Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-11-18

In this hour of Democratic rejoicing il
may seem little unkind to call attention
to the wantonness with which the Demo
c-atic party when last in power, sought to
cripple or destroy almost every leading in
dus,ry in the State of Maine but facts are
facts and We iayite the attention of our
readers for few minutes TO the position
in which our good old Pine Tree State was
placed by the infamous Mills bill which was
passed by the Democratic House of Repre-
sentatives under levelands administration
As il naturally the case in times Of Democra-
tic ascendenry the South was inthe saddle
ously dictated its terms with dogmatic i'm
pcriousness. Hence ii was, as the Joi'RSAL
repeatedly pointed out ia editorials at the
time. that the bill sedulously guarded and
protected every interest that hal any con
siderable footing in the South. and ruth
lessly sacrificed nearly all that were essen
the State of Maine this unjust sectional
discrimination fell with peculiar force.
Scarcely one of our leading industries
escaped its hostility.
Let Us recapitulate some of the provisions
of that notorious measure that apply with
especial force to our own State. Among
the things which it put upon the free list
were all kinds of timber. all varieties of
manufactured wood, laths and shingles and
clapboaris, pine or spruce. and all kinds of
logs. In fact ii simply opened up our whole
big lumber industry to unrestricted compe-
tition with the Canadian provinces. pom
Maine farmers also this Democratic bill
bore with equal force 1t provided that all
woods aud woods on tle skin be admitted
duty free from all parts of the world also all
roots, and grams anil vegetables
and all fruits, anil all meats and tallow, and
game and poultry, and milk and beans and
peas and seeds. In short the Maine farmer
was forced by its provisions 10 compete on
equal footing with his neighbors across the
Canadian border. This would certainly
appear TO be sufficient blow Mt. the pros
perity of Maine and it would seem as
IL it ought to suffice 10 satiate even the I'M
placable hostility of MIR. Mills and his
Southern associates: but no There was one
other important and growing industry yet to
be sssaiied-the granite industry. In
order that the future of this great business
might be efectually blighted Mr.. Mills and
his associates provided that all stones free
stone, granite. sand stone. and all hui ding
and monumental stone. of which our State
possesses such splendid variety should be
admitted to this country duty free, The
duty on potato starch was lowered to one
cent pound, reduction. that as was re-
marked at the time, would prove fatal TO
this important industry already hard pressed
BY competition. Not only this but
all our readers will remember the unfailing
hostility Of the Democratic party TO our
navigation interests. In view of all these
facts what we ask has the State of Maine
to hope for from the success of
tue btbotsSht paw saw tht P"SS'-e
Of measures studiously calculated to cripple
her industries, arrest her progress and de-
strcy her prosperity? -Four years ago
Republican Senate stood between
the Democratic party and the ca
lamity with which il menaced our State.
During the four years 10 come we shall not
have this safeguard What consideration
therefore, can our State reasonably antici-
pate at the hands of the
dominant party; II Maine were a Demo-
cratic State there might be some hope tha,
Bourbon craftsmanship would deal ,en,ierlv
with her material interests--but having
thrown majority of her votes for the
Republican candidates she is under the ban.
Whatever of her industries are paralleled in
Democratic states may yet dare to hope
but what brigh, future can the most san
guine predict for those of them when once
more a Democratic chief executive sits
in the State House and bumptious
Southern statesmen again rattle about
in the chairmanshipe of the most
important congressional committees? If
there be any it is nov incumbent upon our
Democratic brethren to point it ont.
M.so correspondent says the Bangor 4
An'"ssock Company is booming the dun
towns in that vicinity.