The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1897-01-07
It might be we'll to provide. by appro-

marked distinctly what they really are so
fthat no one can be deceived as to what he
Is purchasing.
In recommending that our farmers and
dairy men he protected from fraud along
these lines | think | give expression TO
the VERY general wish and desire of
class of mel that are certainly entitled
to consideration.
Farmers are especially Interested in
good roads and reasonable freight rates.
Our highways IN some localities GER
tainly are not what they should be Thee
are some towns that are not able to make
them as desired without aid from the
county or State. In some others the
money is often injudiciously and i'm
properly expended
Ifnder existing laws the burden Of main
tafuing roads and building bridges often
hears very unequally upon towns and
townships and IS anything but proper
Tomato 10 the BENEFITS conferred.
Correct these inequalities and provide
thai al road money shall be raised and
wisely expended. as a prudent man would
conduct his own business affairs, and you
have taken the first. and very i'm
poItaul stsp towards getting better
road= and responding to a demand which
is quite general at present throughout our
\ careful study of our laws for building
and repairing roads will, think, con-
vince auyone that they need revision and
some radical changes. =
Il Is however for you, gentlemen, to
determine. after patient Investigation
what if anything shall be done.
Our railroad service Is excellent, so Tar
as safety. comfort and convenience of the
travelling public Is concerned. Few
states, II any. located and settled as ours
can boast better accommodations than
we haVe anl We should indeed be CRATE
ful 10 the mcu who have the management
If our railroads. for their fidelity and con-
slant eare md devotion to the pSbhc
good VI 1 an inclined to the opinion
that SOM Of The freight rates are hlA a.
compared with what is paid by our com
petltors lu NeW \ ork ana the west
@here theE naFe several truiA lines. Inc
greater cost OF building ana operating
here doubtless accounts for part of
this.
This difference in freight oiten drives
our 1Hfmers out ol our immediate mar
keel hH HgodBNs them win tn" products
brought from distant states at much
loWsf cost than We have been able to OBJ
tain condition alike injurious 70 the
railroads aHd oar citiZcns. ana winch l
have np doubt The railroads viii effect
TALLY remedy I'm the immediate future.
They fully faa.lze that IT would be Wise,
and. il tile nd. the best paying pOllcy
to uhfI4tr this AS far as possible so that
our manufactures by their Increased out
put aud or farmers 10y raising larger
crops eau compensate for the lower
l9ailIs rlfes &ith the additional business
which "enia fesAtl ana az tue same tlme
have Ia" in'tus 10 travel anu more
largely pdtrplIze the ROADS.
Certainly the prosperity OF the indus
tries and tne people Of our State and our
railroads are very largely and INSOFAR
ably connected.
or lusnhefiue and manufacturing in
tefests 9re not IN rs prosperous c9nditl9n
As could be desired. lh' uHpreCedehtcuIy
low prices slnee We nave oron compelIru
TO met laise iot'lsn CoiiPSlllloiui III ouI
own markets nave preSScu 'lo"NHs upon
them.
am not aware that any new Goltol or
woollen miHs have been erected during
the past thrte years While many OF those
already hult nave been cothpeIlfd 10 sus-
Under ehahged iarlii rondltlons we
hope IN the not lar instant future 10
once more see their former prosperous
business return. mere nave ho'h nulIt;
however. within Few years several
large pulp ana paper MUS. ana more are
In contemplation hes9 mus nave ere
ated new ana qulie II late' u'Iudhu LOT
spruce ana othet WoodS Sultdble ior pup
and opened a ne" market TOT certain
kinds oil lumber ana "oon WIN ~hich our
ident, Is destined to give to Maine very
largely the control OF the paper produc-
ton of this country.
Our forests furnish employment Tor Ia
borers and a home market for large
amount of the products OF our farms.
They are source OF Maine wealth sec
ond only to agriculture Ere IS their
greatest scourge. All are Interested in
their preservation.
Any request or recommendation OF the
land agent or iorestfy commissioners,
which shall more etIeetudlly protect theIn
from destruction by hre, set through
rarelessness or by design, IS of vital i'm
portance to all the people OF the state as
well as to the land owners themselves.
LABOR.
The report Of the commissioner of the
bureau of industrial and labor statistics
contains much valuable Information.
Everything that pertains to the interests
and welfare OF what is termed the labor
class Is of special importance to us all.
When the wage earners and Industrial
classes of any country are constantly and
remuneratiVely employed. that nation is
prosperous and its people couteuted aud
happy. 1 have always believed in and
advocated the NShtS and dignity of labor
I have eyer favored all labor organizd-
lions designed to promote-by legitimate
means ne "tii9Ie VI 10 ihe ,iIl ipeIS. 10
aiu ~ III .i nc ~ - 49, ~,
l3l ~, n,l,,t nr ca,itol IatoI ~
not VI tie ~ i+I w., Cp'a i etriteu oS
t ieiIi' - - - W. ~ '''0 1901 ''' Si'-
touidE'Iii91n IN tho cto,o &c Nrai.o .ho,.
- ~ hnan M very serio,ts Conflicts he
tWseen emplover and employed We are
w, -, ,,d 1.jtb oytre,nns ~ no,,ortv and
,,'e,itb. WITH classes having an almost i'm.
,,,s.,,bia guIf between them that Iook
mon each other with mutterings and hit
Ter distrust. All our citiz ms are, sub
sfantiaIlv on the same plane i'm life Can
Ill md labor have generally connie
r,a,tei and assisted each other. and we
may reasonably hope that this state of
,hirge IL 10 continue in the future Yet
thnre are some labor problems to be
snt,ed even i'm our state
MANY wage earners are engaged in worry
bazardous Vorations on railroads ste9 M
sbins and In some factories and mills
often they rannot. and do not know
what dangers and perils surround them
Is',erv bn..ane consideration demands
thai he h, Il possible safeguards should
he thrown about them: and that emnIov-
ers should ~vercise the highest degree OF
care i'm the collection of everything to be
nsed i'm and about their work
Questions O. this kind involving the LA
hiiity of emDloyers. and also questions re-