Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-01-14
IFTY cLNTs IN ADVANCE.
VOLUME 20, NO. 8.
consequent upon inAc,iOn before tho actual
k,.;no.. 4. hxaa ,t, l.f.... ~

W. '"vit r.'ourt ~ Ns'siahOn anu lo0
expense, tho State annually exhibits marked
uniformity, in time consumed. quantity Of
legislation and amount OF eIpenditarss.
Bsunial sessions and elections, In my judg.
mont, would do much 10 relieve the burden
OF which iher, 10 such universal complaint.
| therefore recommend ,ha. you propose 10
the people change OF the Constitution OF
the State providing for biennial instead Of
annual sessions and elee,ions--and for Q
change Of the time Of holding the election
from September to November. tho day Of
the election Of electors Of President and Vice
President, and thereby ob'iats the necessity
Of an additional election each Presidential
year.
Our State. !, need no, be doubted. posses
scs the elements Of a prosperous Common.
wealth. Its physical geography clearly In
dleates the path Of i.s future progress. No
people should be unmindfal Of, as none can
long successfully struggle agains. the nat
ural characteristics Of tho country they In.
habit. Its natural features and relative po-
'i,ion are quite decisive 10 modifying the
present and prcdsterminins tho future. We
eanno, hope to escape the influences Of sim
liar causes. The general physical facts,
peculiar TO our State, are IL greatly diver
sifed soil and elmate-the former fruitful,
yet not e1uberant: the latter severe, yet
pure and salubrious-its immense forests,
It's mineral resources. Its numerous and un-
cqualed waterfalls, is navigable rivers sud
extended SEA coast. From careful scrutiny
of these natural features. ws may not
inaecurately estimate It's capacity for
material prosperity, and may learn that
while Providence has not made IL attractive
by an eIuberan. fruitfulne-s and blsndnsss
o. climate, it has not on the other hand been
subjected 10 tho.e extremes Of cold and heat
which are prejudieial To life. but that under
serene and inVigora,ins skies, with prOvideni
amplitude, by its external iOrm', II. rela-
tive situation, and by the variety and ma
,urc OF its internal resources, 10 has been
City designed for Nhe habita,ion Of Q peopls
Of complex civilization and tha. tha, will
be found TO be the true policy which recos-
mics these natural apti,udes and sees IN the
development Of each the essential progress
Of the State.
Agriculture is undoubtedly our prime In
terest ;-h,t IN rank. first in magnitude.
iir,t in excellence in ii the great body OF
the people are employed; to il mainly the
State owes its progress in population and
those improvements which contribute 90
largely to it, wealth. An agricultural class
seems to be indispensable to the constitution
and preservation Of republican Common
wealth.
Without. regard to the productions OF
wealth, suppose the agricultural class pro-
duces only as much as 'ufiecs for the plsu-
,iial ,uppor. Of all its members, and no su-
perabundancc, as accumulated profit still
they have attained the highest end-,hsy
have cultivated and made productive their
land, maintained their families and reared
them in Industry, honesty, and those manly
qualities which are the reliance Of society
and states. That occupation which produ-
ces man in bis best condition, as ineompar-
ably better for society than any system
however profitable.
How shall this important interest be ad-
vanced. II has essentially two necds-s
better cultivation ofthe settled, and settle
nOnt OF the wilderness portions Of our ter
ri,ory.
Ofthe twenty millions acres contained
within our limits, four and one half NIL
lion, only are in farms, and ono half OF
these only wha, are denominated improve
ed. These farms are cultivated by about
50, 900 farmer. and 90 900 labore-. They
are generally fruitful and well adapted to
the various purposes Of agriculture and lavo-
rable to the growth Of mos, Of the vegetable
productions Of the northern States. With
reasonable improvements, and better cul-
tiyation they would afford profitable sm.
ployment and support to many times tho
number now engaged, furnish occupation
a, home for the surplus population that
now goes abroad, and greatly swell the az.
gregate agriculture Of the State. or the
unsettled land, there are perhaps 1000 900
acres IN the valley OF the ArOostook. and ss
much more IN the counties Of Piscataquis,
Somerset and franklin. These lands will
compare fivorably with any in the settled
portions. Tho Aroostook region has been
described as "a we'll wooded region. equal.
ing in fertility the famed regions OF tho
Western States. and capable even under .
les, consenial cline Of producing wheat
and other grain fully equal in abundance
with any soils OF which We have any record
The improvement Of one portion and the
settlement Of the others j, is obvious would
have a most important bearing upon our
growth aud prosperity and would render
the state capable Of sustainipga vast popu.
lation. Provision has been made for the
formation Of societies under the patronage
OF the State. for the promotion OF general
agriculture aud also for State Board Of
Agricul,urs for similar purposes, and which
doubtless, will prove useful in disssmina-
ting Information and stimulating agricaltu-
ri,ts to greater efforts Tor Improvement.
During the past year an active snigra-
ton has been going on into the county Of
Aroo,toOk, giving earnest Of the speedy 'es-
49,. II .L.a -a..inn ana Al tha sam