Daily Kennebec journal., 1890-11-25

adopted in this State rs hss been in the
Middle aud Western states and New Eug,
land consequently has suffered. A few
squ;bs have been sent fl by the newspapers
occasionally tut they have been like paper
bullets, never reaching the. heart of emf
grafton What we have needed and what
we need now is enterprise and push 10 this
| matter of booming our State; competent
| persons should be employed to write up the
| advantages of our State and thousands of
| circulars settiug fol ia the immense resources
of Maine agriculturally and otherwise
should be spread brosd-cast over Europe !;
| authorized agents should be sent abroad to
| the principal countries from which emf
| g. ants come to interest themin our State sn /
| other agents established at our ports OF entry
| 10 assist in directing the same this way.
Twenty-Five thousand emigrants landed in
Philsdelphis during moe months of the
resent year aud probably much larger
number into New York.
Now how many of these have come to
Maine l venture to say but very few. OF
| course | understand that if emigrsnts were
coming to Maine they would scarcely go to
Philadelphia or New York but to Boston or
Portland. The Italians and Spanisrds ccr,e
here in considerable numbers to work ia
our qusrrits and on cur railroads, but very
| few of them TO become permanent residents
and none to settle on our farms or to take
up farms for themselves.
| When l was down into the Aroostook
county two years ago l was truly astonishe |
at the progress which had been made there
and at the wonderful fertility of the soil.
For miles around Presque Isle and Carbon
the land had been in cultivation for several
wears; yet it WAS still producing magnificent
crops of hsy, buckwheat, oats and potatoes.
the farm buildings were in general all that
could be desired and the people appeared
highly prosperous anil contented. On my
ride from Preeque Isle to Caribou l saw
several as fine farms as could be found
anywhere in the State. One afternoon
while there rode up into New Sweden and
must say that they are fortunate people
and we are still more fortunate in having
them among us. From handful they had
increased then to over 600 people and
was told by a gentleman in Caribou who
had had large dealings with them, that he
knew of but one black sheep in the whole
flock. To me they appeared very
industrious and happy class of people
The msjority of the land was rich
ard easy Of cultivation and so pros
porous had many of them become tina,
the old log hut5 were piying place to new
frame houses. WAS fairly infatuated witt
the splendid land and magnificent forests Of
the Aroostook region and were young
man Kennebec county, as good as it is
wouldn't hold me a year.
Nov whist we want is more Swedes, Ger
mans and, if possible, Scotch and English
to help settle this great country, which i:
truly the garden of the State of Maine
These who own vast territories of wild
uncuhivaied lands there as well also in
ether counties should open them up for set
tlement ard at reasonable prices. When
this is done and when the tide of emigration
is fairly turned, as think in ime it will be
we shall see Maine begin to develop.
For many years past Uncle San
has been giving his land away or selling il
at very cheap rate, a thirg that neyei
should have been done, for it brought those
cheap lands, mostly easily worked, into
direct competition with hish-priced land, a
the East and which were generally costly
in cultivation, resulting in their deprecia
ton ard causing general depression am
great injustice to our farmers. This will
soon be storped and thus there will b
another incentive to turn the tide of emi
grafton this way ard help to develop oul
State.
MIR. Manley speaks of state aid and sug
gests that the Constitution be changed tt
meet the emergency. | do not think il
would be wise to adopt that course, neither
do think the emergency calls for it, but il
all our citizens throughout the State vii
arouse to the full appreciation of thS
splendid opportunities before them there
will be no trouble about developing all oul
nexhaustable resources.
Look at what Madison has done, look a
what Rumford Falls is about TO DO and lool
at what Winthrop has done in a small anc
qniet way.
Winthrop is on the right road TO grea
prosperity and think the principal cause
of It is due to the fact that she has taker
particular if not extra pains ia improve her
highways. If other towns would follow hei
example like results might follow.
The editor of the Boston journal in ,hc
istue of that paper on Oct. Both, said
Legislative bills for the improvement d
public roads will be introduced in Ohio
Virginia, Maryland and Rhode Island, ant
interest awakened in Penosylvanis, Massa-
chusetts and New York may tend toward
the same end
New jersey, New Hampshire and Other
states have recognized the importance oil
good roads by masking state. county or towr
appropriations for road construction ant
repsir.' In New York society has beer
formed for the promotion of this objec
and instruction in some of the best u0iver
sites in the land is given for road super
vision. In some counties ip New jersey
where this system had been adopted for The
last two years there had been general rise
in the value of real estate, roads that one
we're in poor condition or almost unfit FIJI
travel have become suitable for all sorts oi
travel and at all seasons Of the year. II
some instances roads have become 90 muc!
| improved that one horse can easily draw
what formerly required four good horses
to perform
Nov under this system if adopted
| can see 10 harm but much benefit
IL cities and towns or even counties wers
allowed to loan their credit for a limited
amount for the proper construction o.
repair of their highways there wouii be .
great change wrought in the welfare Of the
State within the next five years. People oi
wealth and influence would be attracted tc
our State, industries Of every kind would
spring up, emigration would flock hither and
there would follow a general revival OF
business resnltiDg finally in the rise of real
estate and universa! prosperity. Thus. II
We would keep our young men With us, oul
capital at home and invite others to come
we must begin right at home to make home
the dearest spot on earth, our town or city
the best in the State, our roads the finest
our schools the soundes and broadest and
this can be accomplished only by liberia
expenditure OF money, tremendous push
combined with foresight and sound
judgment. W. 7. A.
GRANITE HILL FARM, Nov. goth.
Lives of others oft remind u,
Married life may be sublime.
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