The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-01-04

looh ior ner Iutur0 glory. Sncn remarkable
facilities as she presents for enterprise in this
direction plainly indicates the part she is yet
to take in the productive industry of the world.
1t is to manufactures she must look for the
discovery and development of her resources;
for the encouragement of her commerce and
agriculture; Tor the retention Of her best ener-
gies at home, and for the inflow of skilled and
useful citizens from abroad. and finally for the
payment Of her debt and the means of future
revenue.
1t cannot be expected of me to present an
exhaustive argument on this important SUBJ
ject. shall be pardoned however, if 7 VEIL
ture to urge that this great interest receive at
your hands emphatic encouragement. There
are those who deem it a sign of prosperity that
a State furnishes large exports Of raw mate
rial. But we well know that it is mind which
coming in contact with matter, gives it value.
The cost of the material is but a small part of
the worth of any commodity of manufacture
designed for general use. The labor and skill
expended on it is the principal source of its
final value. Therefore State which merely
exports raw materials, cannot thrive as one
which finishes them to the last degree requir-
ed for actual use before she puts them into the
market. 1t is accordingly, a better sign to see
a State importing raw material and exporting
finished goods. She then gives employment to
industry, to skill, to mind. She attracts
producing population, and opens thousand
avenues of prosperity. Commerce is stimu-
lated, agriculture becomes necessity. The
producer and the consumer touch hands. Cap
ital does not lie dead in storehouses nor lin
ger in transportation. All related arts and
employments receive an impulse, and the pros
perity becomes mutual and general. Look at
England, not much larger than our own
State and with far inferior natural facilities.
See what a system of industry has made of
her. Or take the manufacturing portions of
New England, which have prOfited more from
the cotton of the South than the States which
m IT q fhAr nd eAay ryth nI1 hos
doings what has been done for man. Then
return to Maine, and look at the vastness of
her natural forces, and the felicity of her po-
sition, consider the countless wealth that is
suffered to pass unchallenged to the sea,
through the principal waters of the Penobscot,
the Kennebeo, the Androscoggin, more than
the golden washings of Pactolus. There is
something here to stimulate us to reflection
and to action. We need not fear the eLter-
prises OF capitalists from abroad, as if those
men were carrying away something which be-
longs to us. 1t is far more true that those who
invest the capital and the enterprise of New
England in the Canadas and the West, are
taking away something which belongs to u.s.
The active employment of wealth is like the
qua ity of mercy twice blest. 1T blesses him
that gives and him that takes. Men and cor
porations can have no advantage of their
wealth without spending it, and benefitting
those around them. The Act for the encour
agement Of manufactures, passed in 1864, has
already borne fruit. We have attracted the
attention OF capitalists. Saco and Biddeford
and Lewiston had already shown as how beauti-
full cities spring up under the influence of
manufactures. Augusta has now the promise
of a new existence, and movements are on foot
at Bangor and Waterville and Brunswick to
turn their waste into wealth. The example
will be contagious and wide spread, like the
lightning coming from the east and shining
over to the west Prosperity in one section
will react upon another, and the whole State,
ii we are true to its interests, will rouse and
grid itself as a strong man to run a race. Al
ready the modest little wooden mill at North
VassalborO' has taken the first prize at the
Worlds Fair for the finest cloths on exhibition,
and it will be our fault if in the course of time
our river-sides and lake outlets shall not be-
come rivals of the most celebrated seats of the
Industrial Arts.
Intimately connected with these improve.
ments, both as cause and consequences of
them-are increased facilities for intercourse.
One of the chief means of modern civilization
is the railroad. That stage is now reached in
our progress wheu the people actually feel
their need of this means OF commercial and
social intercourse, and we must prepare to
meet the demand. 1 cannot even name here
the vari )us enterprises that will solicit your
action, from east and west and north and
south. would not fail, however, to bespeak
for them generous treatment as due to de-
serving citizens and to portions of the State
which have not largely received our bounties.
The great European and North American
Railway has already received tokens of your
favor, as well as the generous aid of Massachu-
sets and the respectful attention of Congress-
1t deserves not merely our admiration but our
continued and active support This enterprise,
so grand in its conception, pursued by its pro-
jectors with such untiring and sclf-sacrifcing
devotion, so important to the interests of the
eastern portion of our State and to our most
central city, traversing the Acadian peninsula
and bringing the old world two days nearer to
the new, is destined believe to bear a distin-
guished part in our future history, and to work
results, commercial, social and political, such
as the most sanguine among us can scarcely
fOresee. l am happy to say that the first day
of the new year witnessed the beginning of
active operations on this road. The State must
see to it that this great enterprise does not
languish,
A provision adopted into the constitution
some years ago has withheld the State from
lending her credit to any of her own great en-
terprises. This might have been a wise pre-
caution against some threatening evil at that
time and since, while experiments had to be
tried, and mistakes and losses made But still
it is not rash to affirm that we are thousands
poorer in active population and millions poor
er in money to-day for this very provision
Whether we can afford to allow it to remain
in force is for you, gentlemen, and for the peo-
pie of the State to determine. The question is
what we are to do to save Maine. Outside cap
N.
and they require us to prepare our water pow
er for use before they will invest. We are in
the habit now of granting authority to the
towns to pledge their credit To certain improve
meets in which they are vitality interested. But
this will not meet the present necessity The
town bonds could only be negotiated in their
own vicinity, and would moreover exhaust pri-
vate resources at the very start. The endorse
ment of the State would at once attract for
eign investment, and leave home capital and
private energy to complete the work. 5
would be the last to counsel a policy which
would depreciate our credit in the market or
add the fraction of mill to the taxation al
ready too heavy upon the people. But be-
lieve the case may be met in way which
would have precisely the contrary effect.
trust it will not be deemed an undue bold
ness if venture to put the question whether
it would not be available for the State to open
her hand just wide enough to give limited
guaranty, by her endorsement, to such of her
public enterprises as she might select, with
such restrictions and securities as should en-
sure her against any reasonable likelihood of
loss, or the necessity of asking single dollar
of the people in the way of taxation.
have been thus particular in these sugges-
TONS and at the same time have based them
upon principles SO obvious, because feel the
urgent Importance of doing something for the
deliverance of Maine from her lethargy aid
timidity under which she has buried her tai
ents. We have been too long content with the
doubtful compliment that "Maine is good
State to go FROM" She must be made good
State to come to, and to live in. We want to
induce our young men and women to remain
among us, and better themselves and us and
the State by so doing; and to invite others of
noble ambition, together with those who
look no higher than honest industry to
join their efforts and their fortunes with
our own. The spirit which prompts
man to go where he can prosper most, is
pardonable if not praisewOrthy We
would not initiate the example of despotic gov
which restrain the ambitious spirits
of their citizens from seeking better fortunes
in other lands. We may adopt policy which
will be equally potent by making it profitable
to others to live and labor and prosper with us.
1t is not necessary for this end to sacrifice the
individual good to that Of the State. These
interests should be identical. We should not
hesitate if at the outset this demand appeals to
our generosity. Some of the seed thus sown
may not indeed be quickened except it die but
the bloom and the fruit will come and bring
better times. Nor should we ever forget how
powerful is the reflex influence of f1ourishing
State on the people who compose it; the monu-
ments of her enterprise, her industry, her skill,
nay of her self-sacrifce and generosity are a
silent and inevitable educator, standing through
the lapse OF years eloquent with some of the
deepest lessons which it is the end of human
government and human society to evolve and
Anu through you, gentlemen, let me say TO
the young men of Maine, that with spirit and
an energy like theirs devoted to her interests it
is not difficult to foresee the day when this State
shall be not merely the landing place of civil
cation and the gateway of nations but in the
arts of life and the fruitions of virtue shall have
wrought character of blended youth and ma
turity that will make her in the eyes of the Old
World the ever young and vigorous West, and
to the New, the rich and teeming Orient.
JOSHUA L. CHAMBERLAIN.