Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-08
Has Something to Say on
Capital Removal.
Feeling Is Unanimous Against
Portland Scheme,
Bangor Makes Z Few Observations
and Comparisons.

Bangor, Me-. March 7.-(SpeciaD.-
The people of the Queen City of the
East have just awakened to the fact
that It's about time for her to do some.
thing to call Portland's bluff in the
State Capital moving scheme. They
have not. in the past, taken much stock
in the talk made by Forest CITY peo.
pie regarding the capital and regarded
1t as one Of the many little splurges
OF hot air originating from some place
on the clam flats Of Casco bay.
The people here became really stirred
up when both local papers appeared
this week carrying as paid advertising
matter a semi-humorous appeal to the
people Of this section that Portland
meant business and was honest in her
offers and claims. Portland may be
honest enough but she has no honest
claim for even consideration as a loca.
ton for the capital Of the Pine Tree
State. The Portland movement is
looked on here as wholly a selfish raid
on the State treasury.
She first puts forth the claim that she
has suitable hotel accommodations for
the legislators. Now anyone who is
interested enough to ask any travelling
salesman who sells goods through
Maine as to Portland's hotel accommo-
cations will at once receive the reply
that she has really the poorest hotel
accommodations of any city in Maine.
She has large hotels and several of
them but she has greater number of
people to house in proportion. Anyone
who has, tramped over Portland on a
hot summers night after hotel accom-
modations or who has been there when
the Grand bodies OF the Masonic organ
fzations were meeting in the city will
bear out his statement. Hotel prices,
too. are always high in Portland. She
Is wholly untitled as regards hotels in
spite of all her claims along this line.
1t also makes the people of central
and eastern Maine laugh when Port
land talks about her desirable location
1t Is the last place on the map of Maine
for the seat of government when loca-
ton is considered. Away off in the
extreme corner of the State. 135 miles
from Bangor. and nearly 300 from
Houlton. 1t takes the best part of a
day to get there from any point east
OF Waterville and a ride to Portland at
the present time is harder than a day
work in hay field in July.
Now as to center Of population, 1t is
a well known fact that the eastern part
of Maine has just begun to wake up
and grow. The railroads are branching
out New villages are continually
springing up and the whole of eastern
Maine has the very brightest prospects
fer the future. It is the real huStling
part Of the State and gives promise of
being SO for years to come. Look for
instance at the live wideawake towns
Of good size in this section. Compare
Newport. Dexter, Dover. Foxcroft,
Milo, Millinocket. Houlton. Pressure
Isle. Caribou, Fort Fairfield. Pittsfield
and other places with kennebunk.
York, North Berwick. Yarmouth. AL
fred. Parsonsfield. Springvale and Sam
ford. The latter named town is the
only real live town in southwestern
Maine, the others having reached their
limits and are gradually sinking in pop
ulation and business. An inspection of
the census and a look into the business
statistics of the State will bear out this
statement in every particular. 1t Is ao-
solutely a true fact that eastern Maine
western Maine. II even at the present
time It does not lead.
Eastern Maine is. in fact. destined to
be the most thickly settled part OF the
State and to even think of changing the
seat of government to the westward Is.
in the minds of the business men OF
this section. folly pure and simple
They know from experience that Port
land is ,hoggish. She wants everything
She tries to corner annual conventions
of all kinds and does not recognize tha
Maine exists outside of Cumberland
county. 1t is high time that the peopie
of the eastern and central part Oh the
State wake up and teach Portland tha'
they have as much right to certaiI
things as she has herself, and perhaps
more.
The people i'll this section are. II
truth, very much opposed to the cnans'
ing Of the capital at the present time
II it ever is changed it should come tc
Bangor or some other eastern point III
stead Of being moved to the west. II
any members Of the Legislature IRON
eastern Maine even seriously conslue'
changing the capital to Portland they
are grossly disappearing their con
stituents. and should such measure
pass the indignation of eastern Maine
people would know no bounds. Ih'
representatives and senators from tni
section doubtless know the feelings o
the people. and those who favor IN
scheme concocted in Portland do so 10
purely personal reasons and as is state'
above they absolutely misrepresen
those who sent them to the Legisla
ture.