Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-29
Estate OF MAINE.
subject OF Hon. n. "a. Hsath's Eloouent
Address Before the Portland Club.

on Monday evening the Portland
c'uo gave a banquet complimentary to
non. II. M. Heath. He was the speake,
OF the evening and his subject was
The State of Maine" The .adress
was very enthusiastically received.
The opening. as described in the renort
was witty and brought down the
house"
The following abstract of the ad
dress appeared in the Portland press
Tuesday morning:
~ sHe last decade Maine increased but
a., .riIe III population. from GAS. ORG to G6l.
ooo. But the Increase was in the cities
On, aiound the centres of manufacture
,me nope OF Maine in the years to come
to 130346 iioi'' ''''i'
nut lew appreciate the gigantic strides
Oh our State along the lines of wealth. OF
1uilIort and of material development
Inc number of dwellings ran up from
iz4'9o9 in 1880 to 1885, 255 in 1890. We have
become empharically d people of home
owners with total of s. 233 homes, A.
80 are owned free of incumbrance and
put 9V42 are mortgaged for the trifling
N-NA "V' iVo' tuo we nave Dt,Jyl farms
owned by the sturdy men that on our
mis- develop the noblest types OF Ameri-
can manhood The evils of tenant farm
ing are but little known, for OF these
Farms but 4l3l are hired. With a total
value of $9S.56 ,73O, but l26I9 farms are
mortgaged, carrying a burden OF only 81.
al. 922 '0'
From 1860 to 1880 the true valuation of
the State increased from $780, 11, 500 to
S4S9. l34.l LIS. That the assessors of 1890
ind Init
striking commentary upon the inetfi-
cheney of our laws and the weakness to
say the least, of the human nature that
classes the tax gatherer with the evils of
fire and pestilence.
The millionaires of Maine can be count
ed upon the fingers of the hands. but
these figures demonstrate the irresistible
conclusion that in no state has Il genera
tlon seen greater increase in the aver
age diffusion of the comforts OF life That
Maine IN 1871 mad but l"l paupers is to
her eternal praise.
Not alone has thrift been found in pri-
waite life. The incubus of public debt
rests lightly upon the State. and the sub
divisions of her sovereignty. In 1880 the
aggregate of State. county. municipal and
school district debt was s2s5 90. $3.50: in 1890
it was but S136G0,110 a reduction of nearly
one-third. The charge of extravaganza
in State affairs disappears before the fig
ureS that the State debt of $55l1,S1l in
borne at three per cent and SO funded
that the present generation will see the
last dollar honorably paid in the coin of
gold that stands for honor and good faith
between man and man.
Names greatest development has been
along the lines of manufactures. In the
last decade the number of establishments
increased from 1881 to 800. The capital
employed grew from $49.9SS111 to $50, 49,
500. In 1880 the number of employees was
- VA. while M 1870 labor hrOIlpht rp-
wards to "a, $50 of our people. But. better
than ALL while the number employed had
increased less than 30 per cent. the
amount of wages increased 100 per cent.
for the amount paid in 1850 was ST.. 6233 BIS
and in 1890 SIG. 526,2l7. And. yet. in the
face of such figures these. doctrinaires
will assail the beneticent policy of pro-
lection. 1t is not surprising that the
present governor holds his title by IA plu-
rality so large that the opposition vote
ranks in the returns as scattering.
Maine was destined by nature pre-emi-
nently as a manufacturing State. In her
early history the controversy over the
northeastern boundary retarded her nat
ural growth. A narrow policy of legisla-
ton for decades repealed capital. Her
people, like children afraid of the dark.
shivered and trembed before the ogre of
corporate aggregation of small invest
ments. When America awoke from the
conflict of the civil war to find herself IL
nation, we began Il new era on these
wooded hills. At last we realize that in
our mighty rivers. expansive lakes and
magnificent forests nature has been law
ish with her gifts. From the close of the
war to the blighting panic of 1893, We
grew, not by steps but by leaps. in the
fulfllment of what must be our ultimate
destiny. If politicians will cease to make
a football of economic questions. if the
nation will emulate the New England
honesty that has ever guided the people
Of the Pine Tree State. Maine is destined
to be the work shop of America. We
have the natural conditions. To be let
alone will be the fulfillment of the
prophecy.
We are situated midway between equa-
tor and pole with medium temperature
that tends to equalze and balance evap-
Grafton. The winds of heaven are here
proverbially as variable as Virgil pictured
the love of woman The moisture from
| the clouds comes with an evenness and
gentle fall that rarely imperils structures
| upon our river banks.
| We stand upon the leeward side OF thI
| continent The Gulf stream. the great
! kettle of the ocean. pouring out volumes
of moisture-laden winds sends its clouds
, directly over us to give of their aoun-
dance when needed most. The oceanic
1 exposure south and east cheeks the or!
ing winds of the west and steadleS eNap-
Grafton to an equallty. fusIlett out ~ ., ie
northeast angle of the continent. the
northerly winds come loaded with coollns
breeZes that abate evaporation ana large
ily tend to cause uniform discharge or
our rivers The meeting of the currents
of water from the frozen north with the
warm seas off our coast send over us the
massive clouds and dreaded fogs that IN
the end are reservoirs of power Tor our
lakes and rivers. They hang like a blah-
ket between us and the sun to prevent
nrodigaI waste of natures powers. TO nc
1T her State or section is given TINS geo
praphical position where the dry WINDS OF
the west the polar winds of the NORTH
, and the warm water1oot.ed WindS Oh tiit
south meet in euty are to turhlsn ,ne
natural conditions constant UNIFORM
fall of rain.
With an average rain fall of - inGnes
not less than a one and quarter tfliiioi
of cubic feet of water IS annually us,
. charged bv our rivers or an average ol
three billion feet a day. factor OF
\ great Importance is the average elevator
through which this water tuinodes' az
nroximately it is not less than oVv zee.
In It's descent this water yields Il tneore,
4 ;nai horse power of nearly 4.0OO,WV o.
which at least 100000 is practically avail
able abaole OF great increase wneh w
ease ne wasteful methods OF hoatlnt
ZOOS from the stump to the mill . y wa
tor that should be turning wheoS am
creating wealth. 49,. ,,+a
The grand divide between the wate
s,stem lis far in the interior, IN SOM
| oh the level OF the sea