the farms or
has 1t deprecated the value of farm
lands. On the contrary there is
more anu more lduu UcluS .CulIiNdICo
each passing year and in the mean.
while the value per acre is steadily
increasing. This may be attributed
to the more recent methods of scien.
tific and diversified farming, the in.
PRODUCTION of better grade of stock,
combined with higher prices for all
the commodities produced by the
cultivation of the soil.
ut is a source of state pride to
a person living in Southern Mime
sofa when the comparison Is drawn
in noting how the comfortably built
and neatly kept farm houses with
their homelike and liveable appear.
ance, which surround their dwell.
ings, also, the commodious barns
and other farm buildings to be seen,
compared with the average farmer
in Illinois, who confines his energies
to raising corn and cattle, or the
Missourian who dotes on hogs and
mules.
Questions at Issue.
"But the paramount question to be
considered by the commercial bodies
in the towns and cities is: "How
can the betterment of the present
conditions ho hronubf hou,