The Portland daily press., 1883-01-05
The Governors Address.


that will crafty every son of Maine. The
picture it presents of the resources and pros
poets of the State is truthful and pleasing,
and the advice it gives worthy of most care
ful consideration by the legislators to whom
1t is addressed. 1t is CHEEKY message, and
will be read with pride and hope by Maine
people both within and without the limits Of
the State.
The census statistics afford the Governor
opportunity for summing up the progress
make i'll population and wealth during the
last decade, and incidentally for contrasting
our present condition with our condition
when Maine was admitted to the Union.
The contrast, or comparison, gives most
gratifying evidence of our material progress
and moral advancement. Since Maine became
a State its population has increased 11S per
cent, and its wealth S76 per cent. Within
the last decade the prosperity of many of our
industries has widely extended. We have
227 more miles of railway, the total mileage
being lob. The number of farms has in.
creased 8 per cent, we now having 64,309
farms. Of these 60,52S are owned by the
farmers who occupy them, the others being
rented for money or worked on shares. The
number of establishments devoted to lum-
bering is S48, employing 1856 men, and
turning out products to the annual value OF
$7,oSS, 1858. Maine holds the rank of seventh
State Of the Union in. the value of her lum-
ber products. In fisheries we rank first,
employing 1892 persons, COG vessels, and
producing annually $3,739,224. 1t is esti-
mated that the number of our population
largely dependent upon the fishing industry
for livelihood will not fall short of $4,000
men, women and children, and that the
complete returns represent in money value
nearly $7,0OO,00O. The ice harvest is mil
lion tons. In the yield of granite, Maine is
the first State in the Union. Manufactures
have marvellOusly increased. The manu-
facture of agricultural implements employs
two thousand establishments, forty thousand
mechanics, and capital of sixty-two million
dollars. These establishments turn out i'm
plements for our farmers valued at $6S, ,640,-
1876. As cotton manufacturers we stand
well TO the front. There are but three States
in the Union that use more bales of cotton,
but four work more spindles, and but four
employ more persons in cotton mills. The
number of looms is 1878, of spindles $685.
924, of cotton bales liz, ,3S1, of employees, IL
1854. Ship-building has revived. We COM
mand nearly the entire business Of the coun-
try in building wooden vessels. But one
ship has been built outside of Maine during
the past year on the entire Atlantic coast
The single port of Bath furnishes over two
thirds of the ship tonnage of the State and
nation.
When the Governor in the course of the
speaks out of wide and accurate knowledge
and with especial and kindly interest. He
maintains that Maine is one of the leading
agricultural States in the Union, and the
statistics he offers in support of the state
ment are sufficient demonstration. The soil
of Maine produces more buckwheat to the
acre than that of any other State. In the
yield of corn to the acre only six States
make better exhibit, our average being
thirty-fonr bushels an acre, only five bush
els behind Michigan, the State having the
largest production. In 1879 Maine produced
per acre more corn and more wheat than
the average yield of these crops in the Unit
ed States. In all the staple products of the
farm we are ahead of Vermont and Rhode
Island in the East, and Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin, Kansas and Iowa in the West.
The increase in value of our farm products
has been IA per cent. during the last decade.
The demands of our agriculturists, the Gov
ernor remarks, have been very few, and
their petitions for legislation easily satisfied.
He recommends that something more be
done; that closer and more advantageous
connection be formed between the State Ag-
ricultural College and the farmer; that ar
rangep,ents be made so the college farm can
be used, as far as practicable, for the up
building and protecting of the agricultural
interests of the State, as an experimental
station. As he justly says "The cultivated
fields are the prime source of national pros
perity, wealth, and happiness. There is,
consequently, no class of our fellow citizens
that has higher claims on our consideration
than the tiller of the soil'
Following his comprehensive review of
the industries of the State, their past and
their promise in the future, Governor Robie
takes up and comments upon the reports OF
the State departments and Stateinstitutions.
Consider able space is given to the subject
Of education, and the recommendations
made by the Superintendent of Common
Schools approved as practical and worthy
of favorable consideration. A full and salts
factory statement is made of our financial
condition. The wise suggestions of the
Bank Examiner relative to Savings Banks
are presented to the careful consideration of
the Legislature. Recommendations and
suggestions as to the bettering of State in
stitutions like the State Prison, the Insane
Hospital, the Reform and other industrial
schools are offered. A good and much need
ed word is said for that grand charity, the
Maine General Hospital, and othel incor-
porated charities are duly praised, The
College of Agriculture is specially commend
ed to the attention of the Legislature. The
condition of the State Militia is commended
for its efficiency and high character. The
continuance of State pensions to disabled
soldiers is strongly recommended. The re-
vision of the public laws made by Judge
Goddard is heartily praised, and appropriate
recognition paid to the able work of the
Commissioner. The labors of the law de-
partment, and of the competent officer now
at its head, receive proper acknowledgement
Other, though minor, matters of public in
terest receive adequate treatment. For the
discu ssion of these and for complete dis
cussion of the topics mentioned above. we
must refer our readers to the message itself.
After perusing it they will agree with Govern
or Robie that Maine is one of the best States
in which to live, and join in his belief that
her interests were never more prosperous
aud her future never more promising than
te-day.
The concluding portion of the Address,
relating to questions of public policy, must
be highly praised, and should command the
attentive consideration Of every citizen
of Maine. The prevailing sentiment
of the State regarding temperance and
prohibition and the proposed constitutional