The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-06-28
MEETING HELD TODAY;
ST. PETER IS THE HOST
Ny 49,
Several Phases of Association
Benefits Are Discussed.
ATTENDANCE IS GRATIFYING
Number Of Papers Are Read; They All
Breathe the Cooperation Spirit;
Excellent Ideas.
From Wednesdays Daily.


Boosters for Southern Minnesota
members of the Better Develop
ment league-were greatly in evil
dence at ST. Peter today. Almost
every nook and corner of the south.
ern section of the state was rep
resented at the second or summer
gathering of the organization which
was given birth in Mankato April
last. Men who are prominent in
all walks of life. professional. in
dustrial and financial, are in at
tendance. A spirit of cooperation
for the upbuilding of Southern
Minnesota. permeated the meeting.
President T. G. Bonnallie of
Tracy called the meeting to order.
and introduced Senator Henry N.
Benson of St. Peter, who gave the
address of welcome. Among other
things the senator said:
81 desire to congratulate the COM
mittee on resolutions upon their
splendid articles of faith which they
proposed and which this league
adopted They have laid claim to
broad. general issues. which are
fundamental and vital. The question
of freight rates to all sections Of
our state. equal facilities for land
seekers, good roads, agricultural and
industrial instruction in our schools
and sound legislation are subjects
upon which we are all united and
which may rigidly claim our best
attention. We in the county districts
have already too long been indif-
ferent to the drain that has been
made upon our best men and WON
en- for the larger cities. Our indus
trial and social conditions have not
been what they should have, and
our educational system has been
woefully defective. We have edu-
Gated away from, the farm and to-
wards the city. All our textbooks
have tended to teach and the trend
of our everyday discussion has
been to encourage city life and dis
courage agricultural pursuits"
Your time is very limited We
wish it might have been extended
over several days. We would like
to show you some of the historic
places of our city and we desire to
claim short space of your time
this afternoon to show you some of
the historic places in our city and
some of you may perhaps desire to
pay memory's tribute to the grave
of the late lamented Governor John
A. Johnson"
Farmer in Response.
Edward c. Farmer responded 10
the address of welcome. He said:
ct is pleasure to respond to
the welcome extended to the South
ern Minnesota Better Development
league This league is of recent ORR
gin. 1t is the result of the obser-
vations of the people, in some thir-
ty odd counties in the southern part
of this state, who have come to
realize, from their observations,
that a united effort must be made
in order to bring about the better
ment of conditions in Southern Min
pesota. And, it is fitting that st.
Peter should be the hostess of the
gathering. 1t is a city that, by
reason of its progressive spirit and
harmonious efforts of it's people, for
long time has been in the van
guard of many movements that have
had for their objective purpose the
uplifting and upbuilding of the city,
and the betterment Of civic condi-
tjons from "a social as we'll as a pc
characteristics in it's favor, it is not
strange that gathering of this
kind, with objects such as it has
in view and results such as it hopes
to attain, should hold one of its
most important meetings in this
city. We have therefore come to
the right place, into an atmosphere
that is already surcharged with
spirit that is so essential and re-
auisite to the successful accomplish
ment of the objects for which the
league was formed: the very spirit
of the city lends encouragement to
the undertaking of the league, and
in behalf of the league it is my duty
TO acknowledge the cordial welcome
thus extended.
What Development Means.
development. as we have come
RI understand it, is not confined to
the development of our agricultural
resources. farms and farming com
munities. rural roads and highways;
II is broader and more extensive;
II also extends to the development
of orr cities and towns, for the coun
try and town go hand in hand. IL
extends to the cities and towns, in
order that, by their presentable ap
pearance, sanitary conditions, edu
cational facilities and social condl
tions. they may prove strong IN
ducements and successful factors In
securing for us those people VINO
are either seeking new home OF
a place for the promotion of lndl
vidual effort along commercial lines
Our cities and towns are the gates
through which those who may come
first enter, and if the impression
first formed be favorable one, Its
Continued on Page Seven.