The Portland daily press., 1895-10-24
TRIENNIAL FESTIVAL.



ery vet to be invented.
n AGRICULTURAL machinery the changes
have been very great. Besides the lnple-
ments used in haying, including morse
rakes, teddeFs and leaders, as well as
moving machines these last seem TO
accomnIish more in the saving of labor
Than any Others Each OF these improved
machines enable each man to do three or
fonr times rs much as he could 30 years
ago. We are. continually seeing some
new appliance for the saving. OF LABOR
and still laboring men have little dill
Guilty in finding employm emit. And yet
with all this abundance of labor saving
machinery, there seems to be q greater
scarcity of human help than in the olden
times.
We seem to be able in this country to push
the adoption of labor saving machinery
to the utmost without opposition from
the individuals who are turned out OF
employment by their use. And ! now ,s
electricity, the most wonderful of all
elements is tending its aid to the en-
hancement OF the comfort OF man. Its
use is another most potent factor in our
labor economy. BY its employment we
can distribute power almost indefinitely
and apply it to very small uses,and by its
agency utilize natural powers which have
not before been available. To help us
realize how much we have gained by
mechanical helps, improved methods and
inventions. let us imagine what we could
do If deprived of steam railroads, the
telegraph, telephone, use of petroleum
for illumination and fabrication, use of
wood pulp for the manufacture of paper,
and the scores of other inventions we
consider indispensable Put ourselves
back so years and we should feel helpless
and a perfect stagnation of business
would follow.
The steam engines now in use in this
country exclusive of locomotives and
marine engines, amount to at. least s.
600, 900 horse power. The horse power of
steam machinery is rated as being equal
to the strength of 20 men so that the
steam machinery employed in this coun-
try is equivalent, to the labor of 100, 600,
600 of men. would not claim that this
tremendous power is all as effective in
producing food, clothing and sheltersas
the manual labor of that plumber of men,
but the amount of its assistance is al
most beyond comprehension.
Now for an effort to account for the
disposition of all this gain. First the
hours OF labor have been lessened Is to
20 per cent Everyone has gained some
thing in the comfort of living. All have
a greater variety of food than was usual
at the time we look back to, clothing
| is more abundant and more ornamental,
we have more facilities for recreation,
| books are more abundant and easier to
obtain, education is more general. The
| great fortunes that have been accumulat-
cd and which are being rapidly increased
| furnish without doubt the most promi-
nent item in the effort to ascertain where
| the results of our improvements are
placed. Between 1910 and 1880 the popu-
/ lation Of this country increased 1874 per
cent but in the same period the wealth
| OF the country increased 1850 per cent, SO
that the wealth per capita in those 40
years had augmented more than five
fold.
These improved conditions .'and this in
| crease of wealth, great ass they seem, do
not, to my mind, fully account for all
the gain that can be attributed to the
economy that has been q attained in the
application of labor. | believe the
wealth of the country is much greater
than is shown by statistics. I believe
the leaders among men have had more
than just share of the gain. They are
not to blamed for this; the conditions
of society have brought it about. I think
the amelioration of the burden of labor
should be greater than it has been, and
have no doubt that in the near future
among all civilized nations, the laboring
man, the workman, will receive his share
of the advantages that have been brought
about by the genius of inventors. The
social problems that are now agitating
the people will prove the justice of this
and feel sure that the results of this agi-
tation will be a fairer distribution of the
goods and burdens of this world.
THE BANQUET.
After Mr. Morse's address, the company
marched by couples to the large and
handsome dining hall, which presented
very attractive appearance. Caterer
Robinson had made special efforts that
everything should be worthy Of the
dignity and Importance of the occasion.
There was one long table across the head
of the hall and six larger tables extended
the length of the hall at right angles.
These were decorated with flowers and
plants and laden with delicacies and sub
stantials innumerable and delectable. The
tables were set to accommodate three
hundred and fifty people, and about three
hundred and twenty five sat down.
President Dam called upon William M.
Marks, ESQ.,, to invoke the Divine bless
ing, At the head table were officers of
the association, the invited guests and
the committee. They included President
Dam and wife, Rev. Mr.. Sheppard of ST.
Pauls church, Gen. Neal Dow, Col. Fred
N Dow, Ewdard G. SWEET and wife,
Collector John W. Deering, Aldermen
Randall and Thompson, Vice President
Raymond, Stephen G. Perry, ESQ.,, Pres
dent Pagan of the Common Council,
John Calvin Stevens and wife. William
M. Marks and wife, Munro A.
Blanchard and daughter.
The committee Of arrangements were
George f. Morse, Charles f. Dam, VIM.
H. AYerill, f. A. Tompson, Nathan E.
Redlon, and Abner W. Lowell. They
were all present with their wives.
At the other two tables sat scores of the
most respectable and prominent citizens
with their ladies.
Letters of regret were read from Gov.
Cleayes, Mayor Baxter, Judge Putnam,
DR.. Frederick H. Gerrish, Judge Joseph
W. Symonds, Thomas B. Merrill, who
was to respond to the toast. The
Mechanic and ex-President Lewis B.
Smith.
The post prandial exercises began with