Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-21
Maine Board of Trade Holds
Its Annual Meeting.
The State Shown TO Be in Prosperous
and FIoufishing Condition.
;ddressss Of Promif eni Citizens Of The S'ais
on Our Resou- ees.

boa-d of trade met in the common council
rN m at Portland, Tuesday afternoon at 2
o'clock, with representatives present from
ne .rly all the local boards in the State.
President Lord of Bangor was in the chair.
Secretary NJ. N. Rich presented his semi
annual II port. Mr.. Rich reports that in
the State board Is toaIds are now accced-
| tied, with membership of 1889. More
lxnguor has prevailed in some of the boards
in the State during the past fix mon'h hs than
| formerly. which may be attributed to tn.
unsettled butiness conditions. Mr.. II eh
Gays factories pay best whefe good labor il
| 70 be hal, where water ,wer is abundant
snd where transportation is low and living
cheap.
! All these conditions prevail in Maine
We have 1900 miles of railroad, and ii
| AroostoUk 800, 900 worth of new builing
are planned for this year. The demand foi
seashore property is increasing. Our raj
roads carried 154 900 more passengers thar
last year and 500 600 more tons OF freight
The gross earnings of the railroads wa.
| 100000 more than last year. 10 local
boards and the State boards much credit is
due for this prosperityby their steadily di,
rectirg ats ntion to the fasiliti.s offered
| The fattering success of this policy eyi
| denced in 50 many ways, should be an in
centive for continued unremittirg work.
DR.. G. M. Twichell spoke as follows, OF
! "The Relation Agricultural Sot ieties Bear
to the Interests of the State"
As nation we have been making histor,
rapidly these last few years and especiall
in our industrial and agricultural pursuits
The flood gates of invention have beer
opened wide and the increasing output from
a single pair of hands, aided by perfe cted
appliances, has completely transformed
business relations. In every department
the same energy has been manifest, and the
possibilities of production marvt lously in
creased. Following this there has resulted
what is perfectly natural, if it be regretted
a want Of mutual dependence among classes.
1t is this single thought l desire to empha-
size with special reference to our grea'
agricultural interests where my labors are
being directed.
The interdependence of classes, admit
ted in general, calls for specialization a.
frequent intervals, else the selfish interests,
which naturally envelop individuals and
corporations, obscure the vision and estab
lish barriers difficult to overthrow. In the
constant struggle made necessary through
the competition Of the present there is dan
ger that the reciprocal relations may be ig-
nored. There never was day when there
was greater call for emphasizing the fac
that the mill, the factory, the railroad, ths
corporate body is absolutely necessary for
the most complete development and pros
perity of town or village; that the growth
of the home market opens the door for the
salvation of the farms, and that only as in
ternal improvements are secured can the
wealth of the State be increased. Over
against this is the stubborn fact that every
day we are within six months of starvation
and all that saves is the brain and labor OF
the tillers of the farms. In the wise econ0-
my of things each is necessary fer the sup
port of the other. The only approach to
independence is to be found on the farms,
and in a return to the farm life of centuries
ago when the products were all converted
to the uee of the family, sni mill, shop ar d
store were unknown. In the growth to-
wards the larger life the fact of this inter-
dependence increases.
Il has been claimed that Maine is not an
agricultural State, but by those who have
failed to grasp the volume or the value OF
our soil resources. Wanting the expanse
of prairie, or the broad levels of some other
sections, it is fact, gentlemen, susceptible
of proof, that, in the products adapted to
our climate and condition. and they are
varied. the farms may be made to exceed
all manufactures.
Maine is a State with an infinite variety
of resources. Let US keep that fact to the
front, and also that the possibilities in any
direction cannot today be imagined. Es-
pecially is tlis true with our agricultural
interests. The hem of the garment of pro-
duction has hardly been tout he'd, ard the
future of Msine farms will tell wonder
ful story of increase. Already throughout
New Erglsnd there are urmistakable evi-
dences that the tide has turned, and the
burden laid by those who have unwisely
advertised the decadence of agriculture
through the sad mistake of talking about
abandoned farms, are bt ing removed.
II ia in the extension of all our res ources
that the wealth of the Pine Tree State is to
be established. Don't for q moment let
the thought find lodgment that Maine has
not unlimited opportunities and possibi tiles
along agricultural lines. Wanting, per-
hsps, in some directions, Nature has been
all the more lavish in her gifts here, so that
in the crops and products adapted to our
soil and climatic conditions, more of yield
aud value per acre are possible than in any
other section of country. Direct contact
with farm life all orer the State, extending
over the past ten years, fully justifies the
claims here made. :,
While towns and villages, shops and mills
have been epringing up. swelling the mum,
her of inhabitants in these centres and
drawing somewhat from the outlying Sec
tons, il is true that the output of the farms
has multiplied many times and is suscep-
tlhle of an increase not now to be imagined.
In the products Of the dairy and nd. orchara' hard
the potatoes and surely the sweet corn.
Maine can easily be placed at the head OF
alI New Eugland states. and become rival
70 New York and the great dairy sections
OF Wisconsin and Iowa. :,
The cheap lands along our fruit beif' NIL
II. rot ky and of no value for cropping can
hv the planting and cultivation OF trees oe
male more valuable than any orange grove
OF vineyard.