Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-02-24
Letter From Boston.
BosIoN, FEB. 10. Is


We are all agreed that what Maine
needs j, not so much population as cap
ital. With view to attract capital we
arr now making known our cxtraordi-
nary natural facilities for Manufacture
ing. This was the first step. But
much remains to be done | am fully
convinced that the State should lead of
in the further work.
For the last three months have been
brought into very frequent contact with
manufacturers in Massachusetts, and
other States. Almost the first ihing one
discovers in conversing with these men
j. their deep sense, born Of observation
and long experience. OF the immense
benefit conferred 10 any place by Judi
ciou-lv investing manufacturing capital
in il. (orrelativc 10 this Is the convic-
ton that TO secure the investment of
capital therein, towns or States should
be willing 10 make liberal advances
They feel that municipalities, or their
citizens, should meet the capitalist half
way. In fact little capital now finds
investment in untried localities that is
not met half way. In the future still
less will be. There will bc no cxccp-
ton in favor of Maine. IL l. not enough
that we show them uucquallcd motive
power. Power j. not all Sites are To
be purchased. dams and canals con
structcd. buildings erected, machinery
procured. stock and supplies laid in,
skilled labor secured. and this costs
ready money. For investment upon
much inferior privileges in the old
manufacturing States capital can be had
in alb undance in the immediate locali-
ties from interested property holders.
The manufacturer joins his money with
theirs and the enterprise goes forward.
We must do the same. We shall have
10 wait indefinitely unless we do the
same.
Men born aud reared, or at least train
ed in business, in other States, would
rather live there; they will remain
there unless tempted out OF them. There
i, natural inertia To be overcome. There
Is untrieudly legislation also TO be coun-
teracred, of those States that tax the
capital OF their citizens wherever invest
cd
Now there arc several towns in Maine
possessed oil immense water power that
are almost ready 10 aid handsomely III
their development They need only
courageous leading-oh. Let the State
then lead of. Let 80 900 be appropri-
ated. 10 be joined with the appropria-
ton Of any town that will do the most,
the joint sum 10 be used under COM
mission serving gratuitously, aud under
the direction oil the Governor and Coun-
Gil, to induce the location OF S5uJ,Ouu
upon the wafer power oi the town. with
in given line, under suitable combs
IL.
loss. Ii no town comes to tie mark,
let the money revert to the treasury.
Let this be done this year for one town.
Ii it promises we'll let il be done anoth-
er year for another. This may be heroic
practice. but the emergency demands
heroic practice.
"How about Augusta" SAYS one.
Augusta, with her changed prospects,
is worth u million dollars more than she
would be but for the Sprague purchase.
Already she has her money back and
three hundred per cent added. The
Spragues have done everything that
could in reason be looked for, while the
business Of the country has been sub
siding from the fever of the war. Man
utactures, | know, are languishing, but
only for a time. The population Of the
country is increasing one and quarter
millions a year. Lin 1850 there were in-
vested on the water declivities of the
country $400, o0o, 600, yielding a product
Of t720. 900, 900; in 1860 the investment
was 1856, 900, go, tho product :, 260, 600
600: by 1875 the investment will be ST.
100, 900 900, the product 32,500, OO0, 900.
We ought to have $l20, 100000 of the
capital laid down upon our waters, EN-
ploying 100000 operatives, and prodac-
Ing 800 900 600 In value per annum.
We cannot do too much, 800, 600 square
miles of productive, national domain
look to the East for the grand staples of
goods. The demands of
the interior for manufactures will out
strip US, do what we may. Will not |
some patriotic and courageous legisla-
tor move to-day, and all join hands for
= long pull, q stfong'pull, and pull al |
together' WALTER WELLS.