Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-28
PROSPERITY UNDER REPUBLICAN4 I'D
KINISTRA TON.

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KINLS1RA TON.
The democracy are never weary oil
harping upon 'hard times poverty OF
the people, "misrule, corruption and ex-
travagance of the republican party" He
who believes their rcprest nations would
have TO believe that we are a nation ofpau-
pers, and growing worse every year. They
are very eloquent about what they are
pleased to call the good old democratic
times, and fervently pray that they may
return.
There is one measure of the thrift and
prosperity of pcople--the common, Ia
boring class, who are the bulk Of every
State and Nation on the globe-which is
far more to be relied upon than any tale
| to be heard from the lips Of democrat or
read in any democratic newspaper. 1t is
the story which the Savings Banks tell.
These are the places where the common
people deposit their surplus money-what
they save after paying taxes and the ex-
pense of living. When these show an in
crease of deposits we may understand that
the people are thriving; when their depos-
its shrink much there is not prosperity in
the country. Though taxes be high there
is no trouble or distress in a community if
savings accumulate in the banks.
What do the Savings Banks in Maine
tell of the present times as compared with
the "good old democratic times" that we
often hear mentioned by whining dema-
gogues?
Prior to 1856, the year from which we date
republican rule in Maine, the democrats
held for long period almost uninterrupted
sway in the State. The 'good old times"
must have been previous to 1886, ofcourse.
Now what do we find concerning Savings
Banks down to that time ? We find that
ONLY SEVEN Savings Banks WERE ES-
TABLISHED IN THE STATE PREVI-
Gus TO 1856, and the business of those
seven banks was so limited that little or no
attention was paid to them by the legisla-
ture or the people SO much for Savings
Banks under democratic rule in the State
of Maine
Turning to the Report of the Bank Ex-
amner for 1874, we find that during the
last nineteen years, the period which the
State has been governed by republican adj
minstrations, THERE HAVE BEEN ES-
TABLISHED FIFTY-ONE SAVINGS
| BANKS, the whole number now in exist
ence being fifty-eight. The deposits and
profits of these banks on November 2nd,
1874, was s31, O51, 500 70, sum FOUR
TIMES AS LARGE as the whole banking
capital of the State in 1856. Let the DEM
ocrats look at this monument of the pros
perity of the State while the republicans
have controlled it, and cease their hypocrit-
ical lamentations over the poverty of the
people, the high rate of taxation, and the
burdens of living. The num3er Of people
who have deposits in the Savings Banks is
96, 799, a number larger than the whole
number of votes cast for Governor last
year by both parties. The average to each
depositor is $500.
1t must be remembered, too, that during
the time in which these savings have ac-
cumulated, we have had all the expense
and trial of the democratic rebellion to
bear. We had our shipping destroyed by
rebel pirates, and many of our young men
slain or crippled for life in the war. I'M
der all trials and discouragements the
State has steadily prospered. Wealth has
increased. Farmers, mechanics and la
borers have added to their savings.
Even since the panic in 1873, during the
depression of business which has existed
in consequence, the deposits in the Saw
ings Banks have grown. In 1874 the de-
posts increased 81, 495, 439 80, and the in
crease of depostors that year was 5,40l.
Whatever NAV be said about hard times
and heavy taxation, it is plain from the
returns of the business of the Savings
Bank that our thrift rs IA people has kept
right on. Much more has been pat into
the banks than has been drawn out, and
more people, too, have been accumulat-
ing. Instead of the general distress which
the democratic papers represent as pre-
vailing there is more earned than spent,
plenty everywhere.
We know OF no fairer comparison be-
tween the present times and the good
old democratic times" than in comparing
the Savings Banks then and now. There
are other matters in which we have shown
great growth, noticeably in our public in
stjtutions, schools. and railroads, but the
facts shown by the Savings Banks are in
disputable, they may be understood by
everybody, and they afford an answer to
the complaints and Misrepresentation OF
democratic demagogues which they can
not meet.
PISC1TAQULS 4 WAKE.
The republican meeting at Dover on
Thursday was splendid rally of the peo-
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