Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-09-08
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
That Help to the 3. G. A.
(BanGor News.)


If at any time the voters of Maine
actually believe that the Maine rail-
roads are gaining too much advantage
over the public. if the legislators think
the public is getting the short end of
any trade, the remedy is in the hands
of the people. On the whole. it is be-
lieved that the Democratic hue and
cry over a concession in taxes, which
was made to the Bangor & ArooStook
railroad more than a decade of years
ago shows a lack of campaign material
rather than any valid cause for COM
plant. At the time the new railroad
was built into Aroostook. the big
county had not been developed to any
great extent. No doubt the promoters
of the road used every argument
which they had in stock to gain help.
The conditions were peculiar. Bangor
was weighted down to it's debt limit
with the bonds of a road. which had
never paid interest on the investment.
Beyond question the old Bangor &,
PiScataquis railroad was the most pro-
nounced case of paying for Il dead
! horse of any financial undertaking in
New England. When Mr.. Cram and
bonded indebtedness of the line lead
| ing to Moosehead lake, and to bore a
| hole from Brcwnville to Houlton and
| beyond, all the way on American soil,
there was hardly a citizen in eastern
Maine who opposed the plan. There
was no craftsmanship and no politics in
the undertaking. As to excmptins the
! road from taxation for series of
| years. the concession was made as a
! matter of equity. 50 as to even up the
| favorable grants of wild lands which
had been made by tho State to the
| elder railroads. The reduction OF
taxes on the new road for a number OF
years was adopted as the most sane
plan. because there was no reason why
the State should not help the Bangor
| & ArooStook railroad. as well as the
| European & North American and ether
| Older railroads. Having no more
Public land in its possession, the State
made rebate in taxation, which was
thought to be equivalent to the grants
which had been made to previous
roads, at a time when they We're new
and poor and needing help.
And. candidly. there was nothing
anil " pOlltlCS IN the idea. Neither
the Republican nor the Democratic MOI
the Free Silver party was benefited
by the act. Democratic newspapers
and Democratic orators and Demo.
cratic politicians united i'm asking
| Maine to assist n railroad thai
was going TO be of help to
Maine. And under no possible cir
cumStanCe can the transaction b,
called political measure The case /:
similar to that of the University O.
Maine. which boldly asks the State fol
an annual appropriation for the goo.
and sufficient reason that other and
Older Main" schools have received hell
from Maine in the past; and it i.
inanlfeStly unfair to diScrimjnat.
against good school because il is s,
unfortunate to be young.
| And it is believed that the rebate i,
taxes to tho new Aroostook road ha,
been justified by subsequent events
Cumulative tables of statistics hay,
been compiled to show how mucl
Aroostook county'has gained in wealth
and population since the new road wa
Lut in working order. Within tn
present century the output of ARGOS
took has more than doubled TIL