The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-03-04
are now we have seen. Some of the fam

are now we have seen. Some of the fam
lilies, and many of the changes, are of not
late date. In the old district at one time
there were three saw mills on the stream.
/ The first owners We're Daniel Dickey,
later the S. L. Roberts mills, Rothman
| Dodge, later Ebep Seavey mills and John
SAavey mill. All have been gone for more
! than twenty years.
| Somehow it does not seen to me that
/ the gradual changes from numbering and
working the virgin soil for all it was
worth to get the best OF it, then pull out
and leave, is the way to prosperity. There
| has been but little done in our State to
I keep the people on the farms. When we
/ think over how much has been drawn
| from the old territory in the past go years
for this and that it will amount to big
sum- One thing is insurance. OF the
houses lost by fire on half of them there
was no insurance and very much more has
been paid out than has ever come back.
Quite large amount of money was lost
in the downfall of vessel property. Much
more money went for passages and out
fits for the California gold mines than
ever came back. The failures in CONNER
cial pursuits and investments in bogus
patents took out some more. When the
the lumber was gone the mills went, and
that took more money and left nothing
but agricultural prospects for success.
About all the money To invest went some
where else In coming down to wholly
agricultural pursuits, with small profit
in the business, the drain continues. In
surance is higher, freights are as high
and taxes ale higher. The middle men.
the steamers and the railroads must have
their full pay first. All along the farm
Ell has to contend with difficulties aud
risks in marketing his surplus crops that
really the State should protect. 1t would
seem to me, as the people are on these
farms now, it would be the time to protect
| and encourage agricultural pursuits and
keep them there instead Of protecting fish
ponds. The amount expended in protect
ing fish and game, if expended in protection
for agricultural pursuits would benefit ten
where only one is benefited by game and
fish laws. The Canadian Provinces are
doing more for the encouragement of
their dairy products than any of the States.
This is what the Canadian government is
doing: They are providing the necessary
cold storage accommodations on railways
and steamboats, and have decided to pro-
vide what will become practically a chain
of cold storage service for the carriage of
perishable food products from the pro
ducers to the consumers. Bonuses are
to be given those who provide adequate
cold storage rooms at creameries. AS
sistance is to be given by the government
for cold storage buildings for fruit at
suitable centres. An effort is to be made
to ensure the collection and carriage of
eggs in fresh condition from the farms
in Canada to the shops in Great Britain.
Cold storage service is to be provided on
railways leading to the ocean shipping
ports once a week. The cold storage
chambers, with the latest and best ma
ohinery for mechanical refrigerators, are
to be provided on ocean steamships to
carry butter, poultry, eggs, fruit, meats
and cheese i'll a safe condition from the
producers to the consumers at low rates
of freights. By such means the govern
ment undertakes to help the farmers get
their products to their customers.
Now | have shown a little of old times
and down along to the present time, and
| living on a farm for 80 year, can remem-
Der back to almost the start and all the
changes in the old district Now the
champions of reforms insnuate that the
rural population are sets of dolts not
fl to manage their own schools or make
their own roads. Now after the large
schools are past, and the great need of
better roads is past, with but little to
haul on the roads, and no way to raise
money to pay for them, it seems to me
the rural population wants a guardian.
They don't know enough now. Some as
piring official can make prosperity, good
schools, good roads and good everything
in the rural districts, if they could only have
chance to tax the people high enough.
| They could start scholars over these blus-
tering hills before daylight to attend a
graded school in the village, and make
these hilly roads a paradise for bicycle
riders and for the gay turnouts of the
summer visitors. But the roads will be
growing poorer as the farms are growing
poorer, and the schools will be growing
less in the rural districts under the present
management in agricultural pursuits.
FREEMAN PARTRIDGE.
Sailors and the Small Boat