Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VIII. My Reason for Taking Part in the Civil War—The Dignity of Labor—The Firm Mattson & Webster—Svenska Amerikanaren, its Program and Reception—The State Emigration Bureau of Minnesota—Its Aim, Plan and Work
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
ss Story of an Emigrant.
102
The board of emigration did not show partiality toward
any portion of the state, but did all its work with a view to
the interest of the whole community. Our efforts, however,
in behalf of Minnesota brought on a great deal of envy and
ill-will from people in other states who were interested in
seeing the Scandinavian emigration turned towards Kansas
and other states, and this feeling went so far that a
prominent newspaper writer in Kansas accused me of selling my
countrymen to a life not much better than slavery in a land
of ice, snow and perpetual winter, where, if the poor
emigrant did not soon starve to death, he would surely perish
with cold. Such was at that time the opinion of many
concerning Minnesota. I would be more than human if I did
not, in recalling these incidents, point with pride and
satisfaction to the condition of the Scandinavians in Minnesota
to-dav, but will return to this further on.
The position which I held enabled me to be of service to
countrymen in more ways than one. Thus the interests of
the church were by 110 means neglected, and I think my
readers will excuse me for inserting the following lines from
the minutes of the eighth annual council of the Swedish
Augustana Svnod, held in Berlin, 111., June 13, 1867:
"Whereas, The same conference reports that Col.Mattson
has offered to procure sites for churches, parsonages and
burial grounds for Lutheran churches in the new
Scandinavian settlements in Western Minnesota,
"Therefore Resolved, That the synod express its thanks to
Col.Mattson, and request him to get deeds 011 said property
,to be given to the different churches of the Augustana
o o
Synod, as soon as they are organized at the different places."
It has always been admitted that during ttiose years the
emigrants destined for Minnesota received better care,
guidance and protection than was ever accorded to a like class
before or after that time. It is also acknowledged that the
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
