Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-03-30
CONSERVATIVE eUSl-
NESS MEN OF MAINE
CONTINUED from Page One.)

Eastman, l need not take time from the
Meeting for further discussion The en-
o;neers tell us that only one-half of
Names water powers have as yet been
utilized 1t is Of course apparent to
every one that this power should all be
kent within the State and liberated for
oniy such uses as will employ the largest
number Of men and be of the greatest
benefit to the population actually living
within the commonwealth.
Civic Betterment.
Civic interests are SO numerous that it
"a IMPOSSIBLE here even to suggest all
Of the desirable things which need at
tention and which are easily possible.
Many towns have already active i'm
provement societies which, believe, will
be glad tc raise the banner of 1920
and work for all kinds of betterment
But some towns entirely lacking in
such organizations and need to wake up
10 the possibilities Of an active campaign
for Improvement. In other towns there
Is needed a cooperation of the various
clubs and organizations Of both men and
women In serious effort to reach a.
definite goal in civic life.
Each locality has its own problems to
solve, but general suggestions are some
times OF value, for local application. |
/ can conceive of no nobler work for mems
clubs In the churches to carry on In con-
nection with their distinctly religious eff
forts than this one of civic betterment
The countryside and small village need
stimulation and organization from the
larger centers of population and if the
churchmen can demonstrate an efficient
interest in developing the kingdom of
God, Of civic righteousness, of beauty
and comfort in this life, then can more
easily start men to prepare for such Il
kingdom in the future life.
In our Maine towns generally there j.
nothing more needed than decent side
walks 1t is astonishing how. in many
of our wealthiest towns, the citizens will
plod through mud GOOD sidewalks are
first necessity of civilization; they save
shoes and clot hes Reduce dirt. dust and
labor in the homes and preserve life by
preventing the diseases arising from such
things. The old provincial tradition Of
the dirt sidewalk in our large towns
should be consigned to the lake of fire
and birthstone.
We need a like campaign against dusty
streets. No other rich people of tn.
world endIlreS such conditions of dust
and diseases that arise from it as the
Americans. Mud is disagreeable in the
streets. but it is not deadly. Here is an
opportunity for our best efforts
Architecture.
The French people are building the
most beautiful homes in the world, and
the public spirit which leads Individuals
to desire and erect such artistic StrICt
tres for themselves is stimulated by
public exhibitions of architecture. and IL"
study Ut the same in the schools We
Americans often build larg. ~ and richly.
but not beautifully, and We have Il great
opportunity for an educational campai 81
for better domestic architecture.
We should be especially careful about
the architecture of summer cottages of
The cheap Kind. A prcttily formed cot
tage usually may not cost more than
shack or commonplace house type. Some
Very fine American scenery has been
greatly injured by badly formed cottage.
and local assets have been thereby re-
diced
= The wonderful scenery along the Penoh-
scot river, has been injured by the cree
tion of sheds and barn-like structures
which are no cheaper and which serve
their purposes no better than pretty cot
tages would. The Penobscot scenery is
an asset of eastern Maine. but it is an
asset that can be greatly injured or much
improved by the carelessness or the arts
Of man. - man has no moral right to
injure general scenery by the erection
Of u shack because he owns piece of
the shoreline.
Could we not encourage through a re-
nObscot Valley Improvement Associa-
ton the more careful treatment of the
river bank. and popularize good types of
cottage architecture? And what is said