The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-06-12

try, and make Il better. am pur-
suaded that the greatest patriot is
the man who axes his place in
everyday life and performs his
duties well, and while there may
not be the stimulus of blaring
trumpets, the. loud rear of the guns,
the command of the officers to stim-
ulate them to big efforts, yet they
are performing true patriotic serv.
ice and building for all times.
These men have al believed in
education, for just as soon as a
colony was located the school house
and church were installed. They be.
lieyed in giving to their children the
best education possible, and they be-
lieved that in the truth of God lay the
strength OF many nations. And so
with patriotic efforts and honest
fidelity they laid the foundations
of the early community. Many of
these men grew discouraged but
they did not let this stop them.
Many a woman became faint heart
ed and almost ready to give up the
seemingly unequal contest, but they
put themselves into just relations
with their surroundings and gradually
worked out the solution of the prob
lem that lay before them, and when
say to you today that the greatest
victories that the world has known
have not been won upon the field
of carnage, nor at the storming OF
citadel nor when two great war
vessels came together, but upon the
peaceful field of honest effort, and
IL I were to erect a monument, !
would erect one of greater proper
ton to the heroes OF oil then to
those of war. -.
| an the annals of war such names
as Caeser, Hannibal, Alexander the
Great. Xerxes, Napoleon, Wellington,
Grant have made themselves
famous, but always because they
were more. successful In dealing
out destruction than their opponents.
While on the other hand such men
as Gutenberg, Watts, Stevenson
Morse, Whitney, Fulton, Bell, Mar.
conf, and Edison. have been WELD.
ing implements of construction, and
have made the world better because
OF their efforts. Along with these
men .. nd women should be
placed the names OF men who
have made the earth to bud
and blossom like rose. They have
taken the virgin soil and trans.
formed II into garden of Eden.
Among the number who have thus
used their efforts for the up.buiTding
Of the country are the men who COM
pose your Old Settlers association
and those who settled this country.
but passed into the great future
before you conceived the idea of
celebrating this event. Among the
names of those who have made the
world bett erare such men and
women as Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Tay.
Tor, Joseph Dobie. Thomas Blair,
DIR. Frances. Rev. Hunt, Rev. Conrad,
Frederic Miller, Lysander Cook,
Henry Brush, Mother Shannon, John
c. Ward, Warren White. Ira An
mis-, and a host of others whose
names have not been perpetuated In
theannals of history, but In the indy.
/ ing memory of those they have
left behind to benefit by their labors.
These men ettled this country fac
ing death from lurking savages, as
well as from the pestilence and
disease. They we're unflinching and
always ready to perform services I'm
the face OF death. Those who remem-
Der the dark days OF the massacre
up and down the Minnesota river
recall how when the men went to
work In the morning, when they
carried gun with them and
left the % wife to protect the
home with another. and the faintest
tinkle of the house bell or the alarm
from firing gun was sufficient to
make the stoutest heart quail, as
they knew it meant another fight
with the savage foemen. but they
lived through these days and they
gave to the world one OF the most
beautiful spots that Gods sun ever
shown upon.
Perhaps It would ne wise now to
turn our faces from the past and look
into the future. because these gath
erings are beneficial only so long
Jas we try to learn lessons, from
them !. You men and women. OF
southern Minnesota must prove your,
selves TO be worthy OF such noble