Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-03-05
The Winter OF our Discomfort.

Logical windup of an illogical
winter" winter gone crazy" were some
of the explanations heard yesterday.
Either appears to serve the purpose. 1t
was Cowpcr who wrote, sc Winter, ruler
of the inverted year Had he written
20, inverted winter, ruler of mortals,
his words would apply to existing condi
lions. 1t is evident the hoary dame
hasn't outwOrn her weeds and is gratified
to hear her beloved dirge-like sound
drown the call of her azure sister of the
awake. However this poetical view of
it is likely to be lost sight Of in dealing
with the practical side of clustering
March, a cold April and whatever of the
disagreeable may linger in the lap of May.
Altogether the results of our illogical
winter leave no doubt as to the dcsr-
ability of a logical one. The damage
done to business in this State by lack of
snow in season and surplus of rain and
snow out of season is very great, how
great it is impossible to accurately esti-
mate. Certainly this condition of affairs
is responsible for much of the business
loss and has been all the more disastrous
because it came on top of the dizziness re-
Elected from other parts of the country.
Aside from the slump in Aroostook
potatoes affecting only the northern part
OF the State, there was little of local cause
for hard times. Crops were fairly album
dant. Our industries while feeling the
effects of pernicious tariff legislation have
kept up pretty well with slight reductions
in wages. LAUNDERING operations were
undertaken on quite large scale, the
operators basiDg their venture ON hope of
better conditions when tariff iniouities
shall be removed. The lack of snow was
a serious blow to this branch of industry
and the snow fall which came later in
the season, did not wholly remedy the
disaster. Many of the merchants kccnly
feeling The effects of dull times and the
disarrapgement of business generally
were in no condition to undergo the
months of inactivity caused by the lack
of good travelling, The country people
could not bring their products to market
to exchange for goods until it was so late
that many of them decided to do without
the usual seasons purchases. The loss
occasioncd by the floods must be cnor-
nous in the aggregate. Towns will have
| to go deep into their pockets for money to
replace bridges and repair washed out
| highways.
| 1t is not an occasion for gloominess,
however. There are excellent assurances
of a revival of business all over the
country, which Will enter upon new en-
terprses in the feeling of certainty that
hereafter our national legislation will be
of character to encourage rather than
discourage. Already the effects of this
feeling are apparent. Maine will share
10 this, and when it Is remembered that
this State has suffered but slightly from
the general hard times and that the
effects of our illogical winter are but
temporary. and will be promptly mot,
there is little reason to be downcast
rather, good grounds for hope of complete
restoration of the exceptionally favorable
conditions existing in Maine for the mast
few years under the diversion of our can.
ital from Western investments.