The Republican journal., 1895-10-17
An Open Letter.
A CRANK TO A PHILOSOPHER.

II believe the people of Maine live
chiefly on the summer boarder. No, /
am speaking gravely. With the settle
ment of the West, and the opening of
transportation facilities, vast army of
people come East every summer, seeking
the little strip Of sea coast between New
York and New Brunswick. These people
want breath of the salt air. They come
prepared to spend money. They spend
on an average perhaps 800 each, men,
women and children. This money goes,
first to the transportation companies and
the railroads ought to be able to tell you
what an enormous number of people come
east every summer, and then through every
channel of sustenance so that it reaches,
in time, almost every person in the State.
l do not know what Maine would do with
out the summer boarder industry
BELFAST, Me, Oct. II, 1895.
Hon. Charles Francis adams Boston, Mass.
MY DEAR SIR. My neighbor has called
my attention to George Grantham Balm s
interview with yourself, whom he calls a
Boston Philosopher, published in the
Sunday Herald Of Sept. %. Most people
have felt, and feel now, profound re-
spect for philosophers. But, have often
noticed that the opinions of even philoso-
piers were not wholly exempt from
attack. When philosopher plants him
self squarely and solidly in any position,
presently arises some crank who labors
to turn him about. l think you will agree
with me, that gravity is one Of the most
impressive and impregnable assumptions
of the philosopher Speaking gravely"
you assert that you believe that the peo-
pie Of Maine live chiefly on the summer
boarder. Just here seems to one crank, at
least, to be favorable opportunity to
give the philosopher turn. There may
be people in Massachusetts, not philoso-
piers but snobs, who have assumed to-
wards Maine an air Of patronage quite like
that of Englishmen to all America That
sort of people are beneath notice, but Mr.
Adams, l am amazed that man like
yourself, who is above snobbery, should
''gravely'' assert that the State Of Maine
lives chiefly on the summer boarder. The
support of nearly seven hundred thousand
people costs quite large sum of money,
and we must not forget that good many
Of these summer boarders come down to
Maine to see uncle John and aunt Sarah
and do not pay out a cent S worth. | hope
what you say is true. do not want to
lose faith in philosophers. 1t seems like
SCATTERING an idol to ask philosopher for
proof l cannot quite bring myself to the
point Of doing so. But | do wish you
would run your eyes over the figures once
more and see if you have not made mis-
take in the totals.
A little further on you assert: 81 do
not know what Maine would do with
out the summer boarder.'' Comics
sions of ignorance are very damaging
to the reputation of philosopher and
hasten to inform you that down here in
Maine, each year, we cut little ice-per-
haps half million tons on an average.
We have few slate quarries, not many,
but enough to supply the world with
slate. We have few granite quarres
where we make few million paving
blocks, and where we quarry stone and
build a few million dollars worth of
buildings. We make about two million
casks of lime. Our fish products amount
to three or four millions Of dollars. We
do a little lumber business. We have a
few little pulp mills where we make pa
per. We dom make much of stir about
it, but we can supply half the United
States, at least. We are going to make
nine thousand tons of starch this fall.
We have just put up few million cans OF
sweet corn, and million cans Of blue
berries. We have a million dollars Of
dairy products to sell. We think we
shall have the stock on hand to keep
right along in the above lines, while in
addition we build a few ships We make
few cotton goods on the Androscoggin
and on the kennebec. We have a few
wooden mills We make a few shoes.
We tan few hides and we have several
other little Industries We do little
farming. We have few sheep.
The summer boarder is profitable, there
can be no doubt about that, but really,
Mr.. Adams, some of our people are SO
very busy about other things that they
wag their heads and say: go to, thou
art no philosopher
Yours very respectfully,
ARTHUR |. BROWN.