and the nativity of its population. The old frontiersman who has watched
the growth of new states, and fully comprehended the effect produced
upon their civilization and character by the nativity of their
immigrants, is the only person competent to judge of the influences
exerted in this line. It is a well known fact that the immigration from
Europe into America is generally governed by climatic influences. These
people usually follow the line of latitude to which they have been
accustomed. The Norseman from Russia, Sweden, Germany and Norway comes
to the extreme Northwestern States, while the emigrants from southern
Europe seek the more southern latitudes. Of course, these are very
general comments, and only relate to emigration in its usual directions,
as the people of all parts of Europe are found in all parts of America.
It is generally believed that the emigrants from northern Europe are
more desirable than those from further south, and a presentation of the
status of our population in point of nativity will afford a basis from
which to judge of their general attributes for good or bad. There is no
nation on earth that has not sent us some representative. The following
table, while it will prove that we have a most heterogeneous, polyglot
population, will also prove that we possess vast powers of assimilation,
as we are about as harmonious a people as can be found in all the Union.
Our governor is a Swede, one of our United States senators is a
Norwegian, and our other state officers are pretty generally distributed
among the various nationalities. Of course, in the minor political
subdivisions, such as counties, cities and towns, the office holding is
generally governed by the same considerations.
I give the various countries from which our population is drawn, with
the numbers from each country, and the number of native born and foreign
born, which, aggregated, constitute our entire population. These figures
are taken from the state census of 1895:
England 12,941
Scotland 5,344
Germany 133,768
Denmark 16,143
Norway 107,319
Canada 49,231
Poland 8,464
Iceland 454
Ireland 26,106
Wales 1,246
France 1,492
Sweden 119,554
Russia 6,286
Bohemia 10,327
Finland 7,652
All other countries 11,205
---------
Total native born 1,057,084
Total foreign born 517,535
---------
Total population 1,674,619
The total native born of our population is very largely composed of the
descendants of foreign emigrants. These figures afford a large field for
thought and future consideration, when emigration problems are under
legislative investigation.
The census from which these figures are taken being five years old, I
think it is safe to add a sufficient number of increase to bring our
population up to two millions. The census of 1900 will demonstrate
whether or not my estimate is correct.
THE STATE FLAG.
Up to the year 1893 the State of Minnesota had no distinctive state
flag. On April 4, 1893, an act was passed by the legislature entitled,
"An act providing for the adoption of a state flag." This act appointed
by name a commission of six ladies, to adopt a design for a state flag.
Section 2 of the act provided that the design adopted should embody, as
near as may be, the following facts:
"There shall be a white ground with reverse side of blue. The
center of the white ground shall be occupied by a design
substantially embodying the form of the seal employed as the
state seal of Minnesota at the time of its admission into the
Union.... The said design of the state seal shall be surrounded
by appropriate representations of the moccasin flower,
indigenous to Minnesota, surrounding said central design, and
appropriately arranged on the said white ground shall be
nineteen stars, emblematic of the fact that Minnesota was the
nineteenth state to be admitted into the Union after its
formation by the thirteen original states. There shall also
appear at the bottom of the flag, in the white ground, so as to
be plainly visible, the word 'Minnesota.'"
The commission prepared a very beautiful design for the flag, following
closely the instructions given by the legislature, which was adopted,
and is now the authorized flag of the state. The flag-staff is
surmounted by a golden gopher rampant, in harmony with the popular name
given to our state. May it ever represent the principles of liberty and
justice, and never be lowered to an enemy! The original flag,
artistically embroidered in silk, can be seen at the office of the
governor at the state capitol.
THE OFFICIAL FLOWER OF THE STATE, AND THE METHOD OF ITS SELECTION.
On the twentieth day of April, 1891, the legislature of the state passed
an act entitled "An act to provide for the collection, arrangement and
display of the products of the State of Minnesota at the World's
Columbian Exposition of one thousand eight hundred and ninety-three, and
to make an appropriation therefor." This act created a commission of six
citizens of the state, to be appointed by the governor, and called "The
Board of World's Fair Managers of Minnesota." The women of the state
determined that there should be an opportunity for them to participate
in the exposition on the part of Minnesota, and a convention of
delegates from each county of the state was called, and held at the
People's Church, in St. Paul, on Feb. 14, 1892. This convention elected
one woman delegate and one alternate, from each of the seven
congressional districts of the state. There were also two national lady
managers from Minnesota, nominated by the two national representatives
from Minnesota and appointed by the president of the United States, who
were added to the seven delegates so chosen, and the whole was called
"The Woman's Auxiliary to the State Commission." The women so chosen
took charge of all the matters properly pertaining to the women's
department of the fair.
At one of the meetings of the ladies, held in St. Paul, the question of
the selection of an official flower for the state was presented, and the
sentiment generally prevailed that it should at once be decided by the
assemblage; but Mrs. L. P. Hunt, the delegate from Mankato, in the
second congressional district, wisely suggested that the selection
should be made by all the ladies of the state, and they should be given
an opportunity to vote upon the proposition. This suggestion was
approved, and the following plan was adopted: Mrs. Hunt was authorized
to appoint a committee, of which she was to be chairman, to select a
list of flowers to be voted on. Accordingly she appointed a
subcommittee, who were to consult the state botanist, Mr. Conway
MacMillan, who was to name a number of Minnesota flowers from which the
ladies were to choose. He presented the following:
Lady Slipper (Moccasin Flower--_Cypripedium Spectabile_).
Silky Aster.
Indian Pink.
Cone Flower (Brown-eyed Susan).
Wild Rose.
The plan was to send out printed tickets, to all the women's
organizations in the state, with these names on them, to be voted upon,
which was done, with the result that the moccasin flower received an
overwhelming majority, and has ever since been accepted as the official
flower of the state. That the contest was a very spirited one can be
judged from the fact that Mrs. Hunt sent out in her district at least
ten thousand tickets, with indications of her choice of the moccasin
flower. She also maintained lengthy newspaper controversies with parties
in Manitoba, who claimed the prior right of that province to the
moccasin flower, all of whom she vanquished.
The choice was a very wise and appropriate one. The flower itself is
very beautiful, and peculiarly adapted to the purposes of artistic
decoration. It has already been utilized in three instances of an
official character, with success and approval. The Minnesota state
building at the Columbian Exposition was beautifully decorated with it.
It is prominently incorporated into the state flag, and adorns the medal
conferred by the state upon the defenders of Fort Ridgely.
The botanical name of the flower is _Cypripedium_, taken from Greek
words meaning the shoe of Venus. It is popularly called "Lady's
Slipper," "Moccasin Flower" and "Indian Shoe."
About twenty-five species of _cypripedium_ are known, belonging to the
north temperate zone and reaching south into Mexico and northern India.
Six species occur in the northern United States and Canada, east of the
Rocky Mountains, all of these being found in Minnesota, and about a
dozen species occur on this continent. They are perennial herbs, with
irregular flowers, which grow singly or in small clusters, the colors of
some of which are strikingly beautiful. The species adopted by the women
of the State of Minnesota is the _Cypripedium Spectabile_, or the showy
lady slipper.
The ladies naturally desired that their choice should be ratified by the
state legislature, and one of their number prepared a report of their
doings, in a petition to that body, asking its approval. Whoever drew
the petition named the flower chosen by the ladies as "_Cypripedium
Calceolous_," a species which does not grow in Minnesota, but is purely
of European production. The petition was presented to the senate on the
fourth day of February, 1893. The journal of the senate shows the
following record, which is found on page 167:
"Mr. Dean asked the unanimous consent to present a petition from
the Women's Auxiliary to the World's Fair, relative to the
adoption of a state flower and emblem, which was read.
"Mr. Dean offered the following concurrent resolution, and moved
its adoption:
"'Be it resolved by the senate, the house of representatives
concurring, that the wild Lady Slipper, or Moccasin Flower
('_Cypripedium Calceolous_'), be, and the same is hereby,
designated and adopted as the state flower or emblem of the
State of Minnesota,' which was adopted."
In the Legislative Manual of 1893 appears, on page 606, the following:
"THE STATE FLOWER.
"On April 4, 1893 [should be February], a petition from the
Women's Auxiliary to the World's Fair was presented to the
senate, relative to the adoption of a state flower. By
resolution of the senate, concurred in by the house (?), the
Wild Lady Slipper, or Moccasin Flower (_Cypripedium_) was
designated as the state flower or floral emblem of the State of
Minnesota."
The word "_Calceolous_" means a little shoe or slipper; but, as I said
before, the species so designated in botany is not indigenous to
Minnesota, and is purely a foreigner. As we have in the course of our
growth assimilated so many foreigners successfully, we will have no
trouble in swallowing this small shoe, especially as the house did not
concur in the resolution, and while the mistake will in no way militate
against the progress or prosperity of Minnesota, it should be a warning
to all committees and Western legislators to go slow when dealing with
the dead languages.
We now have the whole body of cypripediums to choose from, and may
reject the calceolous.
If the house of representatives ever concurred in the senate resolution,
it left no trace of its action, either in its journal or published laws,
that I have been able to find.
Among the many valuable achievements of the Women's Auxiliary one
deserves special mention. Mrs. H. F. Brown, one of the delegates at
large, suggested a statue for the Woman's Building, to be the production
of Minnesota's artistic conception and execution. The architect of the
state building had disallowed this feature, and there was no public fund
to meet the expense, which would be considerable. The ladies, however,
decided to procure the statue, and rely on private subscription to
defray the cost. Mrs. L. P. Hunt thought that sufficient funds might be
raised from the school children of the state, through a penny
subscription. Enough was raised, however, to secure a plaster cast of
great beauty, representing Hiawatha carrying Minnehaha across a stream
in his arms, illustrating the lines in Longfellow's poem:
"Over wide and rushing rivers
In his arms he bore the maiden."
This statue adorned the porch of the Minnesota building during the fair.
It was designed and made by a very talented young Norwegian sculptor,
then residing in Minneapolis--the late Jakob Fjelde. It is proposed to
cast the statue in bronze and place it in Minnehaha park, Minneapolis,
at some future day.
ORIGIN OF THE NAME "GOPHER STATE."
Most of the states in the Union have a popular name. New York is called
the "Empire State," Pennsylvania the "Keystone State," etc. As you come
west they seem to have taken the names of animals. Michigan is called
the "Wolverine State," Wisconsin the "Badger State," and it is not at
all singular that Minnesota should have been christened the "Gopher
State." These names never originate by any recognized authority. They
arise from some event that suggests them, or from some important
utterance that makes an impression on the public mind. In the very early
days of the territory--say, as early as 1854 or 1855,--the question was
discussed among the settlers as to what name should be adopted by
Minnesota, and for a time it was called by some the "Beaver State." That
name seemed to have the greatest number of advocates, but it was always
met with the objection that the beaver, although quite numerous in some
of our streams, was not sufficiently so to entitle him to characterize
the territory by giving it his name. While this debate was in progress
the advocates of the beaver spoke of the territory as the beaver
territory, but it never reached a point of universal adoption. It was
well known that the gopher abounded, and his name was introduced as a
competitor with the beaver; but being a rather insignificant animal, and
his nature being destructive, and in no way useful, he was objected to
by many, as too useless and undignified to become an emblem of the
coming great state,--for we all had, at that early day, full confidence
that Minnesota was destined to be a great and prominent state. Nothing
was ever settled on this subject until after the year 1857. As I have
before stated, in that year an attempt was made to amend the
constitution by allowing the state to issue bonds in the sum of
$5,000,000 to aid in the construction of the railroads which the United
States had subsidized with land grants, and the campaign which involved
this amendment was most bitterly fought. The opponents of the measure
published a cartoon to bring the subject into ridicule, which was very
generally circulated throughout the state, but failed to check the
enthusiasm in favor of the proposition. This cartoon represented ten men
in a line, with heads bowed down with the weight of a bag of gold hung
about their necks, marked "$10,000." They were supposed to represent the
members of the legislature who had been bribed to pass the act, and were
called "Primary Directors." On their backs was a railroad track, upon
which was a train of cars drawn by nine gophers, the three gophers in
the lead proclaiming, "We have no cash, but will give you our drafts."
Attached to the rear of the train was a wheelbarrow, with a barrel on
it, marked "Gin," followed by the devil, in great glee, with his thumb
at his nose. In the train were the advocates of the bill, flying a flag
bearing these words: "Gopher train; excursion train; members of extra
session of legislature, free. We develop the resources of the country."
Over this was a smaller flag, with the words: "The $5,000,000 Loan
Bill."
In another part of the picture is a rostrum, from which a gopher is
addressing the people with the legend: "I am right; Gorman is wrong." In
the right hand corner of the cartoon is a round ball, with a gopher in
it, coming rapidly down, with the legend: "A _Ball come_ from Winona."
This was a pun on the name of Mr. St. A. D. Balcombe from Winona, who
was a strong advocate of the measure. Under the whole group was a dark
pit, with the words, "A mine of corruption."
The bill was passed, and the state was saddled with a debt of
$5,000,000, under which it staggered for over twenty years, and we never
even got a gopher train out of it.
This cartoon, coming just at the time the name of the state was under
consideration, fastened upon it the nickname of "Gopher," which it has
ever since retained. The name is not at all inappropriate, as the
animal has always abounded in the state. In a work on the mammals
of Minnesota, by C. L. Herrick, 1892, he gives the scientific name
of our most common species of gopher, "_Spermophilus Tridecemlineatus_,"
or thirteen-striped gopher, and says: "The species ranges from the
Saskatchawan to Texas, and from Ohio to Utah. Minnesota is the peculiar
home of the typical form, and thus deserves the name of the 'Gopher
State.'"
Although the name originated in ridicule and contempt, it has not in any
way handicapped the commonwealth, partly because very few people know
its origin, but for the greater reason, that it would take much more
than a name to check its predestined progress.
STATE PARKS.
ITASCA STATE PARK.
In a previous part of this work, under the head of "Lumber," I have
referred to the fact that a great national park and forest reserve is in
contemplation by the United States at the headwaters of the Mississippi,
and made reference to the state park already established at that point.
I will now relate what has been done by the state in this regard. In
1875 an official survey of the land in and about Lake Itasca was made by
the surveyor general of the United States for Minnesota, which brought
these lands under the operation of the United States laws, and part of
them were entered. A portion of them went to the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company under its land grant. The swamp and school lands went
to the state, and much to private individuals under the various methods
of making title to government lands.
On the 20th of April, 1891, the legislature passed an act entitled, "An
act to establish and create a public park, to be known and designated as
the Itasca State Park, and authorizing the condemnation of lands for
park purposes." This act sets apart for park purposes 19,702 acres of
land, and dedicates them to the perpetual use of the people. It places
the same under the care and supervision of the state auditor, as land
commissioner. It prohibits the destruction of trees, or hunting within
its limits. It provides for a commission to obtain title to such of the
lands as belong to private individuals, either by purchase or
condemnation.
On the third day of August, 1892, the United States granted to the state
all the unappropriated lands within the limits of the park, upon this
condition:
"Provided, the land hereby granted shall revert to the United States,
together with all the improvements thereon, if at any time it shall
cease to be exclusively used for a public state park, or if the state
shall not pass a law or laws to protect the timber thereon."
The state, at the session of the legislature in 1893, accepted the
grant, but as yet has made no provision for the extinguishment of the
title of private owners, of which there are 8,823 acres. This divided
ownership of the lands within the limits of the park endangers the whole
region by lumbering operations, and consequent forest fires after the
timber is cut. Fires are not to be feared in natural forests until they
are cut over. The acquisition of title to all these lands by the state
should not be delayed any longer than is necessary to perfect it, no
matter at what cost. The state has already erected a house on the bank
of Itasca lake, and has a resident commissioner in charge of the park.
The effect of the law prohibiting hunting in the park has already
greatly increased the numbers of animals and fowls that find in it a
safe refuge.
The extent of the park is seven miles long by five miles wide, and is
covered with a dense forest of pine, oak, maple, basswood, aspen, balsam
fir, cedar and spruce, which is nearly in a state of nature. It is much
to be hoped that in the near future this park will be enlarged to many
times its present size by additional grants.
INTERSTATE PARK--THE DALLES OF THE ST. CROIX.
One of the most, if not the most, beautiful and picturesque points in
the Northwest is the Dalles of the St. Croix river. Here the state has
acquired the title to about 150 acres of land on the Minnesota side of
the river, and dedicated it for park purposes. This was done under the
authority of chapter 169 of the Laws of 1895. The point on the Minnesota
side is called Taylor's Falls, and on the Wisconsin side St. Croix
Falls. Between these two towns the St. Croix river rushes rapidly,
forming a cataract of great beauty. The bluffs are precipitate and
rocky, forming a narrow gorge through which the river plunges. The name
of the river is French, "Sainte Croix," meaning "The holy cross," and
the name of this particular point, the "Dalles," was given on account of
the curious formation of the rocky banks, which assume wonderful shapes.
One, looking down stream, presents a perfect likeness of a man, and is
called "The Old Man of the Dalles." Another curious rock formation is
called the "Devil's Chair." There are many others equally interesting.
It is generally supposed that the word "Dalles" has the same meaning as
the English word "Dell" or "Dale" signifying a narrow secluded vale or
valley, but such is not the case as applied to this peculiar locality.
The word "Dalles" is French, and means a slab, a flag or a flagstone,
and is appropriate to the peculiar character of the general rock
formation of the river banks at this point and vicinity.
The State of Minnesota has already done a good deal of work towards
making it attractive, and it has become quite a resort for pleasure
seekers in the summer time. Wisconsin has acquired title to a larger
tract on the east side of the river than is embraced in the Minnesota
park on the west side, but as yet has not done much in the way of
improvement. The two tracts are united by a graceful bridge which spans
the river between them. The Minnesota park is under the charge of a
state custodian, who cares for and protects it from despoilment.
POLITICS.
In writing the history of a state, no matter how short or limited such
history may be, its politics seem to be an essential element of
presentation, and, on this assumption alone, I will say a very few words
concerning that subject. I do not believe that the question of which
political party has been dominant in the state has exerted any
considerable influence on its material prosperity. The great "First
Cause" of its creation was so generous in its award of substantial
blessings that it placed the state beyond the ability of man or his
politics to seriously injure or impede its advance towards material
success in any of the channels that promote greatness. Soil, climate,
minerals, facilities for commerce and transportation, consisting of
great rivers, lakes and harbors,--all these combine to defy the
destructive tendencies so often exerted by the ignorance and passions of
man. It has resisted every folly of its people, and they have been many;
every onslaught of its savage inhabitants, and they have been more
formidable than those experienced by any other state; and even the
cataclysms with which it has occasionally been visited arising from
natural causes. The fact is, Minnesota is so rock-rooted in all the
elements of material greatness that it must advance, regardless of all
known obstructions.
When the territory was organized in 1849, Gen. Zachary Taylor, a Whig,
was the president of the United States, and he appointed Alexander
Ramsey, also a Whig, as governor, to set its political machinery in
motion. He remained in office until the national administration changed
in 1853, and Franklin Pierce, a Democrat, was chosen president. He
appointed Gen. Willis A. Gorman, a Democrat, as governor to succeed
Governor Ramsey. On the 4th of March, 1857, James Buchanan, a Democrat,
succeeded President Pierce, and appointed Samuel Medary, a Democrat, as
governor of Minnesota. He held this position until the state was
admitted into the Union, in May, 1858, when Henry H. Sibley, a Democrat,
was elected governor for the term of two years, and served it out.