Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-09-05

by him who cultivates the lands lying near the
market, and bearing high value. AS near
an approximation to them as possible is the
great demand of the day in America. How
shall it be secured? The solution of the
problem is by no means easy.
/ That the burthen of solution should be
thrown upon the system of intermediate trade
and transportation is not surprising. That
this system needs regulating there can be no
doubt. But while remind you of the trou.
bles and difficulties which belong naturally to
the business of producing the staples of
trade, and would join you in simplifying and
economizing the work of transportation, let
me also impress upon you the necessity of re-
form IN another quarter,-a reform important
as believe, in national as well as in an in
dlVlduai point Of view. As have said else
where, and on another occasion, the restless
and ambitious desire of our people mauiteSts
itself in those luxurious and extravagant
modes of life which have cnervated and des
troyed empires and republics alike. 1t is an
old story, know; it is an old warning. 1t is
recorded OF many an ancient and powerful
people that, having risen to a giddy height in
wealth and strength, the patriotism, and en-
ergy, and courage, and sturdy simplicity
which made it great have surrendered to all
the vices and weaknesses which attend upon
prosperity, and it has fallen before the ruder
forces which found it an easy prey. But for our
selves | mean more than this | have no fear
of our losing our manly virtues so long as our
broad, unoccupied lands wait for our increas-
ing population, and so long as the great mass
OF our people spring from the rural districts
But do not look with entire composure and
satisfaction upon the growing demand for ex-
travagant display in almost every walk in life,
to support which the producing classes must be
called to exhaustive and discouraging labor.
We insist on palatial railroad stations, on lax
urious and expensive passenger cars, splendid
enough for a Pcrsion king. on numerous we'll
paid officials. on an extrayagant railroad sys-
TEN generally-and then complain that trans
portation and travel eat up our substance.
We erect elaborate, enormous and highly ar
chitectural mills, and then wonder that we
cannot get our cotton and woolen factories
for nothing. We build warehouses without
counting the cost, and blocks of stores at fab
ulous prices, and compel the occupants to rob
the consumer or starve, or perhaps both, I'M
der the pressure of heavy rents. We con-
struct our houses as if we were to live forever
and mortgage them as burthen to ourselves
and eur heirs. Oar children are taught in
schoolhouses whose chief merit is their i'm
posing style and their more imposing cost.
A city without an enormous debt for public
buildings, and works of every description, is
no city at all. We compass sea and land to
supply our unnecessary wants; desert our
homes daily for the fascinating dsipatons Of
travel and new scenes and associations; and
earn and spend and earn, until it would seem
as if our capacity for beth were exhausted.
| We imported from foreign countries in eight
months ending the last day of March, 1873,
more than $434 o00, 900 of various commodi.
ties, the products of other nations, and we
export only Sf2G, 900, 900 in exchange; and OF
these imports more than $50, ZOO, 900 are lux
uries and ornaments. Now | do not think
that all this is to cool our patriotism or ener-
vate our arms, or destroy our energy, or
break our courage But am sure that it is
making snch a constant draft on our resources
and forces that the growth of population and
industry, large as it is, will fail to meet the
inevitable balance against US.
The lesson we must learn is the exercise of
public and private economy. l have no
doubt We can struggle ON without it-for |
have great faith in the producing power of a
free and industrious people, each man of
whom is engaged in contributing his share of
the vast national, industrial product But it
. must be evident to every man of observation
that we can secure widespread and universal
prosperity and comfort only on the basis of
prudence and economy; that we can only es-
tapiAoh ShSap COMMUNICATION DelWGen tle OIL
ferent sections of the country by reduction
OF official and material expenses; and that we
cannot establish our currency on a firm and
solid basis so long as we will insist on having
the balance of trade heavily against US, for
the qualification of our luxury and taste. If
we desire repose and prosperity, and comfort
} and peace and content to all the producing
classes, we must remember that the peryad-
ing policy of republic must be economy, and
that to true republic extravaganza and lux
ury are an excrescence and burden.