Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-26
STATE HOUSE.
Conn., Gilman on Subject
Of Summer Visitors.
|Refutes Statement Credited to
Him on Subject Of Farms.
Examination Of the Union Mutual
Life Insurance.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council,
Thursday, Dec. 10, at 10 A. N.

| Early in the present month there APP
reared in one of the Boston papers
under an Augusta date line an article
relative to the purchase Of farms in
Maine by city people from other states,
for use as summer homes, in which
it stated that the buying of farms
for the above purposes had assumed
such proportions that the matter had
been called to the attention of the
agricultural department of the State.
The article also stated that Commits
aioner Gilman had investigated the
subject and had stated that he did
not think it would be a good thing
for the agricultural interests of Maine
as il would materially reduce the total
| output of the State.
The article then went on say that
| in recent years hundreds of rich New
York and Massachusetts people who
visit this Sthte in the summer have
bought up farms and occupied them
during the summer. cultivatinS only
| such land as they wished for the rails
| ing of flowers and garden vegetables.
and that this policy was not in line
with that advocated by the agricultural
department. The farming specials
! which We're sent through the State
early in the season were also mention
/ ed, and in conclusion the article above
referred to stated that as a movement.
\ meaning the educational objects Tor
which the specials went sent out, was
backed by the national agricultural
| department at Washington. the use OF
SO many farms merely for light sum-
mcr use is looked upon with some dis
favor by many agricultural enthusi-
asts.
The matter referred to was publish
ed Nov. Is. and as at that time Com
| missioner Gilman was busy with the
| fan series of farmers Institutes as he
| has been for the past month. holding
two meetings about each day during
| that time his attention was not called
To il. Saturday, however, while at the
Capitol for a few hours before leav-
! ing for Washington county to hold the
closing Institutes of the series the mat
| ter was shown him, and he was aston
| ished to find thai such statements as
| the article contained had been credited
to him.
| He emphatically denied having said
anything of the kind, and sincerely re-
GREETED that he should have been 50
| IniSquoted He said that he had spok-
| en- Of the summer visitors during the
course of his remarks at some of the
Grang" meetings. and h1d commented
| on the short stay of the city people in
| the State, but had said that while they
only remained in the State for about
three months each summer he wished
| that ii might for the entire year. Thu
coming of these people to Maine. he
| said. was Il great advantage and profit
to the State. whether they came in
the summer. or later in the fall. during
the hunting season. For the latter r.a-
son II" was in favor of TIN, game laws;
of the state. In regard to the profit
which aCrrucS to the propl" Of tho
State from the coming of the visitors
To the State during the present ycaI
he said that he had been told by one
who had figured out the matter. that
the amount was equal to So per head
for every man. woman and child in the
State.
Mr.. Gilman further said that he had
been trying for years to impress upon
the farmers Of the rural districts tn
necessity Of raising the kind of vege.
tables ana small fruits which the sum
mer visitors use. as the products rails
ed for Il market close at mand are
much more profitable than if the mar
ket is at 4 distance. He said that the
summer visitors to Maine We're an al.
vantage in many ways and that he was
in every way in favor of them. HI
much regretted that he should hav,
been 50 misguided. and said that tn.
ideas expressed We're entirely foreign
to him.