The Republican journal., 1883-06-07
Words OF Warning.


The Aroostook Times publishes letter eX-
posing what is declared to be most villainous
scheme to tilch from the people of Maine and
other eastern states their hard-earned property.
This scheme is said to have been gotten up by
the Northern Pacific Railroad and its tributa-
ries, and a herd of unprincipled land specula-
tors to drag the farmers of the east away from
comfortable homes to the wilds of the boys of
Dakota, there to settle upon railroad or specu-
lator> land so held that unless the settler is the
pOsSessor of thousands of dollars of ready cash
he might expect to live the remainder of his
days and never own one foot of the land upon
which he toed The writer, who addresses
his letter ITO the People of Maine" is evident
ly well informed as to the situation both in the
West and in the East, and his words of warning
are written in the hope that they may save
many from becoming victims to land specua-
latorS and railroad corporations. These agen-
cies. united by Il common interest, are said to
have 'hired certain individuals to come east
and 90 among the people and tell glowing sto-
riea OF Dakota's riches" which are pronounced
false in every particular. We are then given Il
picture of Dakota as it really is:
Its climate in winter is almost beyond the
endurance of man, unless he adopts the habits
of the esqulmeauN: its surface is fiat, in some
places rolling, without timber or building stone
of any kind. only in small quantities in isolated
sectlonS-this we mean is the condition in the
best farming sectiOn-the whole interspersed
with huge bogs and marshes. The water is
hard, therefore unhealthy. Money is scarce in
the territory. living is high. and everything is
NJ he # hn roll aIs
outlets for the products of the farm except
over long lines of this mode of transportation.
the rates OF which are so fixed that the farmers
profits are consumed in freghtage .
There is not the least doubt that there is more
genuine poverty and suffering in Dakota to-day
among emigrants, who have gone there within
The past three months, than was ever expert
cnced III any other quarter of the newly settled
portion of the Union. The railroads are making
a good thing out of the scheme, in the shape
of fares and freghtage on goods. What they
do not get, the land spectators gobbe up,
The writer gives some sensible advice con-
corning the seeking of new homes in the West
which IN some cases may prove advantageous,
but not 50 far Dakota is concerned, and I'M
der the conditions above outlined. cores
pondcnt of the journal in referring to this mat
ter Wlckedly suggests that here j. an opportu-
nifty for the Maine State Agricultural Society to
get a show of products this fall from the North
ern Pacific Railroad Co. to compete with those
Of Aro0Stook county. We doubt, however, if
their experiment in this direction last year met
with sufficient appreciation TO induce them to
repeat it.
We have received from tie Office of the Sec
Rotary Of State pamphlet containing the cen
suS statistics of the State of Maine condensed
from the reports of the United States census of
1850 1t is valuable and useful publication.
OF the CAS- 936 population of Maine in 1880
there We're lS,.323 males u years old and up
wards; and l3G,1735 males under y years of age
There are Il,4Sl persons five years of age and
under: l6G, S56 between five and seventeen wears
Of age, and 1913 who are eighty years Of age
and over. In 1870. according to the [. 5. cen
sus, there were pos, 225 persons in Maine engage
cd in all classes of occupations, outside of the
ordinary household employments of wife and
daughter and in 1880 the number had increased
to 23l ,993-a gain of 80 per cent. OF these 1885,
80 were men and boys, and 33,52S women and
girls. OF these S2,130, or about one-third, were
engaged in 1850 in agriculture: - $50 in manu-
featuring and mechanical industries: 1.411 in
professional and personal services; and % 80
in trade and transportation. The whole num-
Der of pupils in our public schools in 1880 was
indicating that about 10000 children
between five and seventeen years did not attend
school, The number of families in Maine in
1880 was III S43a gain of per cent. since
$50 or twice as large a gain as increase of pop
nlation. The average number of persons to a
family is about A.. The value of Names farm
products in 1880 is reported by the census as
about - millions. but this does not include
much that was consumed by each family, and
the aggregate should be at least 80 millions
The value OF the manufactured products. after
dcductmg raw materials was about % millions.
The managers of the New England Manufac-
turers and Mechanics Institute have invited the
women of New England to make an exhibition
of their industries at the coming Fair in Sep
TENDER. and special invitation has been eX-
tended to Maine. This is the first step of the
kind and merits encouragement. Specimens of
needleWork, paintings and drawings are partic-
ularly requested; and it is hoped this eXhbi-
ton may became annual. showing the progress
of women in the excellence of their work" A
ladies committee has been organized, with Mrs.
Julia Ward Howe as President, to solicit money,
exhibits, and to furnish needed information
Blanks will be furnished intending exhibitors
on application to Henrietta l.. 4. Wolcott No.
Park street, Boston.
lanktoWn county, Dakota, has thought bet
ter of it, and concluded not to repudiate her
bonds. Senator Hale. of Maine, is to be credit
ed with contributing TO this result, and deserves
the thanks of his constituents who have these
bonds.
Most of the available space in late issues of
Boston newspapers have been devoted to the