The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-05-18
Expedition S0c1 Co., makers and State
Officials VIII ant Event
In History of On. r
N0RD SUGGESTS VALUE OF TRIP
Affords Opportunity to "Show" Those
Who Have Scoffed at Development
That Wonderful Resources Exist.

into Northern Minnesota has assumed
proportions which bid fair to make
it one of the most important events
in the history of this half of the
state.
Late advices from the committee
in charge of this legislative tour Of
investigation indicate that the trip
already has awakened an immense
interest and that for eleven full days
Northern Minnesota virtually will be
on parade before the entire North
west to say nothing of the interest
which it will create through the rest
of the nation.
Westlake in Charge.
1t is probably the first time in his
tory that a state legislature has
deemed it expedient to make a tour
of investigation of vast section of
it's own state. All the more is the
wonder when it is considered that
each legislator pays his own way out
Of his own pocket.
Senator E. j. Westlake, chairman
of the committee on transportation,
today sent word to the Pioneer that
the committee on arrangements has
sent invitations to all house members,
1870 of them, and that all state de-
partment heads also have been in
vited. He added that many promin-
ent business men of the Twin Cities
and of Southern Minnesota were
pleading for the privilege of making
the trip with the legislators. Orig
inally the plan was that only men,
bers of the senate and their wives
should be invited Senator Westlake's
latest advices give an idea of the pro-
portions which the trip has assumed.
Visitors to Be Shown.
Senator Leonard H. Nord of this
district, who has been in consulta-
tion in Minneapolis with Senator
Westlake, said over long distance
telephone this noon that the tremen-.
dous interest which the trip has
awakened in the Twin Cities and in
Southern and Western Minnesota is
positive proof that Northern Mime
sofa. finally is to have the long de-
sired opportunity to show the rest of
the state and neighboring states
what perfect potentialities are with
in it's grasp.
He declared that veteran legisla-
tors from Southern and Western
Minnesota who have long insisted
that Northern Minnesota is and must
continue to be vast wilderness
without a possible future have been
among the first to send in for their
reservations and that with their re-
quests for reservations have sent
word that they are willing "to be
shown
A Most Important Event.
1T is impossible to say at this mo-
ment," said Senator Nord, "just how
many will make this trip. No posi-
tive information on that point can
be obtained until May 20 which is
set as the last day for making reser-
vations for the trip which is sched-
uled to start from the Twin Cities on
June 8.
But this is sufficient for Northern
Minnesota to know that the commit
tee on arrangements and the commit
tee on transportation long since
abandoned efforts to obtain enough
reservation to fill special train. The
efforts of these two committees now
are bent entirely upon fighting of the
scores of persons who desire to make
the trip and for whom there will not
be room.
Going on Parade.
"This is distinctly show me- ex-
custom. A considerable portion of
those who have made reservations are
persons who never have been in
Northern Minnesota, who have scott
ed at the idea of there being devel-
oped here a magnificent, productive
empire. 1t is up to Northern Min
nesota to do the showing. We are
surely going on parade"
Senator Patrick H. McGarry of
Walker today gave some idea of the
extensive publicity Northern Mime
sofa is due to receive in addition to
the comments which will be spread
by the tourists after their return to
their respective homes.
Publicity Nationwide.
EVERY newspaper in the Twin
Cities has assured the publicity COM
mittee that it will send with. the leg
lature a staff correspondent, said
Senator McGarry. I'm fact the trip
has assumed such proportions that
it is likely that the Associated Press
will send it's St. Paul manager with
the legislature, which would result,
naturally, in the diffusion of North
ern Minnesota information through
the entire nation. ~ ..+
Every step of the journey will be
wired to the great metropolitan news
papers by the correspondents. Sena-