Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-16
Some Facts in State and Democratic
Aistory


well as from the towns along their
| routes. Some towns in the State are
still carrying burdens of debt incurred
| in aid of railroad construction. No
| town in Maine carries one penny of
| Indebtedness on account of the Bangor
G. Aroostook railway. 1t is true that
| the county of Aroostook issued its
| bonds in aid of the enterprise, but every
| dollar of them will be paid in full.
system of communication aggregating
ass miles which has brought about an
enormous development of its great
| Northern sectional development which
as yet is believed to be in its in
fancy-without the actual expenditure
of single dollar. 1t merely consented
with possibilities for the future of our
State the benefit of a partial tax
abatement for a term Of years upon the
property it should create for itself.
| This partial exemption did not ex-
tend to the new property which the
construction of this great railroad
would create in the communities it
served, and which to the amount OF
sS,416.455 had been added to the tax
able property of the State in Aroostook
County alone up to and including
1904 the latest figures available In
other words when the Bangor & Aroos-
took enterprise was inaugurated the
valuation of ArooStook County was
s15.1S2, 49, in 1904 it was s23,5SS.6O2.
1t must not be supposed, however,
sion and development that followed
the construction Of the Z. and A. road
were confined to Aroostook alone.
They extended to Penobscot Piscata-
lquis and Waldo Counties. In Penob-
scot they included the creation Of the
thriving village of Millinocket in the
very heart of the forest Here today
is a population Of between 5000 and
1000 people and a manufacturing in
vestment of 100000 which. if present
plans are carried out will soon be in
creased by the further investment of
s1,500,c00. The weekly payroll of this
great plant is $4,000. and if We were
to take the pay-rolls of all the mills and
factories that have grown up about the
b. and A. it Is safe to say that they
would aggregate $4,000 week. leav-
ing entirely out of sight the big pay
roll of the railroad itself. Does all
this have no bearing upon the growth
and prosperity of our State? Ask the
laboring men of eastern Maine. thous-
ands of whom. as result of the build
ing of the b. & A. road are employed
there today at the best wages ever paid
in the history of that section.
Ask the prosperous farmers of the
who as a result of better con-
nectionS with the markets are today
securing vastly better prices for their
products than ever before. Ask the
manufacturers who have had the past
year the largest and most profitable
business they have ever known.
If it was wrong for Maine to lend a
small measure of aid and encourage
ment to this great railroad enterprise
how does it happen that the members
Of the Democratic party have been fif-
teen long years in finding it out?
When this matter was pending be-
fore the Legislature was the Hon.
Cyrus w. Davis there to oppose it? Did
he endeavor to dissuade the Demo-
cratic member of the House from his
own city from voting for it? We have
gone carefully over the reports of the
hearing. but can find no mention of
him, and the Democratic member
from Waterville voted for the bill.
This matter was the talk of the State
at the time. and it is passing strange
that it should have escaped the atten-
ton of Mr.. Davis. The newspapers
were full Of it, and not one, Demo-
cratic or Republican. had a word to say
in opposition to it.
Did the Hon. D. j., McGillicuddy of
Lewiston appear before the committee
and thunder forth his denunciations"
There is no record of his presence upon
that occasion. and yet this hearing was
widely advertised and open to every
citizen of the State who desired to be
heard on the matter.
Did inc Democratic members Of the
Legislature oppose it? No. They en-
dorsed il in the committee, their lead
ers spoke for it on its passage. and
ALL OF THEM VOTED FOR IT.
In all the State no voice was raised
against this proposed enterprise whose
successful carrying through would, 1t
was everywhere recognized, add vastly