The Portland daily press., 1892-03-31

favored. RlgnC unQer our feeJ is the
hard and unyielding granite, which has
pushed its way through the crust of
earth and
Covered Maine All Over With Hills,
and given us only small depth of soil.
Here are no rich and fertile plains like
our Western states. Our climate is
severe, and here the summer is short
and winter delights to tarry. We have
an atmosphere which when the crisp
wind of the northwest does not chill the
warm air and moisture of the Gulf
Stream fills with the depressing fog.
Surely these conditions seem hard, but
the evil is one of seeming; the evangel
follows. The hard granite afoundation
tipped on edge gives the low mountains
which, while not snow capped in sum
mer, serve to hold the winter SHOWS long
enough to feed the thirsty streams of
August. Running at angles with the
river beds, it makes the rough Irregular
ties for the falls and serves as natures
masonry for the solid channels for our
rivers. The soil is thin and hard but it
yields good harvests when properly titled,
and it's quality is such that it holds in it's
reserve the water for the streams. The
climate, which seems so cold and cheer
less, is filled with the bracing ozone
which the inhabitant of the South and
West must vainly long for at home.
There is nothing cheerful in fog, but
this shelters our water courses and their
reservoirs, abating evaporation and al
lowing the water to drain off in the usual
way. Here we have no danger from that
malaria which more genial cline engen-
ders; here no cyclone, which the broad
prairie invites; here no muddy streams
like those that flow through earth bound
channels, but water clear as crystal and
sparkling as the nectar of the gods. These
are things that others appreciate if we do
not, as is witnessed by the flow of sum-
mer visitors to our state.
One Word AS to Our Limitations.
The great one is lack of capital. No
matter what are our resources, they can
not be developed without money. The
state of Maine is not rich. 1t is a -four
ishing state; our people are well to do.
Here is but little of abject poverty.
The savings banks show something of
the average condition of our people. But
there is here but little of what may be
termed centralized or organized capital.
w Hal l. 1nedn Call D0SU D0 lliuSlrdCeQ ny
this. Take the most flourishing village
in the state, assume it to be situated up
on some available water power, and let
it be proposed to establish some manu-
facture which shall require capital of
from $4,000 to $4,000. Now, although
this may be thriving place, and the cit
liens may be enjoying comfortable in
come, yet you know there is not the cap
ital there which can he made available
for such purposes. We cannot upon one
hand rival the men in New York who
represent a wealth exceeding that of the
entire state. We must then look outside
our own borders and our efforts should
be to attract the attention of the capital
list to the advantages which the state of
Maine affords. When these are realized
then may we hope to see the waters of
the Saco, the Presumpscot, the Andres
coggin, the Kennebec, the Penobscot and
many a lesser river, all employed in turn
ing the wheels which shall give Maine
great prominence in the manufacturing
world