Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-15

The Board of Water Supply of the
State of New York wants 100000 lit
tie evergreen trees to plant around
the reservoirs. This Board controls
strip of land 1000 feet wide around
each reservoir. If these strips were
placed end to end they would be about
90 miles long. The Board of Water
Supply needs these little evergreens
so badly that it is advertising for bids
among the contractors. Some nursery
will get a large fat slice of the money
in the New York treasury for furnish
ing these trees.
Maine hasn't heard anything about
it. Maine pastures contain ten times
a million and a quarter of trees just
the size and strength of those needed
in New York. Will Maine get the
contract? 1t will not. Why, Be-
cause no one in Maine knew that the
State Board of Water Supply needed
the trees until long after the New
York contractors had been notified. In
addition the Maine farmers who own
the trees have no facilities for taking
them up and marketing them.
This incident serves to illustrate
hundreds of other business oppo.tuni-
ties which would benefit Maine farm
ers If Maine farmers only knew about
them. That is where the information
and publicity bureau of the Develop
Maine Movement finds field of use
fitness. It will be its duty to collect
information of Just such information
as this and then disseminate it
promptly, to all parties who might be
Interested.
Maine is the Pine Tree State and
specializes in pine trees. incidentally
Maine also has n very considerable
supply of spruce and fir and oak and
birch and ash and maple, etc. Maine
dan give the New York Board of Wa
tfr Supply or any other board of sup
ny any old kind and any old guam
uty of trees that grow in this part of
The world. Maine can dig them up,
ship them and set them out again
QulChGI, UtllGF diid tilDic
than any other state in the union.
Maine will also guarantee that the
trees will live longer and that New
York will be better place to live in
from having Maine pine trees growing
there
sThis opportunity is gone, however,
and it behooyes Maine too be ready
for the next one. They are coming
along every day. It remains for an ef-
ficient organization like that In process
by the Develop Maine Movement to
dig the opportunities up and show
them to Maine folks. The opportuni-
ties are there and will be improved
by the people who have the most hus-
tie. Maine, through the Develop Maine
Movement is going to supply the hus-
tie, properly directed.
Returns already indicate that the
Develop Maine Movement is shaking
conservative old Maine to her founda-
ton. The whole State is alive to the
significance and timeliness of the
movement and the people are taking
hold with a will. Subscriptions are
already coming in, but not so rapidly
as to swamp the treasury. That branch
of the movement can stand lot more
crowding. 1t is a very important part
of the movement, too. Unless it is fed
freely it refuses to work and when
1t refuses to work the rest of the
movement ceases to move.
The officers are going after $4,000
members. That means $4,000 in fees.
1t will cost something to get them,
but with this as a mark to shoot at
it is hoped to come near it. The Off
GERS feel that with $4,000 members, not
only will the movement have suffi-
Gent funds to put Maine on the map
help her own people and direct the at
tention of outside business men to
her possibilities, but that the moral
effect of $4,000 boosters who care
enough about improving their home
State to give up real money for the
purpose. will be a wonderful force.
1t is believed that the man who will
join the movement and pay a dollar
for the privilege will also care enough
about the movement to boost a little
as he goes about his daily tasks. That
is the most valuable part of any boost
er movement, and also the most diff
cult to start, that is, the general boost
err chorus. Maine people will boost as
soon as they get the habit and will
boost hard enough to make some Of