SEED IMPROVEMENT MEETING. 275 



able to make the most of them. I believe we can do so, and 

 the grange organization of the future is to be a leader along 

 this line of work. 



Do you know, the road problem in the State of IMaine is of 

 vital interest to 'every resident of our State. Seventy per cent 

 of the transportation question in Maine begins at the farmer's 

 front gate and it ends at the railroad station where the products 

 of the farm are shipped away to the consumer. It is a very 

 great problem. There is no one thing which can so promote 

 agricultural conditions as having a better system of roads. 

 And I say to you that I believe the way we settle the road 

 problem in the State of Maine will have a great deal to do with 

 the agricultural betterment of the State. It should be con- 

 sidered first at least, from a commercial standpoint. I doubt 

 the propriety, I doubt the good business feature, of building 

 boulevards for automobiles across the State. I do believe in 

 a better system of road building, and I do believe that this 

 grange organization should be a leader in getting legislation 

 enacted which shall give the farmer a better road over which 

 to haul the products of the farm to the railroad station where 

 they are shipped to the consumer. I believe that the grange 

 should be a leader in conserving the natural resources of the 

 State. How many of us know or realize the graft which has 

 been going on in appropriating through crooked legislation or 

 in some other way the great water powers of our State for the 

 purpose of transmitting outside the State the electrical power 

 for manufacturing processes. We have in our water powers 

 a 60,000 horse power possibility without storage, and more 

 than two million horse power with storage. The grange organ- 

 ization ought to be and I believe will be a leader in conserving 

 the water power of the State of Maine in the future, and there- 

 by developing our agriculture. We believe in Maine; we be- 

 lieve in its possibilities ; we believe that, situated as we are, just 

 at the doors of the best markets of the world, our agricultural 

 possibilities are just at their beginning. We believe that they 

 may be developed almost indefinitely, and with a clear assur- 

 ance that the earnings will keep pace with the development, we 

 believe that we can eliminate those factors which do not pay 

 and develop those which do pay, almost indefinitely. We be- 

 lieve in the future of our State. We want the boys and girls 

 who are here in Maine today to remain in Maine and become 



