MINNESOTA. 



EDUCATION. 



Exhibiting a natural trait of character, the pioneers of our Territory secui-cd 

 in the organic act a permanent appropriation for schools, Avhereby twelve hun- 

 dred and eighty acres of public lands are set aside in every township for school 

 purposes. The fund now accumulating from sales of these lands begins to 

 assume gigantic proportions, the result of which, if properly used, will be a 

 free and liberal education to every child in the State. Independent of the 

 common school fund is the State University, where we shall send our young 

 men to become ornaments to our noble State and the pride of the people. The 

 counties are divided into school districts, and each of these has its well-built 

 school-house, where teachers are required by law to be employed at least three 

 months annually. Except in the more thinly settled districts, schools are 

 maintained both winter and summer. Our teachers are well qualified for their 

 duties, and hold the rank in society to which they are entitled. In connexion 

 with this subject I would mention the facilities enjoyed for religious worship. 

 Nearly every denomination is represented in our State, and in most of the 

 communities services are held every Sabbath. Our clergy rank with the first 

 in the States, and the Sabbath is well observed in Minnesota. The church 

 and school-house go hand in hand with our progress, exerting those influences 

 upon the rising generation which, impressed on the youthful minds, grow with 

 their growth, and secure for them in riper years honor and respect. 



OUR POPULATION 



comprises the mixture usually found in all new States. Every sister State 

 has a host of representatives here, and of foreign nations the Germans pre- 

 dominate. These are always permanent in their locations, industrious and 

 frugal in their habits, quiet in disposition; they are encouraged more than 

 others to turn our vast possessions into fertile farms. As far as I have had 

 intercourse with them, I have yet to meet the first man or woman who cannot 

 read and \yrite their own language. There may not be many readers of the 

 " Atlantic " and the " Continental," yet the intelligence of the people is above 

 the ordinary standard of new States, and compai'es favorably even with the 

 rural districts of New England. 



HOMESTEAD LAW. 



The benefits of this law are felt quite forcibly. Our lands are being secured 

 by actual settlers, whose improvements are enhancing the wealth of the State — 

 quite a contrast compared with the efiects of locating land warrants. Under 

 this new law every quarter section requires an actual settler to be upon it for 

 five years, in which time, if he is possessed of but ordinary enterprise, he can 

 make his land worth at least five dollars per acre ; while the law which allowed 

 non-residents to patch up the country with land warrants, entailed upon some 

 portions of our State a curse not yet removed. There are thousands of acres 

 yet held by non-residents that have never had a farthing expended upon them 

 for improvements, and their owners continue to pay taxes in the vain hope 

 that the lands may yet rise in value, and then be sold to advantage. Fortu- 

 nately the laud warrants were located upon the most inferior portions of our 

 State, and but very little of these portions can find cash customers at two 

 dollars per acre until the government lands are all secured ; and unless some 

 unforeseen inflation of real estate should occur, much of the land never will 

 bring the first cost and taxes up to the present time. 



While sketching the many pleasing features of our young State, I must not 

 omit to mention some of the serious drawbacks which we have had to contend 

 with, and first of all were the 



