The Portland daily press., 1897-04-01

hospital, the Maine Eye q Ear Infrmary'
the beautiful public library, the gift of
the public spirited and philanthropio
Mayor Baxter, whose broad ideas have
contributed so much to the up building
of Portland's material interests, like the
building of the mammoth elevator and
securing the appropriation to make Port
land harbor the grandest on the sea
coast. All these instances show that
Maine has been in many ways aggressive
Iy progressive rather than unwisly con-
servative.
Mr.. Cloudy then proceeded to consider
his subject under the three heads, politi-
cal, moral and material. Naturally ag.
gressiye size took strong ground in favor
of anti slavery. The course and senti'
inent of her people created the Hamlins,
Fessendens and Blaines, ana in later
days Reed, Frye, Hale, Diugley and
others placed Maine in the forefront of
progressive craftsmanship. The speaker
also mentioned the many great names.
adopted sons of other states, who had
conferred honor on Maine. So that in
this matter she has not been unwisely
conservative.
Next from the moral standpoint, Maine
has always stood for good morals. The
banner of temperance was unfurled by
that grand old son of Maine, Neal Dow,
whose lifs has been living example of
the benefit arising from sobriety and
faithfulness tn highest ideal. AL honor
then to Neal Dow, the hero of moral
battle, in which Maine has been more
honored through the world than she can
ever honor him. Continuing, Mr.. Cloudy
spoke as follows:
What have we done and what are we
doing to advance the interests of our
state at large. from the business mans
point of viewp Ale we unwisely con-
servative? Or, wisely aggressive and pro-
least, we can oommiserate ourselves as
being the most recklessly aggressive
people in this country AS against all OF
the much hsralded conservatism which
SO many of our capitalists, financiers,
AID shrewd business men continually
boast Of and affect to assume, especially
when approached by those who desire to
OullSb uIolI buppOEt Ill UuC 0Ov0lOPmouU
and maintenance of local enterprises and
industries. / hold that it is better to
invess our money and give our support
to the local enterprises and commercial
interests OF our own state, even though
they sometimes prove Improbable and
unsatisfactory to US indy idually than 1t
is TO send our money abroad, as in such
our efforts and investments have built
factories or induced enterprises which
have remained with US, which under
other ownership and management have
continue to employ labor, disburse
money, and generally contribute to the
welfare OF the community in which such
interests happen to he located. Such
action is surely better for us than to be
led away by some brilliant representative
from the far distant West or South,
who may present a Colorado mining
deal, or,some grand irrigation scheme, or
a pla n for the development and upbuild-
ing of some great city ION paper), such
as Sioux Falls, Fort Payne, Dsnnison,
and Phoenix, "amid its prolific fields of
alfalfa" and to whom our so-called
most cautious and conservative capital
lists, bankers, and business men respond
so freely, swallowing the tempting bait
thrown out MS readily as trout jumps
at gaudy fly, the results being in
these parallel cases substantially the
same, with the exception thst one dies Ii
physical death because Of having too
readily jumped at tempting bait,
whereas. OH the other hand, our conser-
vative investors and inanciers are made
sick. unto death. Or nearly SO, financially,
at least, because Of the terrible dose ad-
ministered by this plausible beguiler
from the enchanted South aud West.
whose. tempting tender of 10 or IL per
can't interest, or 100 per cent profit on
debenture bonds, real estate investments,
mining stocks and other speculative
flyers, are toe much for their conserva
tive cupidity. But the subject Is too
painful, and I desist from farther COM
mont. After this reminder of orr past
and possibly present folly, let us look at
the other side of this unwise reckless
ness, which obtains with some of these
same brilliant financiers, investors, and
business men of Maine, when they are