The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-03


telligent, whole hearted friend who has
lived from childhoods among the Islands
concerning whose people sensational re-
ports have been recently published. It
urged somewhat in the line of prevention
or defense against unjust and injurious
stories that have been circulated, only
to come back and wound the feelings
OF an innocent an sensitive people. The
effect is discouraging.
There is such "a thing as reporting
truths without conveying the truth.
And it is easy and natural to condemn
the reporters and load them with epithets
by no means helpful, or in the interest of
truth. have high respect for reporters
as class. l have reason to have. l
have friends among them. They serve
the public. No caterer of .the restau-
ant was ever more assiduous and intelli-
| gent In meeting the tastes and demands
OF his customers than they the tastes
and demands of the patrons of the news
paper press. None have keener instinct
as to what the newspaper public de-
| mands. When that public requires
better. work, they are the men to do it;
and none would respond more gratefully
than they. When they are sent out after
a harrow they are not the ones to come
back with lawn mower. When they
are wanted to go along our coast to
write up the virtues and fellow feeling
ance of hardship on sea and shore, and
| the signs of uplift and coming pros
| perlty, these very reporters will go for
them, and find Them
1t has been my privilege to spend five
weeks of the last twelve among those
islands to which attention has been di-
rected by the newspapers But to give
even a tolerably correct impression, to
| shed real light that hurts nobody, and
| helps everybody, is not easy. [ have
| visited the people in their homes-in
all. their homes through quite wide
region, and learned somewhat the story
| of their lives A kinder hearted people
! never saw. | learned to love them
| like own folks. Capt. Lane, who has
| been most with them, has the strongest
attachment. They do not see one another
suffer with cool Indifference. They are
| accustomed to share what they have
The Idea That They are Starving
| there is simply ridiculous. You cannot
| find more fellow feeling to the square
inch anywhere in this country than along
the coast of Maine, judging by what I
have seen.
In this am not saying that there is
no destiution. There is-both material
and moral. They need help. Who of us
| hasn't needed help sometimes in our
lives, needs it now or may need it again?
Some morning, with your PERMISSION,
would like to show some of the causes
of the restitution along our seaboard.
Judging by observation, the towns are
doing their part we'll. Where help is
needed they respond. They would do
more, only ascertain self respect, truly
American, forbids the acceptance of
municipal aid. found many more COM
| Portable, pleasant homes than expected.
Most are evidently stepping forward.
| The reverse is the small exception.
Well, then, what needsof clothing so
generously furnished? Here of course
| illustrative facts are in order. But to
illustrate would be to drag into publici-
/ must be excused. Let me observe in
p general way, however, that there is
| little call for relief of inexcusable povrty.
OF drinking, i'll the space Of my obser-
walton there was none; and ! never was
in a community which was SO free from
the tobacco vice in all its forms But
| the call on our sympathy that comes
| from sickness, disaster and death, which
leave survivors with slender means
of support, is more frequent. The old
| and infirm, widows and children, tell a
| tale of the herofsm of the burdened and
the kindness of neighbors that may. well
be reinforced by our little gifts And
who are nobly helping themselves, with
large dependent families. Encourage.
! ment does not come amiss to such. The
| best help, indeed, is just here. Could
you have been with the writer when he
spent Thanksgiving day-one of the
happiest days he ever spent in his life
| especially could the donors of the COM
| forta BILE clothing he was furnished with,
| have been there, all would be satisfied.
| But must not go into particulars I
| cannot take the public into those homes
| or describe them. But tell you they
| are doing their best; and little neigh
borly touch. just at the edge Of winter,
| in the line of comfortable clothing has
| lifted burden little too heavy, and
brought tears to many anseye, and glad
ness to many asheart. And if any who
| contributed shoe latchet to the pile of
clothing that went to- the eastward by
| your humble servant, will call on him
they shall learn what will make their
| souls grateful. "God helps them that
1
we do the same
| Possibly it was mistake to send to
| the seaboard for news of starvation in a
year like this It has been a year of un-
usual prosperity on the shore. The fisher
| men have had good luck. The fishes
have not failed. The solemn lobstershas
not shut up shop. He is waiting on Gus
toners at the old stand, and turns up
never too short for the children of the
| hungry fisherman. The gay and festive
smelt still frequents Quohog bay and
New Meadowsariver, ready Ito I'LL orders
! for Boston and New York markets. The
clam fats are full of well fed inhabi-
| tants. The great and wide sea has not
| closed it's doors, or discharged it's la bor-
ers. awaiting some sluggish discussion of
| Congress observing the holidays, while
the great manufacturing population are
clamoring for bread OF work. 1t asks
no protection and sets up no barriers.
When the time comes there is good
| news to communicate from the islands
| The half has not been told.
Respectfully yours,
F.SOUTHWORTH.