Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-19

Before the committee on federal re-
| lations, yesterday afternoon, was heard
| the bill to provide for the representa-
| ton of the State of Maine at the COM
ing st. Louis Exposition, a resolve call
ing for an appropriation of $50, 900 hav-
ing been introduced for the purpose of
making an exhibit of Names industries
and resources. Louis E. Goodall of
Sanford, and Lemuel Lane of West
brook, members of the Louisiana Pur-
chase Exposition commission, appeared
in favor of the resolve. There was no
opposition. In presenting the views of
the. commission Mr.. Goodall said:
Il feel that it is unnecessary for me
to ,encroach upon your time TO advocate
an appropriation for representing and ad
vertising the resources of the State of
Maine at the ST. Louis Exposition, as you
gentlemen know the benefits which can
be derived from a proper representation
of the State at this exposition far better
than l can explain to you
In looking up the industrial statistics
for 1900, | find the 10 leading industries in
Maine employed 43, 100 operatives and paid
them Sl5,5S2, 900 in wages. We must all ad-
nit that this vast sum of money paid for
wages ir our State is a potent factor in
its prosperity
Now let lis look at another resource
which plays an important part in our
prosperity and which very few people of
our State know the magnitude: Our re-
source as a vacation and sporting state.
| have taken pains to look this up, and
find from estimates of those best quail
flied 10 judge that people who live out
side of Maine and who come here for
pleasure leave the enormous sum of S15
| 100000 in our State annually; about the
same sum as paid in wages in our IL
| leading industries | am firmly convinced
| that with proper advertising this busi-
ness can be increased very materially
and that the st. Louis Exposition Offers
| us an opportunity to advertise these re-
| sources such as we never before had, and,
| in my opinion, will never have again and
we should take advantage of it.
st Louis from the geograp hical posi-
| ton Will draw many people to her expo
sition from the South and Southwest,
| where the climate is very warm in sum
| mer Those sections are now prosperous
| and many people who reside there are
| coming North to spend their summers, in
| the same manner as we in the North go
| South in winter. Those people do not
| all know the most desirable place to spend
their summers and it is our duty to in
| form them on this point, by advertising
| our vacation resources at the st. Louis
| Fair. There is no state in the Union
| which can offer such resources for sport
| and summer vacations as Maine. l con-
| tend that this is one of our most valuable
| resources. The more pleasure seekers we
| can induce to come into Maine, the great
| er cur prosperity. The State receives a
direct benefit from the people, as the rail
I roads pay a tax on their gross income
| so the greater the travel in the State,
the larger the tax. Then those people
| have to be fed and here is where the
| farmers are benefited. A prominent
summer hotel owner recently informed
| me that last summer he paid $4,000 to
| the farmers in his vicinity for their pro-
| duets. The money left by the pleasure
seekers who come here is scattered all
| over our State, SO it cannot be said the
| benefit from them is sectional.
| Il would not neglect our natural re-
sources. Our agricultural, lumber, miner
| al. fishing and other interests should be
| rep resented
Speaking of our lumber it is a we'll
known fact that the future supply of
| hard wood used in the manufacture of
| furniture is getting to be a serious uues-
ton in the middle state, where most of
| our furniture is made Maine has an
| abundant supply of hard woods, and this
| fact should be made known
In concluding, | wish to state that no
member of our commission has per-
sonal interest in this proposed legislation.
We have only the same interest as any
| other citizen of Maine who has the wei
| fare of our State at heart We are serv-
| ing without compensation, and as every
member of our board is in active business
his time is valuable, but we propose to
devote enough of 1t to the interests of the
State to make our representation at st.
Louis q. success. Z lEsf39S hrsnsG es
The amount we ask for, $50, COO. we
| think is small to accomplish what we de-
| sire, but by close economy we think we
| can make 1T answer. though q larger SIM
| would\allow for more-extensive adverti3-
ing
The bill was tabled for one week. ~
The committee on railroads heard the