The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1921-07-01
LIVE FOLK IN TOWN
|. N. Tompkins Spoke Be-
fore G. and C..
TELLS OF RECENT TRIP
Effective Organization Has Been
Means of Building Up
Communities


Commerce association at their meet
ing last evening at the Elks club fol-
a six o'clock dinner
we're favored by talk by l. N. Tomp-
kins on his observations in the south
while on a recent trip with the nat
ional editorial association. This talk
took so we'll with the few members OF
the association who braved the heat
and went to the meeting, that 1t was
unanimously voted 20 serve a free
elmer to the membership at its next
meeting in order to get every one out
to listen to what Mr. Tompkins has to
say. This decision was taken at the
suggestion of George M. Palmer, who
said that the points brought out in
the address should De heard by all
of the members. .-. .r..
Mr. Tompkins in referring to
reference by President Streater to the
difficulty of getting members out to
n. eetings said that in the south this
difficulty is not experienced, for every
one is back of their commercial or.
ganiZations down there, and every one
is gotten out to the meetings through
the special efforts of committees APP
pointed for that purpose. Mr.. Temp
kins said that he was OF the same op
inion as President Streater. and that
was that there is not a member OF
the local organization present at the
meeting but who is thoroughly sold to
Civic and Commerce organization
idea Talking Mr.. Ton1pkins said does
;.'Sasd iSf S0l Il, tSsssnsf AMI i
exchanging ideas can not help but re-
suit in mutual benefits. He said that
the impression had gotten out in some
manner that he was going to the
meeting-last night to give the. members
a roast on their short com1ngs. Mr.:
IomplSins said that the Civic and
Commerce members are the best peo-
nile of the community, and he certainly
had NO roast up his sleeve to hand oat
to them. He said that Mankato is the
be st city of its size anywhere, Blue
Earth county is the best in the state
of Minnesota and Minnesota is the
best state in the union. He said that
TO one needed to take his word for his
reference TO Blue Earth county as the
banner county of the state. Frank
Murphy of Wheaton, man who Is
the best versed in agriculture perhaps
in the state, in recent conversation
said that Blue Earth county takes the
cake when compared with other coun-
ties of the state. From his observa-
tions in travelling over the country,
MIR. Tompkins came to the conclusion
that Minnesota is the best state in the
Union and the United States is. the
best country in the world.
City Can Be Bothered
This city or no other city, the
speaker said is not so good but what
it can be made better; this county or
no other county Is so good but what
ha
nation so great but what 1T can be
made a better and greater nation
These ends can only be brought about
through the cooperation of the citizens
If the hearts of the citizens are with
a town it is sure to prosper. Some
people may have radical ideas, but it is
letter to tell them to each other and
exchange ideas which may result III
the betterment of town or community.
The majority of the chances are, that
some of the ideas will be the means
of working good ends. If one keeps
his ideas, however, there can be no
GOOD results. For that reason the
ST eaker urged that the members Of
tie Mankato Civic and Commerce as
Cciation get out to every meeting and
express his or her views on subjects
of vital interest to the community, and
then stand back of those ideas and the
association with energy aud money.
If this is done there need be no wor-
ry as to good results following.
MIR. Tompkins said that in reading
a recent speech of Samuel Gomper3,
he took exceptions to the statement
of Mr.. Gompers that 1--WE need Soda
rity among the laboring classes of
america" Mr.. Tompkins said that we
need solidarity among Americans, but
we need no class for any purpose.
No Grudse Tolerated.
Mr.. Tompkins said that If there is
any one In the association who has a
drudge against the organization, that
he had better take vacation and for
get It, Then think up what you can
do for Mankato and return and give 1t
to the association. If you do that you
will come back an optimist The
speaker said that he detested a pes
simist, for a pessilnist is always trying
to dig a grave, while he loved an OPP
timist, for he is always trying to build
better things. and striving to make his
town live city.
Mr.. Tcmpkins said that on his re
cent trip through the south with the
rational editorial association, he had
made extensive observations as to the
manner of conducting chambers of
commerce in that section OF the Uni
ted States. Each and every member
in the south puts his energy and mon
ey back of the organizations and con-
seuuently their associations are a
great success. That is the plan which
should be adopted in Mankato. Put
your money into the association and
then get back of it and boost.
In referring to way of getting out
tie membership to meetings, Mr..
TompEdns passed over large nuraber
r i