GENERAL IMPROVEMENT. ■ 379 



They had few of the luxuries of life, "but they had all needful com- 

 forts; and with their manner of living, were robust- and healthy. 

 But the modern young fanner, does he take his pack and axe and 

 start f<r Aroostook, to take up a farm ? No. lie gets his father 

 or some friend to furnish him with money and clothes and then 

 takes the next boat, or rather the next train (the boat is too slow) 

 for California. Riches wait for him to gather up, and he must 

 needs take the quickest way to reach them. Does he make as 

 sure a thing of it as the young man of fifty years ago ? By no 

 means. One in a great many get rich, but the exceptions are far 

 more numerous. Now why is this change ? The young man of 

 former times was not so exceedingly anxious to get rich suddenly, 

 but labored patiently on,' with the conviction that it was not so 

 much what a person got, as what he saved, that made him inde- 

 pendent. But now, instead of looking to the sheep and the 

 spinning wheel, if they want anything, it must be bought at the 

 city store ; cash must be paid, it must be of the finest texture, of 

 the latest fashion, and bear the highest price. Now if everything 

 must bo purchased, how is the cash to be raised to pay the bills, 

 and much more to make improvements on the farm ? We know 

 well that the farmers of Maine are not rich enough to indulge in 

 foolish extravagances, even if any good to anybody could come of 

 doing so. But if we will be content with comfortable houses and 

 furniture, plain clothing and equipage, and good, wholesome food, 

 we can be as happy as anybody in the world ; we can have the 

 means to carry out greater improvements than have yet been 

 made and thus be steadily improving our condition. 



Therefore I say, that the change which is most needed is, to 

 emancipate ourselves from slavish imitation of those who, by 

 honest means or otherwise,' have become possessed of money 

 which they lavishly squander in foolish fashions. Let us live 

 upon and within our means and be independent. 



Mr. IIawes of Knox county read the following : 



I do not propose to enter upon the subject of general improve- 

 ment by any extended remarks, as I am aware there are many 

 members of this Board more capable of doing justice to the sub- 

 ject. But though I may say but little, I feel a deep interest in 

 the prosperity of our noble State. 



That great improvements have been made during the past fifty 

 years, perhaps greater than during the same number of years ra 



