Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-01-20
me Fd{.ss 4 M.w Bsels.d.

In Considering the future Of the New
Eaeland country, Ne naturally review The
At, ard are gsided By tbs facss which ars
alresdy recorded in history. IL y bot .
csntusy siece the porulation Of UassacAu-
getss vas no. more than Tires hundred
thousand. Boston bad only thirteen thous-
and souls. The entries Of foreign and
eoastins vessels into that port were about
hree hundred annually, and the cleaSancee
we're about four hundred. The valuation OF
all the property a Massachusetts including
the Province Of Maine, vas about ten nil
ions only. TIE travel on the great line -
New York Vas more than accommodated By
two stsgs coaches ard twelve horses TIE
strangers Who visited Boston landed mostly
1t Long wharf, We are told No bridges
scsnned the Charles or the Mystic. In
Esss I county, one Of the oldest and most
populous sections OF the colony, there we're
aly three post officer, and the appoint
ent Of these postmasters vas all The pat.
,onags of that kird which the illustfious
chief magistrate or his postmaster general
Possessed.
A century has rolled round since the
tate of things which have described ex-
stsd. Had the American Of that early
lay predicted the facts Of this he would
have been counted . visionary and .
lreamer. Leaving the thirteen thousand
people Of his admirable and beloved Bos-
ton, with its crooked streets and COW. pact
ures, he could now wander through the
txenty large cities Of Massachusetts, and
and return to his home, througed with four
hundred thousand brilliant and busy inhab-
itants, all engaged in some advantage Of
mind and body ard estate. He could
reach the Pacific coast in less time than
he formerly occupied in passing from
Boston to Philadelphia. The arts, the
sciences, the industries Of modern life.
would astonish the venerable inhabitant OF
our old New England. His discoufse Of
last evening would be read In every city In
his Union in the morning papers, il he had
recited any fact Of universal interest or
general sensation. His rustic home would
be adorned with reproductions OF the
"Angelus" or Roea Bonheur's horses. The
refnements Of philosophy would have
cleared away the theological perplexities OF
his sncestors. A long procession of two
hundred and twelve seniors would pour
through the gates Of Harvard, and col
lege known - Yale, new to his vision.
would count . score more - her new
recruits in the army of scholars.
But the progressive spirit may be found
not only in those who leave, but in those
Who remain upon the farms, and occupy
the country Of New England" l am
warned, know, that the rural population
is decreasing, and that the families of the
farmers are diminishing. But am some
what familiar with the farming towns of
| Massachusetts, and with the collections of
persons who appear at our agricultural
fairs; and can only say thst sec no fall
| ing fl either in numbers or the activity of
! those who own the land. II does not
appear that any large number Of farms
has passed into the hands Of foreigners,
although l sm aware that abandoned
farms have been taken up and pro-
atsbly managed by aliens who have
set good example to those who were born
on the soil. The faire. however, are man,
| aged. the committees are filed by. and the
officers Of the societies are made up of
| Americans, who are by far the largest
exhibitors. The professors in our agricul-
tural colleges, the secretary and board of
agriculture are almost universally Ameri-
cans. do not etate this invidiously. but
merely to show that Americans are not
deserving the land, and that they alone con-
troll the agriculture of New England. and
are entitled to the credit of whatever
improvements are made in this industry
Hon. GEO. B. LoRING, an New England
MAGAZINE.