The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-04-11


farmers, and that steps be taken all
through the country to secure more
and better cooperation among the
farmers.
| Cooperation Among Farmers.
| Superintendent F. J. Sperry of the
Mankato public schools spoke a few
minutes emphasizing the urgent ne.
cessity Of securing cooperation among
the farmers. and in improving the
relations existing between the rural
and city districts. He said that i'm a
series of Investigations conducted in
the vicinity of Mortified, it was
learned that the conditions of the
farmers was very bad, they did not
cooperate among themselves nor
with the city people. they had little
or no literature in the home, that the
wife was usually drudge. and all
around there was a crying need of a
radical change. He explained that
the agricultural courses in the pub
lie schools was an efficient method
of remedying these conditions. and
(, called upon Professor C. r. Shum-
way of the agricultural department
i'm the high school to tell what the
I
] this line Mr. Sperry said that iudg-
ing by present evidence, it would not
! be long until one man would not be
able to handle the regular school
| agricultural work and the extension
/ work also.
| Professor Shumway gave an inter
| esting and enlightening talk "Agri-
! culture" said he. lis the basis of the
middle west, or of the whole United
! States. Association among business
men is obviously easier to secure
than among the farmers, but the
Mankato high school has made great
| steps in getting the farmers together,
and improving general rural condi-
tions. One method which has proved
very effective is the twelve weeks
| short course for the boys We had an
unusually large and enthusiastic at
| tendance in this class this winter
| The boys came here to learn, they
| were interested, and they did learn
a great deal. What they learned,
they will impress upon their fathers
and the influence is far reaching in
deed. The farmers short course at
1 the seed fair here was also long
step in the right direction. The
! farmers clubs which we have Or
ganized are just what is needed to
get the farmers together and make
them work together. The proposition
of hiring a county agent is also a
! very necessary adjunct to extension
! work of this kind but some of the
farmers have the idea that a man in
this CAPACITY would travel round
among them and tell them how to
run their business. This is an er-
roneous idea, for the man is simply
secretary who takes care of the
business Of the county organization.
Just as the secretary of this club
attends to it's business. He should
have means of transportation to go
to the farms, and get reDorts of the
work as it progresses, 80 that ac-
4 ton may be taken on any line Of
work, which the association thinks
necessary to improve. I wish to
thank the club for the interest shown
i'm this matter, and for their indOrse-
ments of our work for the sake of
better farming"
Request Has Been Withdrawn.
J. e. Hickey reported that the re.
quest that Manksto entertain the
convention of the grand council oil
1.-THE United Commercial Travellers had
been withdrawn. until the association
decides TO come here. He explained
that this grand council meeting was
a convention of forty or fifty councils
,, in Minnesota and North Dakota
which would bring at least four hun
dred people here for three days, ano
, that $500 would be required to enter
tain the delegations properly. The
association has decided to meet in
Crookston this year, but where they
will meet in 1914 has not yet beer
idecided, and when this has beer
done, and if Mankato is decided up
on, the aid of the Commercial club II
, providing entertainment for the
"boys" will be solicited.
Secretary Soaring read lettel
from C. p Bull. president of thu
Minnesota Field Crop Breeders asso
citation, in which Mr.. Bull said thai
2 he could not tell yet whether the
j association would consider returnin,
: to Mankato next year for it's anDua
l meeting or not as the advisory board
: had not yet met Another lette1
: from Mr. Bull enclosed a resolution
| pdSSSu Wy IhC ooooSie'
ton, rendering to Mankato people
: the Commercial club and the bust
: ness men, the hearty thanks of thu
organization for their support il
l making success of the last seet
: fair which was held here in February
, A letter from Walter McBroom, o
e the Mankato Creamery Package fac
:, tory, also contained expressions o
q gratitude to the club for it's help il
I the attempt to secure legislation ia
:, voring the concern.
Opposed to the Hucksters.
A communication from the Man
; kato Fruit Commission company ant
I the Gamble-Robinson Produce com
pany, jointly, complained that tran
silent frlit dealers who could com
: here with carloads of apples and un
: dersell them, were detriment bot
:, the business of the local concerns
) and to Mankato as well. because the.
) take large amount of money iron
! the city, and do not supply the high
y est class of fruit. The fruit dealer
Z asked that a committee be appointe,
by the club to go before the cit,
/ council and endeavor to have an ord
:. nance passed, requiring these trar
silent hucksters to pay license Q
$25 per car for the fruit they SCI
: here. They also asked that anOthe
!, committee of three be appointed t
u investigate This matter thOrOughl,