The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1923-02-09
SPEAKERS CLAIM
/ BEFORE FORUM
Taking Moisture Out Of Air;
Dry Farmi ng Seen
DANGER IS VIEWED
Address Of r. B.. Rathbun,
Bank Examiner, Was
Well Received

Denunciation OF the present in
tensive system Of drainage Of mean ;
dered lakes and other bodies Of wa
ter, as menace to future crop
raising in Southern Minnesota was
voiced by number Of speakers at
last nights meeting of the Mankato
Civic and Commerce association
held at the Heinrich hotel following
a $50 dinner Charles K. Mayer,
chairman, of the forum COMMITTEES,
presided at the banquet and the
meeting following, and the success
of the handsome function was due
to his untiring efforts.
The meeting was also featured by
an excellent address by r. B. Rath-
bun, state superintendent of banks,
who spoke on the future business
prospects of Minnesota.
At the opening Of the meeting a
number of announcements were
made. Among these was one an
nouneing Stunt Night" next Mon
day at Loyola hall, when the adver-
Using forum of the Civic and Com
marce association next MOnday
night, the Mankato auto show, Feb
1Uary %, March 1, 2. and 3, and the
meeting OF the National Tent ana.
Awning men ut this city tomorrow
and the next day. President c.
Cooper of Mankato Teachers Co.
lcge announced the appearance z
Sssfansson, the arctic explorer q
t-ankato arnory on February Is.
Among the pleasing features G
tically rendered solos by e
Nayme Scilippel, who was aceci
z lied on the piano by MRS. W
'1,.ylor Mlisie throughout the 81,
ing and at dance which folio
the regular meeting was furnis
b. Miss Helen Blae X, Mrs.
Coughlin and Donald FitZlOff.
banqiiet. tables were beautifully {.
o afed with potted primro5ss
ferns donated for the occasion
the Mankato Floral company.
Henry Mayer of North Mankstc.
proprietor of Maakato Tent cnd
Awning company. gave shcf
snappy talk on the coming nationa
convention of the Northwestern
Tent and Awning Manufacturers az
ISOLATION. In this talk he did ne
fail to state that "Mankato is tie
prettiest, clsanest city on the UNI
verse"
John Nyquis told number of
stories in his own comic style,
which caused great deal OF merri-
ment
President A. ]. Veigel briefly told
Of the work OF the Mankato Give
and Commerce association. and ses-
pecially of the good work OF Secre
tary w. Z. Olson, who was absent
from the meeting. Mr.. Veigel an
nounced that Mr. Olson is the secre-
tary of nearly all of the activities
and divisions of the Mankato Civic
and commerce association. and for
that reason is a very busy. ana
competent man, and a person WEE
is always looking to the sadvance
ment OF Mankato. Following this,
President Veigel told of the past ac-
tivities of the Civic and Commerce
association and q. number OF plans
fer the immediate future.
|. n. Tompkins in a short, spirit
ed talk, denounced the present in
tensive system of drainage of me-
lakes as menace to future
crop raising in Minnesota. In open
ing his remarks, Mr., TompkfH5
said that he was indeed pleased to
learn of the interest taken In the
better sire movement. He was glad
to note anything which spells future
There was one all i'm
portant thing, however, which the
speaker said was being lost sight or.
and that is the conservation of the
waters of this section of the state
Steps had been taken along all other
conservation lines such as better
stock raising, but if something is
not done soon, farmers will not have
the necessary water to supply the
wants of their purebred livestock.
Mr.. Tompkins called attention to
the fact that at the present time,
even last summer many farmers had
to haul water several miles to water
their stock, owing to the fact that
wells had failed to produce. Mr..
might think that his statements
were far fetched, but he feared for
the future If this system of inten-
sive drainage were kept up. He be-
lieved in the immediate conserva-
ton of timber and water resources.
1t was not so many years ago that
the hills we're beautifully clothe'
with forests and one could find
beautiful babbling brooks and
springs at frequent intervals. He
deplored the fact that the hills and
dales had. been denuded. The God
given heritages Of timber and water
y
speaker said. will result disaster
ously for future generations il some
thing is not done to check it. There
was no doubt in the mind of the
speaker that Sthe intensive drainagc
of the past few years was already
beginning to show it's i'll effects in
scarcity of the necessary precipita-
ton for growing crops. This is due
to injudicious drainage; Mr.. Temp
kins said that he thinks the drain
laws were never intended for
the drainage of meandered lakes.
The rapid running of of the water
to the sea is already being felt in
factions, where crops burn up for
want of moisture The drainage is
brought about by individual greed
mess, it is the wish of two or three
or a dozen persons, who wish to
acquire a few acres of land against
fifty. who do not want the drainage.
A good instance of this was the de-
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