Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-08-13

<efIoD Csfzess-Until nov expec,ea .,
pe present at the public meeting rrI.t;no -
!axaelon OF Edwards Manufacturing Co In,
Important matters that are pending holJ me-
mere. But ~ person earnestly Interested
10 tne prosperity and advancement of Au0u..
would be wrong for me to pass the mat
"naout attention or without more
than an ordinary consideration
Manufacturing interests are mos,
desirable and are almost universally
1os.eieo In their infancy; if we do not foster
sueh interests We ehail not be likely TO he.
come manufacturing centre, for the CAPITAL
"nlen under certain conditions might be in
vested here. will certainly be attracted el.e-
"here by advantages offered. l have spent
considerable time in investigating, and il ia
my opinion that the Edwards Company mean
business here, providing they are met in
iairiy liberal spirit. 1t is my opinion that
'ne interests Of the city are in the direction
Vi liberal policy Ii is my opinion
tnal 'ne valuation OF the properly Of the
| Edwards TO. IN this city is too high. mucb
OF the machinery is old and must sooa 90
into the melting pot as old iron Twill NOT
20 INTO details, bur l wish to call attention
20 the TACT that tue property of the Edwards
nahuIacturlng Co Is valued at one tenth of
| ali the real and personal estate in Augusta :.
now submit my opinion that the property
does not represent anything like one tentb of
the wealth Of the City therefore
not equitable that the valuation
should stand at its present i.ure
Our hope of growth and progress ia based
on manufacturing without manufacturing
developement we can but slowly rust and de-.
cay. We cannot hope even to hold
our own for the next score of years. Now
Instead OF trineing manufacturing progress
70 a stand BY the highest roll of taxation that
1t seems possible to levy, l affirm that il
would be wiser to encouragingiy open the
doors of liberal policy that may few wears
hence, not only help US pay our debts but
greatly enhance the value of our real estate,
and infuse new blood in all the arteries Of
our stagnant trade. Instead of valuation
OF few hundred thousands on manufactur-
ing property, would adopt policy that may
swell 1t to few millions. / hold real estate
in Augusta that cost me the round
sum Of one hundred thousand dollars,
which to-day could hardly be sold for over
| thirty thousand dollars it cannot be doubted
but that | would like to see this property
raised to its par vaiue-how can il be done?
There is hope only through manufacturing
growth, and the above applies to every hold
er of real estate in the city in the degree
and amount in which he is interested, as far
as property rise goes. Our traders find it
/
| best blood goes west for lack of employment
and prospect here. Can we hope for any
remedy for all this? We can, but
only through growth in manufact-
uring. 1t is perfectly plain to me
that all our interests are in the direction of
liberal policy towards manufacturing devel-
opment, and believe that every intelligent
man who has studied the subject carefully,
will agree with me. For the sake of gaining
dollar now, 1 would not throw away the
opportunity of gaining hundred in the near
future. Without increased manufacturing
development we are at a stand. and our city
growing rusty without the slightest hope OF
better state of things. But have faith in the
intelligence of the people of our little home
under the hills. and I believe that their
wisdom will lead in direction that
will make hope for the future bright and
| strong. Look at the history of the rapid
growth Of manufacturing in other places.
you will find that there was fostering and
not squeezing process. The amount of the
whole story is, we must give manufacturers
something approaching the advantages that
| elsewhere they are offered, if we expect them
| to plant their capital with us he who thinks
differently. thinks in short-sighted man
ner.
| There are plenty of weak kneed and weak
reasoning people who will tell you that manu-
featuring is OyerdOne, and for many years
the prospect for new mills to any large extent
is not good. But let me tell you that this is
all ignorance and lack Of foresight. AT our
present rate of increase, A. ID. 1890 will
show onr population at nearly seventy mil
lions and shortly after A. ID. 1900 our great
country will contain one hundred million
souls; to supply this vast increase, this doub-
ling up, our manufacturing facilities must
also be doubled, not in cotton goods alone,
but in every line. Though just at present
the country at large is suffering severe de-
preston in slmost every line OF trade, let no
one think that we are not growing and
expanding; in the near future great mills
are to be built in all parts, and people will
again marvel at the great onward march; ;
shall we share in and benefit by this great
onward march of Improvements and progress9
By liberal policy think we shabby
squeezing. grinding policy. | know we shall
not, and we shall simply wait for the rust and
decay that belongs to us, to cover us up. In
the not distant future we shall the pop
lation of the United States doubled,
and her manufacturing facilities in every
line doubled: in that time we ought
to increase our manufacturing capacity
many iold we have the water power
and I believe we can have the mills
in due time. Hundreds upon hundreds of
new mills will soon be required to supply the
constantly growing demand and it is entire
Iy unreasonable to suppose, that all things
being equal, nothing will go up here. If
owned and controlled the whole city, immense
mills should be built here; would offer
such reasonable encouragement that manufac-
turers would put them up; in their infancy
would nurture them, and in return they
would pay my debts when they had outgrown
their childhood. Why should not the
many who own and control the city,
look and think and act in this direction
Investigation will show that the interests of
the Edwards Co, are in the direction OF
building At Augusta very extensive mills :
in short. larger mills mean larger dividends
Our farmers must not loose sight of the fact
that manufacturing Development means a
better market for their produce, and every
class of labor should remember that large
manufacturing places are the centres where
at fair wages there is always, with rare ex-
ceptions, enough to do.
feel very much in earnest about the mat
ter before us, a. every citizen must, who is
alive to its importance. In my earnestness
hope have not wearied you. have the
homer to remain,
y