The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-09-19
From Thursdays Daily.

Minnesota added nearly 1000 auto
mobiles to the number owned by her
people, in the last twelve months,
but the COW, the main factor in the
great campaign for agricultural de-
velopment and diversifcation is NOV
ing out of the state, and the sheep,
another factor in annual wealth pro-
duction, is seeking other pastures, if
the assessment compilation complet-
ed today by the state tax commission
is. truly reflective of changing eco.
nomic conditions. The horse, without
regard for that sage reasoning that
pronounced him as good as dead
when first the automobile came com
monty into use, has kicked the props
from under pessimistic forecast re-
garding him and is here in numbers
greater than ever
d The entire personal property as
sessment of the state has mounted
from 5,2s2,925 last year to $227..N
923,S72 for 1918, making $12,741 900
the reported wealth increase subject
to taxation. But although the tax
commission will begin inquiry into
instances of reported decrease, and
the county assessments that were
raised $5,000,000 after the first COM
pilation last year, will probably be
raised as much this year and the
total for the state put we'll above
$3.50, 100000 certain economic facts
are indicatedS in the figures out to-
day that are more vitally important
than any of recent development. -
For the reason that the trend of
thought towards state upbuilding and
agricultural Improvement, through
livestock. development has for
year or more increasingly concerned
the states agricultural teaching staff
and organizations of bankers and
business men, the railroads, and the
many development and Improvement,
associations of certain localities Or
of counties. and that the bread and
butter" state has been more spoken
of, the economic import of the fol-
lowing table is apparent:
1913. 1912.
Cows in Minnesota. S99,177 9O7,043
Sheep in Minnesota. 265,S67 309,997
Horses in Minnesota 604131 577,203
Why there should be nearly 5000
COWS gone out OF Minnesota and why
more than $4,000 sheep should have
left the state are matters into which
the tax commission will inquire, with
special reference to those localities
in which the greatest decreases are
reported
Not cent will the, state lose
through the falling off in the num-
Der of cows reported, but on the
contrary there will be slight gain
in revenue, for the valuation of the
smaller number this year is $12,024,-
500 as reported for assessment pur.
poses compared with 81 ,458,687 in
1912 Thus, even if it be true that
the Minnesota COW is less promi-
nent numerically than year ago,
individual worth averages higher.
This is an indication that the plea
Of the promoters of good agricul-
ture that the COW that does not earn
enough to pay board be put out OF
the cows boarding house by the
farmer proprietor, and that another
COW, capable of paying up in milk
return for board and keep, be given
the room, is working out effectively,
Gold and Silver in Watonwan.
Red Lake county is conspicuous
for it has SIS worth of gold and
silverware, according to the returns.
And Watonwan county down in the
old settled part of the state, st.
James being one OF it's prosperous
towns, has S54 OF gold and silver
ware. Evidently years of good crops |
and plenty of money has not en-
couraged the farmer to buy silver
knives or forks or goldheaded canes.
There was no classification EN-
bracing poultry last year. bnt when |
the state fair was in progress, one