Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1901-01-08
ROXAL s:*;:s Fs*"ts
y ABSOLUTELY PURE
Makes the food more delicious and wholesome
ABScIUTEN PURE
ROYAL BAKING POWDER CO., NEW Yosx.

the Board OF Agriculture should De stiii
further broadened and extended by tne gre
alton of dairy bureau, which shaii mase
to attend closely to educational dairy
work. and to the enforcement Of the law
against the sale OF imitation dairy pfoo-
ucts.
You will be asked for an appropriation
for this purpose. and am confident that
request made In the behalf OF so important
an interest will receive your generous con'
siderati0n.
The Prohibitory Law.
Intemperance is such a fruitful source
of misery, pauperism and crime, ana its
multitude of victims Is so great burden
upon the sober and industrious citizen, tnaI
lt Is the duty Of a government TO conttoi
and restrict the liquor traffic In every ie-
gltimate way BY a provision Of Its consti-
tuition and by statute laws, which WIN
majorities Its citizens nave
sustained at the polls, the etate
OF Maine stands opposed to the manudnc. MS
ture and sale of intoxicating liquors. The
deliberate adoption OF this policy by peo-
pie naturally careful and conservative IN
their judgments was the inevltaple result
OF moral evolution which recognized the
demoralizing and far-reachng evils OF IN
temperance, and sought to eradicate them
from the community: and embodied the
conviction that traffic which took men
from the ranks Of productive INDUSTRY
robbed them Of their sober faculties, de-
stroyed their self-respect and made them
burden and menace to those who had the
right to look To them for support and pro-
tection-a traffic which filled the poor
houses, prisons and asylums with human
wrecks. and imposed It's greatest misery
upon the innocent and helpless-was nos
tile to the public interests and wholly con-
trary TO the spirit and purpose OF Chris
tian civilization.
Fifty years ago. the socalled Maine
Law" prohibiting the sale Of intoxicating
liquors, was placed upon our statute DOCKS,
where IL still remains. While Ii has not
accomplished all that Its advocates and
supporters hoped for, 1t has been power
full force In the development and promotion
Of healthy temperance sentiment among
the people of our State. How marked and
gratifying this advance has been will clear
ly he shown by comparison with the con-
ditions existing seventy-ive years ago.
Then. liquor was largely manufactured In
our State, while It's sale was As common
and looked upon In much the same light as
the traffic In dry goods aud groceries. ABB
stinence was the exception rather than the
rule The drink habit, In varying degrees,
was so general as to excite little II any
comment, and intemperance was more or
less prevalent in every community.
The temptations OF drink were every
where visible, and too often found victims
In the best youths OF our State. Today, In
large majority OF our country towns,
law against the liquor traffic Is as well en-
forced as against other forms Of crime.
Even In our cities and larger villages,
where the liquor interests are most active
and aggressive. and where the law Is most
persistently violated. 1t has not failed to
exert restraining and salutary influence:
and has been a power In stimulating and
promoting that Intelligent and vigorou.
public opinion which Is the support OF all
effective law, and without which any legis-
latiye enactment must fall far short Of It's
purpose.
is delegated from the Deople, public ser
wants rarely rise superior to public opin-
ion in their sense OF duty. II Is, therefore.
essential that officers charged with the en-
forcement of law and the protection OF So
ciety should be constantly sustained, In the
faithful discharge of their obligations. BY
Savings Banks.
On the 9th day of October, 1900 the
total assets OF the 81 Savings Banks OF this
State amounted TO SIl,0TG,2ll.II. The re-
sources Of the II Trust Companies were
of the 33 Loan and Building Associations,
amounting to S2,S62, 1888, and we have q
total OF SSI I,233. 1912, an exhibit In every
way creditable to the progress and enter
prise of our State.
There were $780, pa depositors In the
Savings Banks whose balance was less than
two thousand dollars. the total amount Of
this class of deposits being S53,J.,S G2yS4
while the number Of depositors
balance of two thousand dOlla.. ~. ~,
was 54l3, and the total amount Of these
deposits was S13,6Sl, ,S09.23. These figures
clearly show that the money held by our
Savings Banks belongs largely to people
OF moderate circumstances.
uhnta numbpr pf dpDpSirOrG I'm
ings Banks and Trust Companies, and
shareholders in Loan and Building Associ-
atoms was 2l3,9SO. a gain OF 11,42s dur
ing the past year. II we take from this to-
tai the 6Ol3 demand depositors In the
Trust Companies, Ii Will be seen that near
;,:,,r nir,1 Of the entire population of the
S,.ta are dir, 'ctly interested In our vari-
ous savings inst,tG,.,,ons, The aggregate
amount il their capita, apportioned
among the people OF the State, "ouid give
about S12o To each person, or nearly 5000
to each family.
In 1860 the deposits In our Savings
Banks were only S1.466, 1876, In 1850
they had increased TO S23.2I7 1882, while
sio. q .i3o67. This is gain in the last
twenty years of $4,000 1875, or nearly
200 per cent. and in forty years OF $685.
773 3.9S151. or about 5000 per cent. This
showing Is the strongest posi-.
BILE proof OF the prosperity OF the State. and
forcibly demonstrates the industry. thrift
and economy Of the people Of Maine The
Savings Banks, which, as rule, have been
by conservative, conscien-
tious and able business management have
had the confidence of the public. and have
the saving OF large portion Of
the money now entrusted to their care and
which might otherwise have been expended
needlessly.
been a source Of large revenue TO the State,
the amount paid during the past year be.
ing S4IS.S2 .93. an increase OF S12S434.-
II over the sum paid in 1890.
The report OF the Bank Examiner will
give you a detailed account OF the cOndi.
tion OF each institution.
The Fee System.
There has long been q feeling. on the
pnrt OF many of our most Intelligent and
citizens, that the present fee
system should be revised or modified and
that those public officials now receiving
for their services wholly or
nartly in fees should be paid n definite and
liked salary. that the people may know ex-
actly what their servants receive.
This may not be practicable In every In
stance: but there certainly Is no good rea-
SON why any officer should receive more
than n reasonable remuneration for his SER
vices or more than he would be paid II
employed in a private business involving
the same degree OF responsibility, and re-.
oulrIng similar capacity.
II Is undoubtedly true that many public
officials who are paid by fees do not re-
ceiye an excessive or unreasonable com.
but even here the public inter-
est would probably be best served by the
nayment Of salary commensurate with
the service rendered.
commend this matter to your careful
knowing that whatever ac-
tion YOU may take will be dictated BY a d.
lire to serve the best interests Of the whole
people.
Good Roads.
The question OF improved HIGHWAYS IN
,ne of great interest and Importance to the
whole State, and especially to the people Of
the country towns.
Good roads shorten the distance to mar.
tet increase the value OF contiguous prom.
erty. and are potent factors In the develop
ment of every community. Although there
has been a vast Improvement In our trans.
narration facilities during the past twenty
wears. through the building Of new railroad
mileage. there has been little Improvement
in our highways, along which there will al.
ways be a large amount Of traffic: and It
would seem that the time has come wnen
we should adopt some definite and enective
plan for the improvement OF our main
1 do not regard with favor State high-
way commission, or any similar plan wniSn
would take from the towns any part OF tIe
roads, and cost an undue proportion OF tne
sum wtiea would be. likely to be devoteo
to road Improvement but 1t has seemed 20
me that some plan Of State aid might De
devised which would be effective and prac-
tical In Hs operation, and would gradualiy