The independent-reporter., 1910-12-22


next ten years, but we cannot even
mention half of them here tonight.
am going to talk a few minutes about
some of my own hobbies and you may
have the whole week for the discus
sion of yours afterward So | shall
not mention butter fat, milkmaids or
farmers unions, but will dwell on a
-ew interests which are somewhat
different, but still important.
Dirigo Il direct, lead) is the mot
to of this commonwealth and in many
ways the State has proved true to this
ambitious declaration. No State has
been better known abroad by its ef-
ticient and honest sons. In Congress
the predominating power of the Maine
delegation has been a proverb for a
generation past. At home the State Is
now showing herself to be a leader In
the forefront of progress in many
ways; she has the only clear type of
State university east of the Allie
gheny mountains; she recently adopt
ed a referendum and initiative system
of legislation; her inland fisheries
and game laws are among the best,
If not the best of the nation; her for
estry regulations and protection are
Lnexcelled any where in the country;
Eer systems of taxation and charities
have features that are patterned after
by many sister states. There are
many ether lines of progress in which
the State has stood at the front and
il still advancing. However, there
are still some directions in which the
State can make Improvement and
realize further the ambitious claims
o. her motto.
Maine has not led in the develop
ment OF good roads and rural schools,
but this is due partly to the scattered
population and the low value of prop
erty as compared to the great dis
tances to be covered by her highways.
But we are making rapid strides to
place ourselves among the best i'll
This particular also.
Allow me now to mention a few
ways in which the people of the State
can carry out betterment interests
and still further lead in our own
unique way.
|. Beautify the country home. In
her evergreens Maine has the most
beautiful decorative trees, summer
and winter that grow upon the plan
It. There are thousands of country
homes in our State standing bare and
cold, unprotected and shivering in
the wintry wind and snow, that might
be made jewels in a setting of warm
evergreens, their beauty increased,
their value enhanced and a body of
sentiment built about them in the
hearts OF the people. Line the walks
with cedars, grow a background of
spruces and here and there let tow
ering, murmuring pine, like great
harp, turn every wintry wind into
gentle music. Now is the time to set
out trees if you don't want to grow
them from seedlings. Almost any
size of a tree can be set over If
enough dirt Is taken up with 1t. Select
your tree in the pasture, dig trench
around it before the ground is frozen
deep leaving radius of dirt ac-
|
/ by and by after the ground is frozen
pry out the round solid mass with the
tree and you will find transportation
easy and transportation safe. Trans
planting can be done in the spring
with care and safety, but there is
much more trouble with the loose
dirt; and then, that is the busy sea-
son.
This State can make more improve
ment in this decade, according to the
money spent, by tree decorations than
| by any other method of improvement
SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, STATIONS.
We need long campaign for the
beautifying of church yards, school
house yards. railway stations and
such public places. Our bare and
| cheerless church yards advertise the
| 1ryness of our religion and indicate a
weakness of feeling for the beauty of
this present life Many churches are
so located that they cannot make
much decoration. but with nearly all
Of them some things can be done to
show that it is a place where beauty
and ideals are stimulated.
1t is not to be wondered that our
BIOW up WllHOot LCCllH6 lOi
| and ideas of beauty in some of these
things, when so many of our school
yards are totally devoid of everything
that appeals to the eye or that calls
for care and protection. Children can
not grow up and play among these
battered fences, bare yards and cheer
less surroundings of our public school
grounds without thinking that they
ere all right, and afterwards they are
liable to be satisfied with such things
about their own homes. 1t is a crime
against the next generation to allow
The children to get their education
under such conditions of carelessness
and roughness as are found in the
most of American school yards They
are permitted to ride rough shod over
everything and are inclined to garry
the same spirit into later life.
Beauty, flowers and order should
ne developed in the school yards, mot
/ of course SO as to interfere with play)
and young America compelled to OBJ
serve their interests. Perhaps this
would require more men and disci-
pline in the school system, and per-
| haps more OF the rod.
Many of the town school houses are
poorly located for the development of
any beauty, because such thing was
not considered when the site was Sc