Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-21
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Growth and Progress in Maine.
portland PreSS).

The Wateryille Sentinel remarks
that in undertaking to criticise the
remarks Of Mr.. Davis at the recent
Democratic convention the Portland
Press displays a lamentable igno-
rance of the facts in the case" But
Wherein The Sentinel does not
specify. We have perused its article
with some care, and fail to see that 1t
has proved it's Indictment. Mr.. Davis
said the State valuation had been in
creased $116,OOO,OOO in twenty-one
years. which is true, but easily for by
the growth of the State in wealth in
the interval. He said that the farmers
had never "felt so keenly the iron
hand of taxation as now. We showed
the fact to be that the State tax rate
is only two and three-fourths mills.
just where it has been for number of
years, with half the towns receiving
more money from the State treasury
for school purposes than they paid into
it in taxes; and that State taxes
are lighter proportiOnally than they
have been at any period since the Civil
War. This cannot be "lamentable ig-
norance of the facts" for the facts are
official.
But, says the Sentinel-and here it
leaves the solid ground of fact and
ventures into the misty boglands Of
theory-'grOwth and progress must be
reasonable. They must be in harmony
with nature. They must be based up
on actualities and not upon the imagi-
nations of those who make the figures
grow" Adding that the growth and
progress of a State are based primarily
upon the increase in population, it
notes that the population of Maine
has increased only seven and one-half
per cent. in twenty years, while the
valuation has jumped 40 per cent. in
the same time, and it asks: isn't
there something wrong about this ur-
usual increase of valuation? Doesn't
it stand to reason that the increase Of
valuation is altogether too dispropor-
tomato to the increase in population: ~
Not at ali. when you take into account
the explanatory facts and circum-
stances. The increase is accounted for
mainly by two facts-the development
Of the water powers of Maine and the
increased valuation of the wild lands
Within the past twenty years two
great manufacturing communities have
sprung up where was formerly almost
a Wilderness, We allude to Rumford
Falls and Miliinocket as the most con-
spicuous instances, though numerous
other lesser expansions might be men
toned.
AT Rumford Falls a town has grown
as il by magic. which is already APP
preaching the proportions of a city.
Take Millinocket. That was incorporated
as town only three years ago, and it
now has estates valued at million or
more. Take Rowland in the same county.
Twenty years ago it's estates were placed
at only $4,000: now they are more than
ten times as much. Take Embden in
Somerset county. In the same time its
valua ton has grown more than 100000.
And the cause is the same in all these
cases-the development of the water pow
ers by the introduction of great manu-
featuring establishments.
Reviewing in his last inaugural adj
dress the biennial report of the State as
SCISSORS, Governor Hill said that the wild
lands of the State were valued at $25,52S,
$50. being an increase of SC. 4Ol .523 and that
the valuation on timber and grass on pub
lie lots had been increased Sal. ass. Pos
sibly the Waterville Sentinel will contend
that this increase Of more than six and a
half millions in the valuation of the wild
lands is not reasonable" not ''in har-
mony with nature not based upon
actualities'' but upon the imaginations
of those who make the figures grow"
The Sentinel may think so. but we do
not think it will say SO.
The valuation of the whole State OF
Maine. as computed by the board of as
SCISSORS, whose judgment is impugned by
our Waterville contemporary If an I'M
worthy motive is not implied. is per-
haps equal to the fortune of Andrew
Carnegie. If Mr.. Carnegie should move
into the State to make his home here
and should bring his property with him.
the valuation would be doubled at a
stroke. but the population would be in
creased only by one family. That ex-
ample shows how much there is to the
SentineIs theory that population must
Keep pace with wealth. 1t is no more
substantial than Mr.. Bryans theory that
the price of wheat and the price of sill
yer went up and down together.
Snide Lights on Mythology.