The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-07-04
WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH MAINE |?

which he lives the process of finding out
is an easy one. All he has to do is to
send to Boston, bring here a newspaper
reporter or a magazine writer, let him
stay in the State for few hours, and
he will tell him more marvellous things
about us and our affairs than the Maine
man ever dreamed of before the advent
of the Bostonese writer.
The latest case in point, rivaling in
interest the average impressions of
America from the pen of distinguished
European travellers, comes in the form
of leading article in the New England
Magazine for July, from the pen of
Frank Putnam. He calls his paper,
What's the Matter With Maine A
Study in Land Grabbing, Tax Dodging
and Isolation. Mr.. Putnam has been
engaged by this magazine, prior to this
time, in writing up Texas. After read
we have been enlightened much about
Texas.
What is the matter with Maine from
the standpoint of this gentleman, who
may have spent few days within our
borders? He does not say how long it
took him to find out about our tax
lodging, land grabbing and isolation.
Judging by the amount of real infor-
nation impaired in his paper he need
never have visited the State at all.
Almost as matter of course the first
thing with which the talented and dis
corning writer has to find fault is the
fact that Maine refuses to license the
liquor traffic. We are led to infer that
if we would only license the saloons
there would instantly be less tax-dodg-
ing and land-grabbing, and we would
not be so isolated. 1t is 4 great pity
according to this writer, that the rum
traffic should be permitted to degrade
the character of the men and women
who follow that pursuit despite the law
License, it must be, would elevate them
wonderfully. Then the law establishes
an official espionage upon the private
affairs of individuals. This law, which
deals with the sale of liquor alone, is
cited as giving privilege for this sort of
espionage. Then some people do drink
liquor in spite of the law which prohib
its sale i'll legally protected saloons.
Doubtless II saloons were run under the
patronage of the State, paying the State
the revenue which, he tell us, we are
sadly missing, people would not drink
liquor any more He also thinks our
laws for framing of corporations are
open to great objection, and calls it
"a queer business for State to be ell
gagged in for revenue, the business of
creating corporations, even though he
favors having the State protect the rum
business for the sake of the revenue.
That would be a business of which the
people would be proud in comparison
This lnlquity of refusing the saloons
license is secured by the politicians,
who thus impose upon the poor people.
If it were not for the fact that many
persons will read the article who do not
have knowledge of the situation as it
actually exists, this would be humorous
i'll the extreme. A picture of the peo-
pie of Maine being forced by the pro-
fesslonai politicians of any party, into
prohibiting the saloons, would make a
subject tor cartoonlSt which would
make the hit OF his career.
Passing ON from the liquor problem
the writer takes up other political
topics, and again the politicians are
blamed for fooling the people about the
tariff. In spite of the Isolation of
Maine it seems that it might, if it
would, have Canadian reciprocity and
arrange the tariff schedules to suit it.
self. Woefully foolish is the State
which permits tariff enacted by the
Congress of the United States to inter
fere with its prosperity! Why, the
State is full of water power, and it
might be manufacturing things ii the
tariff did not interfere. This is a new
one. The Democratic politicians and
political writer's have complained be-
cause the tariff fosters manufacturing.
In Mr
be believed, it has stopped all our
featuring State if only we did not vote
to uphold the Republican party. Mr..
Putnam does not say so, but that is
what his article means, if we are able
10 read any meaning into it at all.
What else is the matter with Maine?
1t has indirectly subsidized the rail
roads of the State. The old campaign
cry of the Democrats of the last cam
palgn, the third point made in favor of
the Democratic contention in this
article, is rehearsed with much gusto.
The history of the legislation criticised
is not mentioned. Mr.. Putnam may
have been in Augusta during his life
time but he certainly was not there
when this legislation was passed. The
writer was there. Mr.. Putnam takes
it second hand, manifestly from
Democratic informant, his information.
Ours comes at first hand, and we are in
this instance able to tell him that the
Democratic members of the Legisla-
ture were as willing to give assistance
to the railroads that were opening up
an empire to the world, as were their
political opponents and the Legisla-
ture contained that winter some of the
brightest and most progressive Demo-
Gratis in the State. Politics were not
thought of when this practical exemp-
ton of the new railroads from taxa
ton was secured and the Democratic
members of the Legislature, equally
with the Republicans, are entitled to
the credit for this act. But the talk
goes nowadays to help make cam
paign material for the Democrats.
Three men are mentioned in the
article as having furnished some in.
formation to this man who acknoWl-
edges that he is no detective, simply
reporter. These men are Mr. Liberty
B. bennett of this city, to whom the
writer refers as the contemporary
and peer of Thomas B. Reed MI.
Kingsbury B. Piper and Mr.. Roland L.
Patten, whoever they are. since Mr..
bennett was interviewed our people
will jump at once at the conclusion
that the subject of wild lands finds a
in q Of