Daily Kennebec journal., 1901-01-04

much of which has never been utilized. ant
me more, genefs! adoption OF improves
methods OF agriculture. must result Ia still
greater prosperity in the years to come.
Inc influence Of the Grange has been {
potent factor in the advancement of ouI
agriculiural interests, and has added great
~ 10 ine pleasure and profit of farm life.
The Board of Agriculture is doing wori
y, Ill Iheslimable value and importance. This
hoxa lumber OF farmers institutes. which
arer,h perh held during the past year, have
inta:ae nere been we'll attended. and great
H., hn'e,est ,,t mas besn manifested in this work
- rne farmers of the State, who have
snodaa s..n IL their cordial support: am per,
sudued that these meetings and the general
M moIk or the board. have done much to stiI,-
80; go anu encourage the ambitious and pro-
niiMe n,,ni. farmer by bringing to every COM
= n,i,,y rradmy,e knowledge of the best and most
P'SWuuS'lVe methods of modern agriculture.
70 M;aihe Is just beginning to make repu-
40 ION Oh Tor her dairy products. There are
81 ~ creaiaeries and IA cheese factories in
~ oSws' and this represents only small part
VI me whole dairy interest.
Is Ielt by many of our most successful
anu .ho progressive dairymen. who appreciate
,he benefits which would accrue to the
STATE by its DEVELOPMENT that the work of
me Board of Agriculture should be still
atia 'ner Droadened and extended by Inc ere
a. auio., vi a GARY bureau, which shall nave
an executive officer whose duty it shall he
10 attehd closely to educational dairy
WORK, and TO the enforcement Of the law
against the sale of imitation dairy prod
uctS.
You Will be asked for an appropriation
lof thls purpose. and | am confident that
reqHeSs made in the behalf OF so important
sideration.
The Prohibitory Law.
lntemperance is such a fruitful source
OF misery. pauperism and crime, and its
multitude of victims is so great a burden
upon the sober and industrious citizen. that
II IS the duty. of a government to control
ana restrict the liquor traffic in every le-
gitimate way. by provision of its consti
tuition ana by statute laws, which with
o'efWheiming majoritieS its citizens have
repeatedly sustained at the polls. the State
OF Maine stands opposed TO the manufac-
lMnrH M ana sale of intoxicating liquors. The
ueilperate adoption of this policy by a peo-
PIE naturally careful and conservative In
riielf judgments was the inevitable result
or a moral evolution which recognized the
cemora'izing and far-reachng evils OF in
temperance. and sought to eradicate them
from the community; ard embodied the
conviction that traffic which took men
from The ranks OF productive industry.
robbed them of their sober faculties de
str"yed their self-respect and made them p
DuIueh ana menace to those who had the
right 10 look 10 Them for support and pro-
,ecuon-a traffic which filed the poor
houses prisons and asylums with human
wrecks. and imposed it's greatest misery
mon the Innocent and helpless-was hos
tie TO the public interests and wholly con
trary to the spirit and purpose of a Chris
tian civiiza ion.
Fifty years ago. the so-cal,ed Maine
Law, prohibiting the sale of intoxicating
liquors. was placed upon our statute books
where IT. still remains While it has not
accomplished all that its advocates and
supporters hoped for. it has been Il power
fnl force in the development and promotion
OF healthy temperance sentiment among
the people Of our state How marked and
gratifying this advance has haar, will ola
~ De shown by Il comparison with the con
dItionS existing seyenty-iive years ago.
Thea. liquor vas largely manufactured in
our state. while its sale was ms common
aud looked Upon in much tic same light as
the traffic in dry goods and groceries. Alb
stinence was the exception rather than the
was so general rs 10 excite little ii anv
comment. and inteIaparance 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 3
a large majority of our country towns, :
there exists practical prohibition, and the
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
perSsrently violated. it has not failed to
exert restraining and salutary influence !
ana has been ,, noW@r In stimulating and
pubic opinion which is the support of all |
effective law. and without which any legis- /!
lative enactment must fall far short of it's I
purpose.
In a community where tho official power !
is delegated from the people. public ser /,
vans rarely rise superior to public opin- :
ion in their sense of duty It is. therefore. |
essential that officers charged with the en- |
for@ment of law and the protection of So |
cictT should be constantly sustained, in the !
faithful discharge of their obliga tions by !
an active and healthy public sentiment.
Savings Banks.
On the 21th day of October. 1900. tha !
total assets Of the 81 Savings Banks of this |
Stare amounted to S.1.076.211.11. The re-
sources OF the IL Trust Companies were !
$1523J. .402.J-,. Add to this the resources,
OF The 33 Loan and GuiIding Associations, /
total of SSI.233, 1872, an exhibit in every
way creditab,e TO the progress and enter
prisa of our state.
There were 1so,9l4 depositors in the
Savings Banks whose balance was less than
two thousand dollars, the total amount of |
this class OF deposits being $.,.i.5JS. .ti-oS4:
whie the number of depositors having a
bal;nce of TWO thousand dollars or over,
was 5413. and the total amount of these
dep.sits was $13,6Sl, sos. - These figures
clearly show that the money held by orr
Savings Banks belongs largely to people
OF Moderate circumstances.
Tie whole number Of depositors in Saw
iIGs Banks and Trust Companies and
sha eholders in Loan and Building Associ-
atiClS was -lb.Joc- u gam OF Il.i.S dur !
ing the past year. If We take from this to-
tai the co.'s, demand depositors in the
Tfltt Companies. it will be seen that near
ly d1e-third of the entire population of the
Staez are directly interested in our vari-
Gus savings institutions The aggregate
amo,nt ii their capital. if apportioned
amGg the people OF the State, would give
aboit $l25 70 each person. or nearly $500
to zach family.
Ii 1860 the deposits in our Savings
Ranks were only 81 .466 1876. in 1850
the> had increased to $23, ,271 61:1:32 while
at he present time they amount to g.
240439.01. This is a gain in the last !
twaty years of sf3.96.. IG;i.1j. or nearly
2OC per cent. and in forty years OF S65.-
I73gS1.51 or about 5000 per cent. This
remarkable showing is the strongest possi-
Bile proof of the prosperity of the State and
ant economy Of the people of Maine The
characterized by a conservative, conscien-
tios and ab!o business management. have
Eat the confidence of the public. and have
encouraged the saving of a large portion of
tlemoney now entrusted to their care and
With might otherwise have been expended
nee lessly.
he tax on Savings Banks deposits has
bee source Of large revenue to the state,
theamount paid during the past year be-
ing 81 ~ .S2I ~. an increase of S12S, ,4:,4.-
u ver the sum paid in 1890.
he report Of the Bank Examiner will
Civ you detailed account OF the condi.
tioI of each institution
The Fee System.
mere has long been a feeling. on the