The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-12-07
MIDDLETON IN
ADDRESS URGES
CONTINUATION
OF N. N. D. A.
President Of Northern Minnesota AS
sociation, Says Much Remains
to Be Done.
AMENDMENT NO. l
LEGISLATION DISCUSSED
Good Roads and Federal Aid Taken
Up; Agricultural Committee
Makes Annual Report.
AMENDMENT NO. /
LEGISLATION DISCUSSED

Has the Northern Minnesota De-
velopment association accomplished
it's mission or OutgrOWn it's useful
ness?
This is a question to be decided at
the seventh annual meeting of the
association which opened in Bemidji
today for two-day session. Nearly
$50 delegates from about 19 coun-
ties in Northern Minnesota are at
tending the meeting.
G. R. Middleton of Baudette, presi-
dent of the organization, in his ad-
dress stated that in his own judg-
ment that Northern Minnesota needs
the Northern Minnesota Develop
ment association and will need it
.r years to come. He urged that
the association be continued.
with all that has been accom-
plished through the efforts of this
ment has only fairly begun" he said.
There are now and will continue
to be new and pressing requirements
for united effort and cooperation
and in many matters peculiar to
Northern Minnesota, and in which
other parts Of the state are not so
vitality interested.'
Association Successful.
President Middleton pointed out
that the association was primarily
for the purpose Of prOmulgating and
y demanding of the legislature the en-
aetment of law providing for re-
apportionment of the state in order
that Northern Minnesota might have
the same voice in the enactments of
the laws Of the state This was &C
complished.
President Middleton in his ad
dress, said in part:
did the Northern Minnesota De-
velopment association disband when
it had accomplished reapportion-
-ment? No. 1t had in it's member
ship a number of men of large af
fairs, men of experience and fore
light, men who had a vision of
great future for the state of Min
s&nesota by the settlement and devel
opment of the millions of acres of
rich agricultural lands in Northern
Minnesota which heretofore had been
designated a bowling wilderness
by our friends in the southern part
of the state. These men who have
been the backbone of this associa-
tiOn saw that there was other work
for us to do, other fields to conquer,
other matters of the greatest i'm
portance which, to accomplish, would
require united effort. These men
who are live wires in all their un-
dertakings, through their counsel,
advice and influence have kept this
association alive.
1--WE have not only met and re-
solved but we have actually gone to
work through our officers standing
committees and the individual and
undivided support of the members
and so far as was possible we have
accomplished the things we resolved
to do. More than this have Op-
ened the eyes of other communities
and they have formed similar asso-
;Sations and have done good work.
All-Minnesota Club.
"The late lamented Governor w.
S. Hammond who, less than a year
before his death, when he accompa-
MED the senators and representatives
from Southern Minnesota, together
with other state officers, on a trip
through the northern part of the
state, at the invitation of honored
members of this association, when
they were being entertained by the
Board of Trade and ladies of Bau-
dette, conceived the idea of an ALL
State Development Association And
soon after his return to the capitol
2at St. Paul he, as governor, issued
- call for the purpose of having rep
resentative men from all parts of the
state get together and consider the
~advisability of such an association,
and if deemed wise to effect it's or
ganization. The result was a splen-
did meeting at the capitol at St.
Paul attended by representatives
from all of the other development as
sociations and other prominent men
who, prior thereto, had interested
themselves in the development of the
state and an all-state development as
sociation was formed, and today there
is good feeling, mutual interest and
cooperation along the lines of de-
aopment in the whole state of Min
4esiota, and disposition to pull to-
T>gether for the improvement of all
parts of the state.
Laws Defective.
"The drainage laws of the state
Esare seriously defective and require
Important amendments.
"The road laws, although in many