Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-08-26
Fof The o,lotd penoenl.
The State Lands

MR Error: As the management OF the
State lands is a matter Of grea, Importance
to the people Of Maine. allow mo to cay
word with reference 10 this suhjee. through
your columns.
when tic Aroostook Railroad Bill was
under discussion In tho last Legislature, one
Of the reasons urged Tor It's adoption. was,
HAT our wild lands are burd,a 10 the
State. and that the giving Of them for tho
promotion OF the contemplated railroad en-
tcrpri.c. would be . mosl profitable di,po'i.
ton. But are the public land. only an in.
eubu, upon the prosperity OF tie Stato1
and II -, why? 1t MS unders'ani the
reason of the thing.
Twas brt few years ago that Maine
purchased ct Massachusetts, her right and
title to a large lot n land. within our State
borders. attn co.i Of between three aud four
hundred thousand dollars when thu pur.
chas, wa. made it was generally considered
to lie a polite one. TWAS said then thai,
company q rr.vat, individuals TODD rra.
DIV {, pay more ipr these lands than the
State had given. Now low does !, happen
that these aiorc.aii land, have - suddenly
become worse than worihl 81?
Tho whole amour; Of lands owned by the
State il two million acres seven hundred
and City thousand acre. Of which are In the
County Of ArOostook; the remainder is var.
iou.ly situated. Much tho larger portion
Of these land. !, not fl for tiIlagc. but val.
liable for their timber only. I know men
in Arcus,ook County md in Massachusetts
who have refused one dollar an acsc for land
living amidst the State lands Of Aroo,tl9k.
They say. " We can sell q dollar, worth Of
s,umpagc from every acre, and .,ill own the
soil" presume there Is .ome II the state
lands in Aroostook of which tho siumpase
/, comparatively worthless, yet the same
may be good settling land. \ great deal
has bern .ail recently about aiding the set.
tiers n Aroo.took. This ought TO be done.
Every reasonable induccment .hol'd b. held
out 10 the actual settler. in order :, secure
the occupancy Of our wild lands.
In byconc years ~ was the policy u Maine
70 TcrrnI her timber lands. A large amount
oi money wa, received in this way. Gov.
Morrill, in hp la, message recommended a
renewal Of this policy. During the tmc
that the State has refused to s'll the stump.
age Of her lands. private land rroprictor'
have realized hundred. n thousands Of DOL.
lar. by pursuing an opposite cours'. Why
is that policy which Is - profitable Tor in.
diyiduals. otherwise Tor the State? know
that the siumpaga Of the State land. II soli
=, !, can be- AMI ought TO be- Tor one dollar
Per aero, would put, in a brief space Of time,
two millions of dollars into the Stat Treas.
ury. leaving the soil stil in the possession
Of the State, uninjurcd tor settling purpo' =.
IL il not for The interest Of private land
owners 10 have the State p1mH Ter timber
lands, Tor, Of course, such policy would
increase the competition among the sellers
II ,,umraec. hut it Is for the interest Of
tho nS.Iaycr that these lands should b.
permin,i. fnr they would then become a
source of revenue 10 the state. instead Of be-
ing Of now nm outgo and bill Of expense.
The timber upon our public lands can be
sold for enough to nay all tho State deb;
and ye: leave large sum IN the Treasury,
and ask what reasonable objection can b.
urged against pursuing this course? WHY
not net agrccnbiy 70 the suggestion of GOV.
Morrill, let this policy bc pursued. and
! will be bound that 40 vnc will urge in ia.
turc the NJrtlly,,ne.s Of our unsettled lands
a. rrason Tor giving them away.
Tho proper course Tor the State {, takc is
to ell her lands to ;hc actual settler alone
the timber land, should b. peruiief. when
Ihr lands w,rs bought of Massachusetts,, 4,
was expected TIA, efficient timber would
be sold, no, only 10 pay toe expense incur,
red, hot to make them u profitable invest.
mcnt AMI they would DO 80 under judciou'
management. H., not the people Of Maine
be taxed unnecessarily any longer, to take
care Of the State lands. II the possession
II Wild land. impoverished individuals A. II
does the State, that class of persons tamil
inrly known rs " land monopoli-os, " would
be exceedingly small. hope tho attention
Of Our next Legislature will be given to thi'
subject. 1T " see IL our public lands cla'
not be- made to pay. The matter j. ,ooin'
poriant 70 he neglected. JUSrIIlA.
BuckGeld. Aug. 2O,h. 1889.