Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1904-11-24
The Observer.

interest the recent legislative cam
paign in the county, and he exper-
fenced SO little inward satisfaction
over Mr.. Howard's success. The OBJ
server was also pleased to note the
cheerful philosophy displayed by the
Independent in the hour of defeat and
the serene wayin which it comes for
ward, after the shouting is over, with
complete program of what Mr.. How
ard is to do as Representative from
Cameron county. We may now look
for the Brooklyn Eagle to map out
President Roosevelt's coming admin.
lstration along the lines of it's own
campaign editorials. Yet the Observer
would not like to discourage the Inde-
pendent from engaging in the discus
sion of public affairs. The first ele-
ment in free civic and social atmos-
phere is discussion; the second, discus
sion; the third, discussion. The con-
clusions of the Independent will not
be accepted by the people nor by Mr..
Howard as final; nevertheless it's dis
cussions will serve to keep the minds
of the people centered upon certain
matters which are of proper public
| concern.
Some little discussion has already
been given to the subject of the un-
seated lands in the county held by the
state. 1t is the contention of the In
dependent that the state should pay
taxes to the county on these lands,
and so tighten the burdens of taxation
which rest upon the other property
owners of the county. Inasmuch as
this question has been brought for
| ward, it should be looked into care
fully. The Observer does not pretend
to say that he is in a position to say
| all that can be said on this subject;
nevertheless he ventures to think that
he can offer few considerations
which may at least prove helpful to-
wards sensible view.
1t should not be forgotten that the
state was under no obligation to as
sumo the ownership of these lands, nor
that in doing so its motive was to confer
benefit upon the people of the state
: and not least upon the counties in which
these lands are located. Had the state
not purchased these lands, they would
have remained practically ownerless,
yielding no revenue to the county, I'M
less, perchance, the commissioners
could have made something for the
county out of rattlesnake skins and
wintergreen berries. The state may
with reason argue that the county is
better off with state forestry reserve
within its bounds than it would be
were these lands to lie absolutely
waste and ownerless. The state has
merely been doing its part towards
making a bad condition little better.
If the county IS confronted by an EN-.
barrassing situation, the state is not
to be blamed for it. 1t was not the
state that rendered these lands un-
desirable and profitless. 1t appears to
the Observer that it is up to Cameron
county to work out its own salvation
without asking charity from the state.
Surely the county has other resources
than lumber; and it should be the
united desire and effort of the people
of the county to encourage the de.
velopment of these resources. We
should rejoice whenever piece of
waste land is converted into farm.
We should encourage also the estab-
lishment of manufacturing industries.
1t is all very well to keep girding at the
| corporations, but it will not do to for
get that it is the corporations that are
the chief agencies in the development
of natural resources, bringing money
| into the county where it is paid out in
the form of wages. The hope of the
county lies in the development of
agriculture and manufactures. If
these should fail, it would be useless for
the county to hope to keep alive by
going on the state. But the county is
not yet ready to say die. Mr.. Howard
for one, and many more with him, be-
lieve that the industrial and financial
! salvation of Cameron county is in a
fair way to be wrought out, and they
are proving their faith by their deeds.
Assuming that measure authoriz-
ing the county to levy taxes upon
state lands would be constitutional,
what likelihood is there that the state
could be induced to enact such
measure? What argument could be
used with the voters of Philadelphia
and Allegheny counties, for instance,
to con vince them that the taxpayers
! of the whole state should contribute a
special revenue to the Golfers of Cam
eron and few other counties?. More