The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-05-13

81 and 1t Is not The Labor World believes then
what Z the matter with Duluth!
H..G. Larson, County Agricultural Agent made a
very sgnffcen statement in the Of the editor
OF The Labor World this week. He said that in the
territory Immediately adjoining Duluth there
rooot the same number Of children attending
schoonnow as attended 10 years ago. while back
ostanfe near the ranges they could not build school,
nousea last enough to accommodate the children =.
attributes this condition to the fact that land for
purposes Immediately adjoining Duluth is held
a. price by our real estate men, and that far
mers can not be induced to settle upon it, On the other
nand farther north where there is still cheap land al
though far removed from the local market farms arc
spr1nging up as if by magic.
The other day two men came to Duluth. Thew loft
their homes in southern Austria the Italian
1o years ago. They had farmers in their Father
land--dairy farmers.
Shortly after landing in this country they went to
work in the coal fields of Illinois, They struggled hard
Tor years during which time they saved 900 each
"n1cn eney deposited IN the postal savings and
IN y. s. government bonds at Livingston Illinois,
with this amount Of money their capital they came
TO utn for the purpose of buying land city
to start farming in small way They were open and
trank In their statements to real estate men, who when
tney mad learned that these in possession
sons real money. Immediately to extort it from
them In their we'll known way by painting glorious pic
ana asking unreasonable prices
for acreage within reasonable distance from the city,
they had paid the prices demanded for the land it
would have taken every dollar of their savings leaving
no money to erect buildings or purchase stock.
These strangers thought the matter for several
days and yesterday they advised they had
cuded to leave Duluth and go farther into the north
central portion Of the state where land be pur
chased at cheaper price, and where the market was
every bit desirable as it is in Duluth AS result
on tnffh fho
has lost at least two prospective empire builders
Tyr4lese farmers,-the best dairymen on earth This
caselis only one in a thousand.
What IS true of prospecting farmers also true of
prospective manufacturers The labor situation does
notorry the reasonable employer Of labor but. the
OF real estate and the exorbtant tax-rate re-
sutng thererom, due to the manipulation the Real
Estate Exchange in fixing tax values doing to
check the growth Of Duluth than all other factors
bined.
What is needed in Duluth above all things is fight
ing organization of militant citizens fired by patriotic
love for the city, who willing to hit wrong and
wrong-doers wherever they may be found will
devote the best that is within them release city
from the throes of the and institutions who are
responsible for Duluth's backwardness
Duluth must be made free. We have heard a good
deal about her enemies in st. Paul and Minneapolis
but the real foes of the city live within borders They
occupy exalted positions in social religious and busi
ness life. They have been long in power that they
feel thoroughly entrenched but the time has come if
Duluth Is to be anything but way station to drive them
from their bitches and compel them to be good.