The Portland daily press., 1868-01-03


consumption, so that less breadstuffs will be
offered in eastern markets and thus the price
VIII be kept up Even if 1T were not SO our
nearness to the great markets OF the WorIa
would give our farmers the practleal adVantase
OF nearly the whole additional Va!ue "ntcn
the cost of long transportation gives. rev
subjects are of more Importance TO our farmers
however they may now be preludlced or as
couraged by working bllndN ana py man
force rather than understandingly and skill .
fully. There is a tactics III peace as well DIS /
war. : t
The recent examination of the new lands of |
Aroostook by the Secretary of the Board OF Z
Agriculture has convinced him OF the great
agricultural capacities of that section. Ihe
present agitations which affect the commune
ty must, before long, subside, and a larger pro-
portion OF our people than now must settle
down to steady productive industry. 1t Will
be well TO have it more widely understood
what an admirable field these new lands anoru.
To be sure the means OF communication do not
now afford much facility TO those who are IN
quest of settling places, and this disadvantage
is felt also in practically removing the market
somewhat, but this drawback we hope shortly
to overcome.
IMMIGRATION.
We must do what we can to encourage the
Immigration of intelligent, industrious and
upright people. IT we took anything like the
pains that our Western States do, our superior
facilities might induce the settlement of valu-
able colonies in these fertile lands. Many of
these States prepare circulars setting forth
| their advantages and induStriOuSly distribute
| them over the countries Of Northern Europe,
| and some even have commission abroad to
| aid immigration.
| It's well known that great numbers of the
| Swedes, for instance, would gladly come to us.
l venture the opinion that it would be a profit
able investment if the State were to pay the
| first expenses of such colony, who, by their
| harry and frugal habits and their familiarity
with the climate of this latitude, would find
Of n,aon of hnma N Maine
| would also find homes for multitudes OF their
| countrymen. They and we would profit by
the experiment. There is nothing visionary
in this; it is entirely practicable. These Scan
| dinadians are of kin with us and nearest to us
in speech of any in the world. They know
| the forest and the sea, and would readily as
| simulate with us in language, habits and insti-
tutions. Maine is surely as good State to
migrate to as Minnesota. We are much near
| er the landing place of immigration, and for
| the same reason much nearer the markets of
! the world. do not insist upon this particular
! experiment, but for one, believe in it. If we
| cannot keep our sons at home, let us bring in
our cousins. Why is it, gentlemen? Why
does the overlooking energy of the old world
| skip over us at bound and push to half way
across sea-wide continent? Why is it that
| the high industries of mature civilization find
| no abiding place on our broad acres and beside
| our rushing rivers? Why do our sons feel
| cramped at home and break away to make
other wildernesses bloom, to found new States
on distant shores, and make themselves hon
| ored in the land of strangers? Why does not
| the course of Empire tarry here in its west
| ward way? Is it not because we prefer an i'll
glorious safety to courageous faith in the vir
| tue of manhood and the rewards of Provi-
! dence? Is it not because we shut eyes to
the possibilities. the opportunities, the impor-
tunities of the times2 1t is not simply because
we do not encourage enterprise, skill, indus
try, and neither give room enough for brain or
/ muscle? --3e ,gl- 9A
| eli ofl loft uuaU
alone, of being content to fill the places of the
tathers-would that we might, indeed, in the
things that are true and honest and of good
report this policy allows but one inheritor.
| and the rest of the vigorous ones, too spirited
to stay where there is nothing to do. are driv-
| en- far away. The spirit is not wanting, space
is not wanting, the people individually are not
wanting; it is our public policy which is at
| fault, it is the embargo laid upon our enter
! prise. ii< Hls,
god INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT. "A
ventured last year upon the suggestion
that in Withholding her aid and countenance
| from great public enterprises the State was re-
| tarding her own development, limiting, if not
| losing, her active population, and draining her
| industrial and financial prosperity. am aware
that many differ with me in that opinion. This
! is to be expected. Men of fortune, whose
| taxes amount to large sums, are apt to fear
| that without constitutional check the peo-
| pie would be reckless of expenditure, and
| those who have struggled through difficulties
and by hard earnings and harder savings have
gained a comfortable competency are natural
ly cautious. But there is, courage without
rashness, and caution without timidity. 1t is
not necessary that the Treasury be opened to
plumber, or to expose the State to be swept to
financial ruin by asudden burst of enthusiasm
or temptation. But the constitutional restric-
| ton might, at least, be so modified that the
State would not be absolutely debarred from
giving encouragement by her credit to meas
ures vital to her prosperity. 1t would be en-
tirely easy to provide that the State should be
perfectly secured against loss or the actual
payment of q dollar. No matter if in these
measures some private interests were adj
vanced, if by so doing the public interest was
tenfold more So. This policy is safer, more
effective, less expensive than to throw the
burden upon towns, as we do now. The State
guarantees would be more wisely granted, and
would have more commanding credit.
The reason the State has so little private
| wealth, is, because she has not fostered public
| Enterprise, and now relies upon this private
| wealth to carry on her most momentous con-
| Germs, and SO we move in perpetual circle,
without advance. There can be no enthusiasm
| for State while these things are SO. Our
| people want something to do. Either capital
| or employment every man must have. Our
| young men do not ask aid; they ask Opportu-
nifty. Because they cannot find it here, they
| seek it elsewhere. We have lands, to be sure,
| but scarcely any encouragem emit to work them
| 1t is our duty to adopt a policy which will
open the avenues of industry, and quicken all
the currents of lie. This is the only saving,
| nay, the only safe course.
| Nor does the fact that we have our war debt
| upon us afford anything but an additional ar
| gument in favor OF this liberality. Capitalists
| Will not dstruSt the credit of o State which is
| full of industry and life, vigorously pushing
forward its public enterprises, opening its re-
sourc es, and laying basis for future stability
Rather would they discredit State which.
| barely trying to hold its own, shrinks from
| day to day, whose highest anxiety is to pay its
| Of wi a c on n han
| upon measures which would leave the debts u
trife. -e io
a RAILROADS. a.el @
| The Railroad enterprises in this State are
not visionary or speculative projects. We do
| not sink capital in providing means for trans
portation, while there is nothing to transport
| Nor do we rely on uncertainties and possibili-
| ties OF future Development. But our actual
! necessities demand these roads. Still it is true
| beyond all cavil or question that RAILROADS do
increase in a most extraordinary degree the in
| ternal prosperity of a country. Instead ofdis-
| placing other modes OF communication they
| actually Increase them. 1t is well known, for
| example, that horses have come into use in
| tenfold higher ratio where the great railroads
have been opened. They are more important
to commerce and manufactures then they are to
agriculture. They give the farmer what he
most demands, ready market, affording the
facility of moving his produce to great saving
| of time, labor, and expense, and of readily
| bringing both the articles he cannot produce,
| thus increasing the value to him of his own
| productions and diminishing the cost of his
| purchases. Moreover they enhance the value
| of his lands, inviting other industries, and
thus benefit the individual and the whole COM
munity. We must therefore regard with sat
| isfaction the various undertakings of this kind
which the public now demand.
| The European and North American Rail-
road is one of our great interests This is al
ready admitted and practically recognized, by
| conditional grants OF aid. But without as yet
| receiving any advantage from this the road
has still gone on. By great personal exertions
| the directors and contractors have put the
road in running order to Orono, and are vigor-
ously pushing on towards Winn, go miles
| above Bangor, straight towards our Aroostook
country, and thanking our rich Pscataquis I
region. This enterprise has dragged some-
what on our side the line. But not so with |
our spirited and generous neigbbors of the
maritime provinces. With large comprehen-
sion of the times and tar-sighted vision of the
future, they have addressed themselves with
earnestness and self reliance to the opening of
this road.
The Provincial government has given to the
road outright $4,000 a mile, and no less than
| $10,000,000 have already been expended and
| pledged upon the construction Of the main
line from Halifax to St. John, and nearly the
whole of the provincial end of the line is now
finished or in rapid process of completion. 1t
remains for us to ensure the building of the
| short distance of 50 miles from VIM to the
| boundary.
| The favorable intention of the legislation of
| 1864 towards this road has not yet been made
effective, owing to the unwillingness of Mass
achusetts to reinquish the debt of tue State