The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-05-14
WIPE OUT DIVIDING line
CUTDLFEERENCES BETWEEN
CITY AND COUNTRY
TALK BY EDWARD BARR
Community Institutes Held the
Civic and Commerce Asso-
citation Meeting
From Saturdays Daily.

From Saturdays Daily.
Edward Barr Of. the marketing de-
partment Of The Farmer, a publica-
ton gotten out at st. Paul in the in
terests of the agricultural districts,
was the speaker at a meeting held at
the headquarters of the Ma1kato Civ
ic and Commerce association last
night for the purpose of adopting by
laws. After making a few minor
amendments to the bylaws as pre-
scented, the same were adopted. One
of the amendments made was slight
change which will make a Ave- sixths
vote Of the entire board of directors
necessary to expel a member, instead
of two thirds vote.
Article II Of the bylaws prohibits
any form of gambling in the club
rooms, and also provides that no
games of cards of billiard and pool
playing be allowed on Sunday. August
Paegel objected to this. He said that
men gather together, there is always
strong desire for q game, and he
could see no harm In a quiet one. In
side the four walls of the club rooms,
he could not see any harm in either
playing cards or billiards even If it
were Sunday. J.. E. Brett said that
he believed like F. M. Currier in
passing the bylaws as printed, for
they looked good in print. On Mr..
Curriers' motion Article II was pass
ed as read leaving in the restrictive
clause mentioned but with the under
standing, that when club rooms are
secured for the association, the ar
ticle may be amended, and quiet
games" within the law will be per-
mitted even on Sunday
The bylaws also provided that the
year shall commence the first Mon
day in May of each year.
Edward Barr, of the marketing d.
vision Of The Farmer of st. Paul told
of a movement now being put on at
Fairmont to obliterate the dividing
lines between country and city. This
he styles community institute,
which will take in all OF the activities
Of the community of Martin county.
Mr.. Barr said that he had been down
at Fairmont for several days drum
ming up the details of the proposed
meeting between farmers and towns
people. All of the merchants in Fair
mont have agreed to close shop on
the days of holding the institute, and
all will endeaVor to learn the mutual
needs Of the other. In this way it is
believed that the imaginary bound
airy line between the city and the
county will be done away with. 1t
will be the aim of the merchants of
Fairmont to learn what the farmers
want instead of planning a program
for them. This movement looking
toward community institutes, was
launched some time ago by the state
university. If the movement proves
success at Fairmont, it will be put on
in several Of the towns of the state.
It Is proposed at Fairmont to devote
three afternoons to the work of the
institute, when prominent speakers
viii address those present. Fl rhe bird
afternoon will be the annual picnic Of
the Martin County Farm Bureau.
which is an annual feature.
Some Interesting Figures.
Here the speaker gave a number of
figures which relate directly to Man
kato and Blue Earth county in setting
forth the wealth of this community.
Mr.. Barr said that Mankato has $15,-
100000 deposited in its banks, the
100000 a. year. Mankato has become
one of tie principal automobile dis
tributing points in the northwest and
does $2,500,000 business in that
line each year. In addition the
manufacturing business in this city
amounts to from ten to twelve mil
lion dollars per year. Each year there
is 100000 worth of retail trade
transacted here, and in, a radius of
fifty miles of Mankato.
There are 2,941 farms in Blue Earth
county, 981 of which consist of 100
acres; 1,038 of 100 to TIA each and
then on up to as high as 999 acres
each. These farms produced in 1919
SS mn nm ~ divided foI
$4,S00,000 worth Of corn; $1,525, 900
worth of spring wheat; .$6S9,920 worth
of oats; $4,000 worth of potatoes;
$14S, 100000 worth of barley: $4,000
900 of rye; $1,450, 400 worth of hay:
and $29,370 worth of fax. During that
same year the farmers of Blue Earth
county received $1,290,S97 for butter
fat from 1874 dairy cows.
All of these figures, Mr.. Barr said
shows the vast importance of the ag-
ricultural interests to this commun-
ity. 1t is just such meetings as are
planned at Fairmont, that will bring
city and country together, for the in
terests of John Smith of Mankato
should be in common with Ole Olson
out on the farm. Mr.. Barr said that
the best insurance against unrest of
the farmer, is for the business man
to go out in the country and show
that he is with the farmer in all his
enterprises. If this is done misunder-
standings will be done away with and
a better city and better community
will be the result.
At the close Of the meeting Mr.. H.
F. Henley of the American City Blu
reau, who is here to put on the in
stallation work, called attention to
the three group suppers to be put -on
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
evenings Of next week at Masonic
temple. at which time people will be
given an opportunity to discuss prob
lens which they would like to have
the organization take I'D.