Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-01-07

mcOOHUE ~
LEGISLATURE
important Work Mapped Out
BY Governor Ha|nes
|SAYS STATE IS PROSPEROUS
Gentlemen OF the Senate and House
of Representatives:
Having been chosen by the duly
qualified electors of the state as the
representative Of the people for the
work Of legislation and government,
doubt not We have one and all ac-
cepted this trust with due apprecia-
ton Of its responsibilities, and its i'm
portance to the welfare Of all the
people OF the state. The work Of
government calls for serious consider
alton and careful thought. The state
Of Maine has been established for the
purposes Of government since 1920.
1t was founded to establish justice.
insure tranquility. provide for our
mutual defense, promote our common
welfare and secure to all the blessings
Of liberty.
The powers OF government are d.
vided into three distinct departments,
the legislative, executive, and judi
cial. The legislative power Is given
to two distinct branches; house Of
representatives and senate. It Is
intended for each to have a negation
on the other and to act only In con-
currence. Thus you see that next to
the people themselves, the great re-
sponsibility of government is placed
upon you.
BY the constitution, the supreme
executive power of this state is vested
in governor, and it Is especially
provided that he shall take care to see
that the laws be carefully executed.
So far as l may be able, shall try
faithfully to fulfill this mandate Of the
constitution.
The constitution also provides that
the governor shall from time to time
give the legislature information as to
the conditions of the state, and re-
commend to its consideration such
measures as he may Judge expedient.
In accordance with this time -honored
custom, l shall on this occasion call
your attention to some Of our condi-
tions as state, and make such re-
commentators as l deem worthy Of
your consideration.
General Conditions Of the state
We have the advantage of the last
census report Of the federal govern
ment for 1910, with which to inform
ourselves somewhat as to our condi-
ton. This report shows our popu-
lation to be 742 .371. a gain over 1900
of 47,9O5, or CT percent. This Is
the largest relative gain Of any decade
since 1860, and more than one-third
OF the whole gain made in fifty years.
which has been 1914 percent.
The one noticeable thing, and one
much to be regretted. Is the fact that
the gain In the urban population In
the past ten years has been 1873 per-
cent, while that In the rural popula-
ton has been only ii percent.
Our Farms
The area of the state Is 10, 49,, 800
acres. OF this. 6,296. .059 acres are
in farms with only 1850. 657 acres in
improved farm lands. which is 124, =
900 acres less than 1t was In 1880.
We have go, ,016 farms, an increase
OF TIT in ten years, with about the
same average acreage-104.s acres.
This farm land, the buildings there
on, with farm machinery and do
mestic animals, is valued at $780,
271 ,904, an increase over 1900 of
62.S percent. The average price of
farm land rose from about So per
acre in 1900 to nearly $14 In 1910.
There has been a relative increase In
values of farm machinery and live
stock; 95.7 percent Of all these
farms are operated by owners and
managers with only 4.3 percent in the
hands Of tenants. and Al ,309 Of them
are free of mortgage. While the aver
age mortgage debt on farms seems
to have increased in the past twenty
years 5S. s. percent. the average value
of the same farms has increased 81. s
percent, and while the average mort
gage debt was given as 36.7 percent
Of the value Of these farms in 1900,
1t was given in 1910 as only 1915 per-
cent.
The United States government is
probably spending as much money for
the advancement Of agriculture in
Maine as is the state itself. It seems
to me that the work Is progressing
too slowly and that more money Ia
needed to push 1t forward. and I be-
lieve that you can look we'll into this
subject to see II there are not ways
in which you can profitably aid in the
upbuilding OF the Maine farm.
Manufactures
Comparing 1909 with 1899 we had
B546 manufactures established in the
state as against 2S7S. with 1885
wage earners as compared to So, ,9l4,
and 1850 salaried employers as against
31O3. usng capital Of 1902, ,260. .001
against STA. .00S. 900, paying $40.
! 429, 900 in salaries and wages against
| S28, 1872. 900, and turning out manu-
factured product valued at sits ,029,-
600 as against $112. .959. The percent
age of gain In product Is 1872 percent
as to 1877 percent for the whole coun-
try.
The more recent development OF
our water power by hydro-electric
methods Is giving US considerable
advantage over other states. THIS
hydro-electric development Is invit-
I ing others to come within our borders
who need cheap power for their busi-
pess enterprises.
Summer Business