Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1857-05-29
A State Pslicy for Maine.


We lay before our readers the following
memorial addressed to tho Legislature Of
Maine, at its recent session. Three thou
sand copies were ordered to DO printed Tor
the use Of the legislature, and the memorial
referred to the next Legislature.
To ne Honorable, tie S,ndts. and The HOus,
Of Rcproeuiaiir, ofihe State Of Name, IN
Legislature dSVmbtd.--
The undersigned, citizens Of Maine, re-
spcctfully ask your hohorablo body that
measures may he adopted moro efectually
90 develop the resources Of the State, and 10
promote the settlement Of it, public lands.
Maine has every possible advantage for
commerce and manufactures, and great ca.
rahiltics for agricultural production. With
line Of sea coast extending hundreds OF
miles, indentcd with harbors unequallrd for
depth Of water, ease Of access, and com.
plctcncss VI shelter for vessels Of the largest
class. with an amount, Of available water.
power equal to the supply for an indefinite
period, ol the entire manufacturing industry
Of the country with a soil Of great natural
fertility, capable Of producing cereals, and
eminently suited To grazing, and the raising
Of fruit with forests still valuable ior the
production Of all descriptions II lumber, and
mineral wealth Of very considerable value !,
occupying a region that ior hcalthlulncss Of
climate has no supcriDr-Nliine u upon the
natural route Of trade and travel between
the commercial centres Of Europe and
America
Yet with all these natural advantages,
our State has not tor some years past kept
pace with the growth Of the nation, or
maintained even her relative position with
some Of her sister States Of New England.
IL Is easy 10 show the reason iur this con-
dition OF things It Is easy to point out the
remedy but it is Ear more difficult to bring
about that system or policy that shall work
the remedy. The present time seems ~ "
most favorable opportunity 90 bring these
matters 10 public attention, and 10 suggest
some method Tor Increasing public and pri-
vatc prosperity, by the inauguration OF u
proper State policy.
What Maine wants. Is diversity OF labor
by the introduction of manufactures. In
1850, Maine had one third more persons
engaged in agriculture than Massachusetts, !,
while the population of the former was i,5,-
l5g. and that " the latter glI ,jA. The
real estate IT Massachusetts, was valued, in
1850 at S3Ig, l2y ,g32 that OF Maine, m
the same year. ~ 500 $50, 10. In manu-
Ecturr.. the mechanic arts, commerce, and
trade, Massachusetts, employed more than
four times as many ~ Maine-ol free male
population. above tie age Of H. years. The
capital employed in Manufactures, IN Mas
sachu-rtis. IN 1850. was Ssj, 3iI 90! 20
SlI.7OO. 49, IN Maine and the product OF
that wear, in Massachusetts, was : ljl, -
AS, tONS24 .GGi, l3i in Maine. The aggrc-
gate value at the property Of Massachusetts,
M that wear. was Si73 ,3i2 $50, a. : IT,
1874 m Maine. Ia the year 1850, ac'
curiing a. the rrpurt ui the Secretary ct the
Treasury Of the United States, the aggregate
value ut the property VI Massachusetts, was
SjO7 ,g3G. ggj while that ut Maine was
Sl3l.l2S, lsG. The p pulrtion Of Massa'
chuseit- IN 1855 WIS |, 1873 .l2J, showing an
increase uf Is COZ persons ~ years, a
ratio greater, AZ W. believe. than that Of
Maine tor the same p'riyi, though no census
OF our State has been taken since 1850.
Up o. 1888, the progress of Maine Ia pop.
ulntiun and wealth was about equal 90 that
Of the whole country, and far greater than
that Ot Massachusetts Our valuable water
power, the superior quality Of our soil, our
immense tracts II valuable timber. the ma,
mrrsus safe and accessible harbors upon ouI
coast, the cheap price Of land, With IL
many valuable mineral resources, and aboy,
oil the salubrliy Of our climate, invited Oh,
emigration Of the most valuable cla-sc, OF
persons from all parts Of New England, IN
GLIDING many from Massachusetts,.
The following tables show the compara'
tive progress OF Maine. Massachusetts, and
the uiici States Tor the periods named -
pInrIn. III I,nnulnIInn