The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-01-11

he would find conson;.i climate ,vould thipk
himself in tropirai region. 80 much more
bountiful return, would nature Weld 10 his In.
dustry.
Ii will not escape your observation that what.
ever assistance may be granted towards the
construction Of railroad to the Aroostook,
will be in aid practically Of the interests and
purposes Of the friends OF the European and
North American Railway, whether made di.
Iectly to them or not. Thus, while contrbut-
ing to the settlement of our unoccupied lands
you may also be instrumental in forming that
connection between the railroads of the Unit.
ed States and Canada on the one side, and OF
the lower British Provinces on the other. which
has long been regarded as a most desirable con.
sumation by the intelligent people Of this and
other States. or the Importance Of this connect
ion to this State and the United States, as nec-
essary for the completion of great national
highway. have no occasion 10 speak after the
thorough and exhausting expositions Of the
question which have been made by some Of my
predecessors, and by members of former Legis-
latures. The Congress of the United States
has heretofore in many instances granted lands
to aid the construction Of works Of general
interest. That any Of these can compare In
national Importance, in direct usefulness and
convenience to all parts Of the country, with
an enterprise which would lead TO a shortening z
Of the transit between New York and London
by from four TO six days, will not be asserted by
those who will give the subject careful and
thorough examination. While I cannot en-
courage the hope that an application for aid for
this work from the federal government would
meet with sufficient favor at Washington to
ensure its success at the present time, and un.
der existing circumstances, its importance TO
the whole country as well as the government
itself, and the sacrifices which Maine so gener-
ously made in 1912 Of her clear and indisputable
rights Of property and jurisdiction, for the ben
Eft of the whole country, pursuade me that the
grant of such aid as might @ necessary 10 eff
feet its accomplishment. would he both wise
and lust.
The consequences of n policy like the one I
have advocated in respect 10 interna, improve.
nents. II carried outEaad let me saw Il il mol.
,cy which has been growing in favor among our
wise and thoughtful men for many years-would
Ue not to impOyerish but to enrich the State
not TO run IT into debt, not to impair its credit,
and not TO Argument the burdens Of the people.
1t would increase the population Of the State,
swell its valuation tables, reduce the taxes upon
its citizens, and assist il 10 hold its relative po-
Siton-if not to improve it-in regard 10 wealth,
strength, population. representation and mower.
among the sister States.
The trade of the Atoostook. now rapidly In.
~reasing with the growth of lis population. is in
danger of being wholly diverted from this State.
Already, much the larger part of il Is carried
on through channels of communication In A
neiphboring Province, and without some effect.
ual measures to arrest the present tendency of
things, il will be wholly lost to us. With the
needed facilities of transit within the State its
.,ntire commerce, thercupon 10 be largely In.
,reased wear after wear. would flow into the ci-
les of Bangor and Calais. placing their pros.
,erity beyond the reach of any contingency tha,
humsn foresight can imagine. The openinp nm
"
would contribute materially 10 the trade of the
ri,ics of the Kennebec, aud Of our leading COM
,nercial emporium. Added TO these results we
hould witness the building up Of many trades
nd emplOyments, in the various departments
uf industry, throughout the State. New in
Elements would be given and new hopes held
cut to labor, enterprise and capital everywhere
within our borders.
Within twenty wears many millions of capital
have been invested in Railroads of the State.
non which In most cases no returns In the
,nrm of diyidends have b.en realized Rn,
,,th the lapse of wears, the gradual aceommoda.
ION Of business to the new avenues, and the
letter management which has come from the
essons of experience, the fnancial condition Of
lany, not All OF our raiiroad corporations, Is
teadiiy Improving, ana their earnings are year
y approNiihauhB the point al whieh the share.
rolueis lh lnen, may eNPect 10 receive interest
'Poh 'hei, s.yeN ihe ineIease9 usmc upon all
'hese Ioaus WhiGh wVuiu a'tehu the de'elope.
'heht OF the poncy nave recommended, would
"dd i'ue 70 ,hen oidlhafy expenses, and thus
'ouIu sven, oy heaLy the ehtne amount OF the
Increased ieeeipts, their actuai ana realized pro-
It's IN ln's way ,ne cetuhea,es OF STOCK IN
our raiifoad cofporauous, heid oy so many OF
vi etihehs' Hom oeihg the witnesses OF so
'nueh money iosl, Woulu oe transformed TO signs
nl so nueh productive capital a truth of
'reN praeucai Va,ue Mou.u oe impressed up
IN our people IN reference 10 those genealiza-
Mons, "hich, because oi tue conpar tive fail-
ires that nave ATTENDED investments IN railroads
lnJudieio9sly located IN many cases, and In all
built under circumstances involving cost OF
twice the amount that would have been requir.
Cd unuer more experienced management and
with adequate means, therefore assumes that
all roads, without regard to the amount Of traf-
JIG they would accommodate, to the vast areas
~ country they would develope, or to the cheap
ness ana economy with which they could be
built, would faii to be sources Of income and
pfont 10 'heH Ptoprietors'
The census tables exhibits an increase of the
population Of the State for the last decade Of
less than twelve per cent, and the smallest since
the formation Of the government; while In the
neighboring Stae of Massacbuset,s. with not
virgin lands, no inviting Aroostook, but under
the influence of liberal and far reaching policy
and of a spirit of COuTaveous enternrise. there
has been a gain of more than twenty.aye per
cent. The census returns from Maine NAV be
and probably are imns,foc, and ;ncn,,oc, and
fail Of showing our actual numbers by many
thousands still there Is no doubt that the Ia-
ito Of increase for the last ten years has been
misearbly small. Shall these things go on
With greater physical attractions and ampler
resources than three-fourths of the States pos
sess, shall we cling to the narrow and shriyel-
ing policy which leaves. and will leave, our
State far behind any other that enjoys a tithe
Of its advantages The debt of the State Is
now less than seven hundred thousand dollars.
would not counsel its enlargement, but its re-
duction, rather; and would earnestly advise
the adoption Of a policy which, by increasing
our wealth and numbers, would render its pay
ment more easy. Double the property and pop.
ulation Of the State, and you practically reduce
its debt one.half. II is in this way that Penn.
sylvania, New York, Illinois and other States,
although they have nominaly sunk many mil.
lions oi dollars in their railroads and canals,
have nevertheless become so rich and strong,
that their debts, large as they seem, are scarce
ly felt rs burdens. From the causes of imagin-
"A min have ,a,,. al -