The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-09
MONDAY, FEB. 9, 1914.
A WINTER CARNIVAL.

Duluth is considering the PROPOSE
ton of a winter carnival. At first
thought this would appear to be a
mighty sensible proposition. h
would be finer than a winter carnival
on a large scale, an exploitation Of all
the invigorating, healthful. red-blood-
ed sports, that r peculiar to this
MISUNDERSTANDING, t~obogganing, ski
ipg, curling, hockey, ice-boating. etc.
70 a lover of the northland n the
open, it makes the blood Jingle to
think Of it, and yet The Forum be-
lfeves it would be a mistake.
at is u surprising thing that despite
the fact that this is the age of wide
spread information, the age Of the tele-
graph, the newspaper and the railroad,
there is lamentable ignorance upon
tho part Of many people concerning
conditions in every other section of
the country except their own. This is
not so true of western people as it is
of the people in the east, probably be-
cause most of the people in the west
came from the east and have first
hand knowledge of both sections.
Minnesota and the Dakotas are con-
sidered little better than Lapland or
Greenland in many parts of the east
and south. This idea is slowly giving
way to a truer knowledge of this de-
Iightful section of the country. but old
ideas are stubborn and persistent and
the very name winter carnival"
would tend to confirm that idea in the
minds of many who are just beginning
to get a truer conception Of the north
west.
1t is a shame that Duluth must take
these things into consideration, just as
it is a shame that the winters Of this
northwest have been SO maligned as to
nave given this adverse advertising to
the world. People who live here are
largely to blame.
Too often the people in this north
west country do not take advantage
of the open air life that should be the
greatest asset OF this part Nof the
world. On the contrary. many people
coddle n pamper their bodiess until
they become fiabby. soft, and er5ervat-
ed. They reach a premature old age
by neglecting the simple rules Of
health, and instead Of enjoying the
best thing that the Almighty has pro-
vided for the people Of the northwest,
its invigorating and red-blood building
atmosphere, they dread the winter sea-
son.
1t is this class Of people who spread
the reports that this country is not a
fit place in which to live in the win
ter time. And it is just this class Of
people who need the winter. The world
has made tremendous strides along
hygienic lines. 1t is now a recognized
fact that the u r. for consumption,
and the best way to get a healthy body
is to live out doors, as much as posi-
bile.
If those who dread the winter sea-
son would accustom their bodies to
the great outdoors by living more in
the open instead Of staying cooped UP
in close overheated rooms, they would
ter they would enjoy it and find in it
renewed vigor and youth.
The Forum has faith enough in the
future Of the race to believe that the
time will come. and that very soon,
when the value of the Astounding phys
ical life that can be developed only
in such a climate as this will be fully
appreciated and when people will
come to this country to spend the Win
ter instead of going away to some
tropical climate. But that time is not
yet. and until it comes it will foster a
wrong impression, to advertise this
country as a land of snow and ice, al
though it has not as much Of either as
many parts Of the country whose peo-
pie shudder when they think Of the
northwest.