The Detroit times., 1915-12-04
Eberhardt School Cam
paign Is Doing That
in Minnesota
FORMER GOVERNOR
is GUEST HERE
Pays Visit to Board of
Commerce On Way
East

PoiHci poN. AuOlpn ~. EDer-
hardt, OF Minnesota, was In Detroit,
Friday. on his way from his home
to Washington to attend the ma
tional rivers and harbors congress.
Because he was guest on a Board
OF Commerce cruise two years ago
and entertains warm friendship
for a number of the leading mem
bers of the board. he took lunch at
the board with the members OF the
special membership committees at
noon.
Since his retirement from the Of
hco OF governor of Minnesota last
January, Mr.. Eberhardt has devoted
his time TO concrete construction
company III which he Is interested.
Two matters OF public interest get
all the attention his business can
spare. One Is the modern and i'm
proved country school. the other is
terminals for the development OF
Mississippi commerce.
Indeed 1t was his interest in the
country school and the amount OF
money the state had spent on coun-
try schools that was one contribut-
ing cause TO his defeat for re-elec-
tion a year ago, although probably
the main reason was that he had
been governor for three terms and
was asking fourth rather passive
y, while no other man in Minnesota
ever had fourth term as governor.
and only one other in the states
history had three.
I'm our campaign for better
schools in the country districts OF
Minnesota we have done away with
over 500 little school houses" de
clared former Gov. Eberhardt in dis
cussing his work. The little schools
have given way TO larger ones, cen
traliZed so that one good building
takes the place of three or four lit
tie ones. These centralized schools
have in turn been made social CEN
ters.
Around these schools center all
the activities of their neighbor-
roods. Entertainments and moving
lictnre shows are held in them, as
well as meetings for the discussion
OF matters OF agricultural and neigh
lorhood interest, and they are max
ing the life OF the farmer and his
family as interesting as life In the
cities
The other pet which former Gov.
Eberhardt has is best illustrated
when II is known that he organized
the Mississippi Valley Terminal as
sociation, which is composed OF rep
rcsentatives from all the Mississippi
river towns. and whose object In
lifo Is TO secure the construction by
the different cities along the great
river of public terminals so that an
absolutely, free commerce OF the
Mississippi may be encouraged. The
plan is to have the cities. through
their terminal facilities, in shape to
demand cooperation between water
and rail carriers in the shape OF
Joint rates. guaranteed bills OF lad
Ing end such other things as might
protect the shipper.
I'VE find that, since the opening
of the Panama canal, our territory
has the worst OF It in rail rates, and
we feel that with sufficient COM
merce on the river, which will give
us access TO the canal, that situa'
tion may be overcome. Much ter
minal work Is being done.-Baven'
port, Ia, has built several terminals
and leased them at paying hg1res,
Minneapolis is building. st. Louis is
spending s7,O00,000. and New Or
leans s25,OOO,0O0. Kansas City and
other cities are in line. We want
to create a situation like that along
the Rhine I'm Germany, where 80 per
cent OF the up-bound trafiic Is raw
material for manufacturers, 7h per
cent OF the down-bound traffic is
either raw material or manufactur-
ed goods, and so per cent OF the
manufacturing of the German EN-
pire is in the valley or the Rhine.