The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-19

m0rn aGVanbag6Ous CITCuulSIanCes COQId piVa
Of these, while all deserve to be well spoken of
a few may be specially noticed. From our pres
emit standpoint IL would hardly be thought that
we had seen within a comparatively few years
MANY dark and troublesome days but such ia
The fact and it was to the keen foresight and
iudicious action of some of thes6 past Presidents
that we owed our deliyerance from our
troubles. In the year 1867, as ali 5nr
older members know. but many of the Younger
onas do not, the association determined fo erect
this beautiful building and proceeding accord.
ingIya the work was put in process a. q to make
a long story Short was finished at 4At but il
was done ia the face of many obstaels s. What
wish to put at the end OF this short story is that
to one of our past presidents we were greatly
indehi ed for Th5 esult. Bro. Sewell G. Chase
was Ia the chair at that time and W, nut great
Dependence upon MIN that no would zee us
througbsanI we were not disappointed. He
gave largely of his personal attention To the
work, and by mis- energy and courage, skill and
executive ability the work was carried through.
So important was il thought to be that he should
stand at the head that special provision was
made BY an amendment OF the Constitution that
he might serve third term, in order that his
work On the building thereby might be hetter
MANAGED. After the building was finished
there anne upon us severe financial pressure.
Az that time Bro. N. A. Foster was president,
and AZ has often happened to members of our
ASSOCIATION, he was also elected tn the State
Legislature. In this position, which he filed
Win disting uished ability, he saw an opportuni
Nv for which he was ever looking, 10 7do some
thing TO help the association out OF her troubles
He presented bill before the House and with
side the association who saw the Justice of the
act succeeded in getting grant of one-haif q
township of land from the state. With the pro-
ceeds of this, which was SOLD for Sill 900, our
association felt somewhat easier financially, but
it was soon seen that 81 600 would not pay a
debt of $4,000 What was TO be done?
Our fund must be SO managed and invested, and
our payments so arranged that we could geI
the largest increase from it. and at the same
time maintain orr cse1iS with those having de-
mands against us.
At this poiat another past president came to
our relief. The fund was pnt under the manage
ment of our late Bro Chas Holden. whose great
financial ability was everywhere recognized and
again short story, the money. ami our bonds
were SO manipulated, that our lapJented brother
lived to see the debt paid, and the association in
full possession 81 the properly. The foregoing
are thlee notable instances in which the distin-
guished character of our past presid MT were ex-
hioited. Other instances OF minor Importance
mighe be given, but time will not permit. Let
those who now live and those who came after US,
profit by their example.
. "The Press" was the next toast This was re-
sponded 70 by Col. j. NJ Adams, OF the Argus.
COL. ADAMS REMARKS.
Il gives me SINGER pleasure participate in
this festival 1t atfords me opportunity TO CON
graduate You on the past success and present
hourlshing cond tfon of your Association, and
to express my hearty sympathy in the Objects
which it seeks o promote, ana which am hap
by to believe it does efficiently promote
One of these objects is to elevate and dignity
labor. Intelligent labor IS the real groundwork
OF all clVlliz alton, the motive power or all human
progress. Labor, in its diversified pursuits, has
transformed the wilderness once traveIsed only
by wild beasts and Indians into country Of
fruitful fields and the happy homes OF civil
lied people equipped with all the wonderful
modern appliances for promoting the comfort,
extending the knowledge and perfectiDg the
mastery of man over material nature
II it te true that he is a beneiactor of his race
who makes two blades OF grass grow where
but one grew before (an,i it is true) how much
lore is he a benefactor no teaches by prseept
IA Ifu nf fxatl foil
which is one of the essential conditions OF
health, of mental growth ana OF increased skill
in works of utility and of beauty.
Masterpieces IN pai1tlOg, in architecture, in
engineering, cause us to marvel at the genus,
the skill, the enterprise of man, elevating cur
Thoughts, r. tnng the taste, and widening the
US toward Him who paintsd the Rainbow anu
hung he heavens with W 'rlds, each moving in
its appointed sphere without jar or clash-a
bonnaiess universe, perfect ia its mechs nism.
IL Another OF your objects is charity, the
helping OF the helpless God-given WORK, b ess
ing both the doer aud the rec liver. 1t testlfies
in the most practical anu effective way possible
to the bro herhood OF mau, ana kindles into life
and strength every sen iment which enobles na-
tufe. For more than three score years, almost
three score and ten, your Association has been
pursuing this benehcent mission quietly without
0stentation and without abatement of zeal.
From the bottom OF my heart lean say God bless
the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association 1t
deserved to prosper ana 1t has prospeied. Ii de-
serves the sympathy and test good wishes of
and especially.
am gratified to believe that Of the twelve
teous ind newspaper and other periodicals. in
our country there is not cne-whateyer be the
failings and in esfectons of some-theTe is not
one but would heartily commend and support such
All Institution as yours. Certainly all II Port
land have rendered cordial testimony to tho noble
purposes and noble WORK OF your associatio -
esp ealiy, not emitting its efficient educational
influence through library, lectures and its
school-and tam would hope that they have
rendered some slight aid, at least, in behalf Of
its success.
L would also fain hope as believe, that every
member of your association and every other
friend of pro 5tess has witnessed the remarkable
growth OF journalism in this country, with q
high degree Of satisfaction. It is an agency, not
without its short comings and its evils, but still
on the whole of infinite value TO every good
cause In It's present extent and diffusion its
educational power is unsurpassed. Dur
ing the war and amid the evils and corrup-
tions which were enraied, its influence
has apparently been crippled; yet who can donht
have been greatly worae. These nalign in
huenees, however, are now fast disappearing and
we may be certain that the press Will fully regain
its power in aiding truth and honesty, and in
correcting abuses born OF lack OF these vir-
tues.
II popular appreciation is to be taken as show
ing the value Of the newspaper press its value is
very great. In haine, counting four persons to
tho family, the circnlation OF periodicals is
now equal TO one for every family In the whole
country the grosth OF the press since 1850 has
been extraordinary, increasing in number from
2,026 in 1850 10 IL ,43 in 1880, or more than
four xold, and increasing in circu alton from
five millians III 1850 to tbirty-one fniilions or
more than SIX fold. The total number of copies
OF periodicals printed in 1880 was l,344 mill
lions; amount paid by publishers ia wages 2S12
millions; value Of the products 871a millions, or
equal TO Sl.75 for every man, woman and child
/ in the country. This growth is without parallel,
and there is eyory reason to believe the increase
will be even more rapid for the current decade.
Ii is for the people largely influence the char
acter OF this growth, and Of the press generally,
flfQfrl
of the good 1t Is a grave responsibility. Every
citizen should discharge it unhestatingly in the
interests OF social purity and official honesty.
hequartette then sang must .charmingy the
beautiful song allow Can bear to Leave Ihee"?
1t was greeted with raptUrcus applause.
The next toast, commerce was responded to
by Hon W. S. Dana He gave in pleasing off
hand manner, "reminiscences of Portland fifty
years ago, combining himself to its business re
lations. Then The city had only IL 600 iDhabi-
tants, and not sir gle railrosa. II one visited
Boston then he had TO take the stage at O'Clock
In the morning and arrive in Boston at 10 D. H.
aud pay $40 for the trip! Letter postage TO
Boston was then 121a cents. Al that time ali
grocsrs sold intoxicating liquors. Thought they
could rot do business without keeping liquor.
Mr.. Dana showed copy OF the Argus printed in
1914, and read from the advertisements of two
church aeac0ns the varions kinds of liquors they
had to sell. Seven dfsulleries were then in full
blast. One firm sold 1900 hogsbeads of rum in
one year, besides other liquors. Tue first tenn
perance society W started about 1885. The
firm for which Mr.. Dana clerk, was one of
the hrsf to CEASE selling liquors. There WERE no
runners In these days, said Mr.. Dana, and he
went on to characterize the drumming system
as one of the baaes OF business lie to-day, forced
upon business Mr.. D-aa closed by extend
ing tie congra4ul ions of the nercantiis Sra
ternigy to the N c. VI Association.
The toast portland Soei-ty of Natural His
tory was responded 70 IN an able manner by Il
H. Elwell of the Transcript, and the taast
portland Institute and Public Library" by
Stephen Berry in an interesting speech.
The closing toast, portland Society of ART"
was resp nded to by VIM. L. Gould.
MIR. eoULD's REMARKS.
Maxim OF Schiller: "That the master of style
is indicated by what he omits rather than by
what he says" And vet Mr. President beg 20
thank you Tor your kind recognition of this
the youngest of the societies of Portland, the
graDdchald of the Mechanic Association, for all
true art grows out of ana is entirely detendent
upon the brain aud the strong right arm of the
mechanic. When in the recent exhibition by our
what finer tribute could we pay than to put upon
canvas for our admiration the noble form of his
own honored father, standing at his bench az a
wood carver.
that the real popular demand and the real need
are for technical and industrial education
schools for WHICH are SO numerous in Europe
and SO few in this country Meantime, we are
importing from Europe graduates OF such SC cots
been taught tc perform
Gentlemen IA this city have felt this need
They are tryi TO find remedy. One of our
best carpenters = few days ago said, son, if
could only drew and give ex preston to nv
thoughts, bel 70 l could bring out a great
thing.
We propose to give the opportunity for that