Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-31
S1ENOGRAPHlC REPORT
Continued from Page Two)

SIcuUUnRr 1IU ncr uni
Continued from Page Two)
This matter. / feel very safe in say
ing, has never previously come before
a Maine Legislature. Most of you are
doubtless wondering just what the
question is about, and why an amend
ment to the constitution seems neces-
sary.
Have you, Mr.. President or you,
Mr.. Senator, ever been riding along
Names beautiful scenic highways,
enjoying a thrill of motion, the exhfl-
ration of Maine country air, and the
rapid succession of the delightful
varieties of Maine scenery,--hills and
valley. rivers, brooks and lakes, fields
and meadOws,-the eyes and mind
and soul entranced and soothed by
the beauties of Nature, never so gen.
erously spread on every hand before
tired city men and women as here in
the Old Pine Tree State,--have you
ever been riding along the highway,
glad for the moment to escape from
all thoughts of city and city affairs,
and then seen loom before your
eyes---for you couldn't possibly help
seeing tit was made to be seen---a
large billboard, or a whole series of
billboards, that engaged your entire
attention, in vivid colors and perhaps
crude pictures extolling the merits of
cigarettes or soaps or suspenders?
Or else the side of an old barn with
huge letters advising you to try some
particular brand of sarsaparilla for
that tired feeling? Or, instead. trees
and fences which apparently exist
chiefly for the purpose of informing
unsophisticated travellers where to go
for gents" clothing when they reach
town!
But perhaps, gentlemen. you are
practical business men who enjoy
that sort of thing. Perhaps you take
delight in the keen business instinct
that seeks to thrust notice of it's
wares into the faces and attention
of all persons, everywhere, at every
opportunity. Perhaps you yourselves,
rely upon the information thus OBJ
tained to determine what shirts you
will wear and what tobacco you will
chew. Perhaps you feel that although
it may be true, as, has been SO often
quoted, that God made the country,
and man made the town." that man
has done a pretty good job in max
ing the town and should be given
every opportunity to improve upon
the country.
All right, then, gentlemen, let's go
back to the city and see what we find
there. Here is a beautiful residence,
in perfect taste, built at considerable
expense. 1t is an attractive residen-
tiaI section, and the family in it
should be entirely happy. But across
the street is n vacant lot; and on the
vacant lot is billboard And all day
long, every day, the people who live
in this beautiful residence have
baked beans advertisement staring
them in the face. Butrthat isn't all.
The billboard may stay there for the
next ten or twenty years: and the
value of their property is therefore
materially deprecated because of
that billboard. The owner of that va
cant lot maintains that he has a per-
feet right, under the laws and con-
stitution of the State, to use his prop
erty in this instance as he pleases.
And so he has, at present, a perfect
ltSdl IlSHt, puI hio ~ 40 iiS
pleases causes a great injury to his
neighbor. many times greater doubt
less than the benefit he himself re-
ceives for the use, or rather misuse,
Of his property as a location for that
billboard. The billboard also, of
course, causes a loss to the city in
taxes because of the depreciation of
that other property.
Mr.. President, we are proud of
Maine. We call her. and rightly, 1.-The
playground of the Nation" Our sum-
mer visitors come, many of them
from far away to our woods and
farms our streams and rivers, our
lakes and shores; and just to motor
through Maine. We appreciate their
coming, and we value their presence.
They come from the large cities. To
them the charm Of Maine lies in it's
unspoiled natural simplicity They
come to get away from the cities and
all that suggests cities. They enjoy
Maine; they love Maine: and they
spend here each year vast amount of
money just to pass the vacation weeks
amid her simple and rural charms.
How much do you suppose they
would care. to motor through Maine
if they had to ride-as we all may
have to sometime, unless something
is done-between a high board fence
on either hand, glimpses of our beau
tiful scenery and lovely vistas being
obtainable only by looking over or
between or beneath catchy reading
matter about matted milk or chewing
gum?
Mr.. President, have no objection
TO advertising. / know that adver-
Using is necessary. I believe in ad-
vcrtising. in it's place. But I do not
believe that Maine scenery is the
proper place. There are other
means and places. much more suit
able. If people read the advertise
nents in newspapers or magazines,
it is because they choose to do so.
Personally / will confess that when
I pick up a magazine I almost in
variabIy read the advertisements
first. They are usually instructive,
well written and well illustrated, ar
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