The Portland daily press., 1871-11-18
PORTLAND.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER To- i0'i'
Shall the Wort ingman sn"'e
agementf
.,.,, government has already exempted
ono roopnfacturing company from taxation
for five wears. 1t is well understood that the
gentlemen who are chiefly interested in The
nre.ent movement for the establishment OF
local manufacturing industries think that
their object can be reached only by making
the policy OF exemption general. Some OF
them, ind.ed, 90 much further. They want
the CITY not only toscharge new enterprises
with no part of the public burdens, but to
draw 10 some small extent on funds collected
by leyying on other business or property to
aid still further in giving manufactures
start. The scheme developed by Charles
P. Kmball, ESQ.,, 10 debating this question at
meeting of the Maine Charitable Mechanic
Association, contempla.es the payment by the
city of all the expenses of the Board of Man
uactures and their clerk, and the lease of un-
occupied buildings and land of the city to
manufacturers at merely nominal rates. This
Pioot a. fouoPbCNy WOuiu DC
though in so trifling way as to be haru'y
worth mention, of the principle carrieu "
such vicious excess at Augusta and elsewhere
of directly taxing the many for the lmmedi
ate and certain benefit of the lew ana the ln-
direct, partial and uncertain benefit OF Inc
whole population. The proposed recognition
of the Objectionable principle is SO slight,
however. that it need excite nobody's Jealousy
excent on. the ground of its being but an
entering wedge, covertly introduced to make
way for those larger demands which capital
knows so well how to make under pretext of
the common good.
But we waive all question as to the justice
and propriety of what Portland is asked to do
in the matter of stimulating manufactures.
IT. however, the sphere of government is to be
enlarged as there is now tendency to enlarge
tiff the state and municipality are not only
to preserve the peace, administer justice, car
ry the mails, build roads, educate the young
and exercise those traditional functions that
are universally acknowledged to he of general
utility, but to build railroads, promote immi-
grafton and offer direct encouragement to
manufactures, it would be hazardous as
well as an unjust step to ignore in the slight
est unnecessary degree this consideration
of general utility which alone makes the
levying and the expenditure of taxes legiti-
mate. If the state is to build railroads the
State ought to own them and run them for
the benefit Of all the people. If the State OF
town is to aid manufactures it must take
care that the public money used to give this
encouragement should rebound to the advan-
tage of as large numbers as possible. The
theoretical correctness of this proposition can
hardly be questioned. The practical appica-
tien to be made is that cooperative associa-
tions of lab0ring men should haze the prefer
ence in all that the city does or forbears for
the benefit of manufactures. No associa-
tions of this kind are now in existence,
to be sure, but if such bounties
were offered to them as are freely bestowed
on capitalists, would they not be formed? 1t
is merely a question of self government.
1t is an axiom with persons who are adverse
ly interested that "laboringmen are not fit for
co-operatiou," just as Conservatives say of
the people OF France or Spain or Germany,
"they are not fit for "a Republic" 81 do not
believe" nobly exclaims John Hay in his
Castilian Days, shat they are fit for anything
elsep If life is worth anything to work.
iogman, it is worth making comfortable and
Independent. If his hands are capable of
building palaces for drones and making mill
ionaires out of men who merely perform the
service of supervision, they are able to OBJ
tain at least competence for himself, and to
insure him against the want and suffering
which constantly dog the footsteps of him
whose only resource is manual labor.
There is no reason why the first systematic
effort should not be made in Maine to re-
move the grossness of that inequality be-
tween the profits of labor and capital which
has been in all ages the chief obstacle in
the way Of The practical reformer. Maine
has led in other things, why not in this? The
first State to make rum-selling Infamous, to
give to woman her rights in respect to
property and to abolish the absurd old
laws relating TO the exclusion of evidence
in courts, may well be the first State
to solve the great problem involved in
making the laborer capitalist. Why can
we not make the present extraordinary inter
est in establishing manufactures subser7ient
to a nobler end? 1t is not enough that we
make Maine another Massachusetts with its
scores of millionaires and it. thousands of
poor and ignorant operatives. 1t is not
enough that we make the city or the State
"rich" and prosperous" Let us make the
people prosperous, intelligent and happy
There are 10 practical difficulties in the way
of an intelligent effort to do so. If Portland,
for instance, will not offer extra inducements
TO cooperative associations of workingmen,
let 1T be condition, precedent to any fduor,
aid, Or immunity granted to any manufactur-
ing enterprise, achether carried on by indiUidu-
ais or corporations, that the operatives employ
ed therein shall be entitled TO share of the
profits of the business. Such condition is
necessary to make the proposed measures to
increase the prosperity of the city expedient
and just beyond the possibility of question.
All of us, Republicans and Democrats alike,
are accustomed to say great deal about labor
and the laboring man. We profess profound
and sincere interest in both. Is it all for po-
litical effect? Is it dishonest trick the only
purpose of which is to ensnare voters? If
not, here is the best opportunity in the world
to vindcate our sincerity
DURING the last ten years, Russia has been
making progress in her industries and the
extention of her railroads that is without
parallel in the history of any country for the
same period, except the United States. The |
imports to Russia from the rest of Europe has |
risen from 135S93,000 roubles equal to |
$101 1,919,750 in 1860 to 319, 1856 600 roubles or
$3.50 ,53l ,25O in 1869, while the exports to |
Europe have risen from 1874, ,724 900 roubles or |
$101 ,043,000 in 1868 to 342,954, 900 roubles or
$257, 139, $50 in 1870. The new military or
ganization shows commensurate expansion
adding full fifty per cent. to its available |
martial strength. The war establishment of |
Russia is fixed at 50,946 officers and 1868.
S93 men. Add to this the fact that the in
ternal railway system of Russia, at immense
cost, has been brought to a wonderful state
of efficiency, giving that government the
NM <Nf