The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-01-14

gumcnts urged in my address to the legislature
one wear since. renew The recommendations
then made for legislation that Will impose upon
railroad corporations such just responsibilities
and restraints as viii properly secure those pub
lie interests which they were created TO pro-
| mote Railroad, should be compelled TO cou-
| meet at such points as in the judgment OF the
Railroad Commissioners the public interests
require; and if the roads cannot agree on the
| conditions, then on such terms as the Com
| mssioner- may tdjudge equitable. Authority
| should be given the Commissioners TO require
Il railroad to furnish any town on its line such
station and transportation facilities as they may
| judge necessary tOr the pubiic convenience
| Railroad corporations should be forbidden 10
| Issue stock or bonds except for consideration
| Of money, labor OF property; or TO eXpeiN mon
| ey or purchase or hold real and personal prop
| erty for other purposes than those necessary to
carry on the business for which they are moor
| porated. A prompt easy and practicable REIN
| edy should also be provided by law for the en-
| torcement of the right of every citizen 10 be
served by railroad corporation on terms which
| shall be Just and reasonable without distinction
| and unjust discrimination.
! BUSINESS AND INDUSTRIAL. INTERESTS.
| Notwithstanding the shadow Of the great
| financial disaster which more than Il twelve
month since palsied the industries and business
| Of the country, has rested on this state curing
1 the entire wear lust closed, vet there is reason
| to believe that our material interests have suf-
| fered Legs than those Of majority OF sister
! States. So far as the increase of deposits i'll
| our Savings Bank is an index, it would seem
| rs if the savings Of labor and the profits OF IN
| dustry have not been so injuriously affected as
| might have been expected. The harvest OF 49, i
| has been for the most part abundant In tins
| State. and even above the average OF the past
| five wears. although hardly up to that OF 1873
| Our agricultural interests, whose oIershaaoW-
| ing importance demands q just and favorable
consideration in the distribution OF the burdens
| and benefits of government have mainly been
| affected by the depreciation in the prices Of
| farm products, for which, however, there has
, been Il compensation IN the general reduGllOu OF
| prices OF merchandise.
| While ship bull ing in Maine has largely III
creased in tonnage the past wear, vet our lumber
| ing, commercial, manufacturing and other III
| dustriaI interests have been more or less de
| pressed, III common with similar Industries Iii
much Of The civilized world Ii i, believed,
however, that the worst is past; and that early
i'll the year business will begin to revive on
healthier basis. The country is simply paying
the penalty for INDUCING in decade OF unpar-
alleiGd extravaganza and speculation, growing
out of the gigantic expenditures imposed and
the feverish business habits engendered by the
war to preserve the national existence, and
aggravated by an excessive and deprecated
currency to which the necessities of the crisis
obliged us to resort. The financial panic fifteen
months since, exposed the deuslNe character
Of ii prosperity measured by q false money
standard and resting largely on credit, and con-
WINGED whole people that they We're living
too fast.
The past year, therefore, has been period
of contraction in expenditures and payment Of
debts, resulting naturally in decreased demand
for merchandise of all kinds and a consequent
depression of business The operation has been
q painful but inevitable one, and it can but re-
suit III ultimate good. TO be sure the primary
causes Of the financial difficulties which we
are encountering. are deeper than any questions
Of legislation. They cannot be remedied simply
by acts Of Congress, but rather by the slow and
painful operation of business and social laws.
And vet so far RS & deprecated currency has
aggravated, and in the absence OF any steps
looking to . change of policy must continue to
aggrayate these causes, the obvious remedy lies
in M ultimate restoration Of the currency to
the basis recognized by the civilized world.
CONCLUSION.
Gentlemen Of the Legislature, to YOU, who
have been selected by your constituencies, and
who Immediately represent the people OF Name,
is committed the care of the varied interests OF
this state, SO ia, as they may be affected by less-
Luton. ! doubt not that these interests will re-
cpive at your hands thai considerable attention
which their Importance demands. And in what
ever measures you may devise that may seem
calculated to promote the welfare Of our be-
loved state il " i'll afford me- pleasure 10 earnestly
cooperate. NELSON DINGiEI. JE
january ]. 1875.