Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-06-10
Monday, June 10, 1907.
A Word More Concerning State Aid
to Railroads.

which Is not argument, out HlcTely tic
ear marks Of weak cause. 1t devoteS
nearly column Of its valuable space
to commenting upon the statement Of
Hon. j. p. Bass Of Bangor, one of the
foremost Democrats Of Maine. and The
owner Of the Bangor Commercial, the
leading Democratic paper Of Eastern
Maine, which was published in the
Journal Of Wednesday morning. In
this statement Mr.. Bass said that the
'was merely matter of business, and
WAS so represented to the judgment Of
the members Of the legislature and was
carried through the House and Senate
i'm an honorable manner. / know" he
added. that 1t voiced the sentiment of
the 45 Democrats in the legislature of
1891 who were in harmony regarding
this matter" Mr.. Bass stated that he
was personally responsible for the con-
tract being made which enabled the
State to aid in the promotion of this
great enterprise. The Sentinel dilates,
at some length upon the fact, that Mr..
Bass and his fellow Democrats had
Republican assistance in putting their
proposition for State aid through the
legislature. This is true. There was
no opposition to it from any source. 1t
was not regarded as Il crime then for
mon to spend thci. money in the cen
sIruction of railroads to open up the
resources Of new sections Of Maine In
fact such systems Of communication
were regarded as very desirable things
to have. ana when men were willing to
risk their money in putting them
through it was thought best to
encourage ana assist them in every
way possible. 1t was tn" general feel
ing that the state would be amply re-
paid for any assistance it might render.
hy ;hr large increase in taxable prop
crtv that would follow the opening
up Of the rich resources of Northern
Maine which would result from the con
struction Of the Il. &, A. This belief
has been amply justified 10y events.
The valuation of ArOnstook county. at
the time this State aid was granted
the T.. & a. railroad at the instance of
NJ. Lass and his friends was $S324, 2J@,
and me valuation of the towns and
plantations along the line Of the
Y. and a. railroad in Pcnobs"ot and
Piecataquis counties was $23D5. sos.
The report Of the aSscssors for 1906
shows the valuation of ArnoSt",k
county to be $l7. i35.2l2, an increase of
81 a1i and tn" valuation of the
P"n"hgcnt and Piscataquia towns along
the line of the Il. q n. to be SI,GIG. o.
an increase Of S..350,3il. In other
words the territory opened up by
til" u. & a. railroad to which the lcgis-
laturN of 1891 unanimously voted State
aid hrs since that time increased
the valuation of Maine to the extent
Of SllfGI.i22. which is certainly a
pretty substantial return for the aid il
granted this great enterprises in the way
of partial abatement of taxes MIR
Bass predicted in 1881 that the terri
tory opened up by the y. & 4. rail
road would double III valu" inside ot
90 Years. Time has shown that in
making this prediction he erred upon
the side Of conservatism for the terri
tory in question las doubled in value
inside Of Is years
RE Sentinel is in error if II thought
the Journal criticised Cyrus w. Davis
for assisting General IIaines in obtain
ing state aid for the extension of the
Somerset railroad. His action in this
respect is entirely rraiscwor.hy. and in
line with sound business principles
The extension in question opened up Il
large section of tn" state. and one that
was very rich III natural resources. 1t
meant a very large Increase in the
toNahlc property Of the state. The city
az Watcrvillr. which MIR. Davis was
representing in the legislature. had a
special interest in the opening up Of
this territory. The Journal is informed
that Watcrvillc is already a stopping
point for much Of the travel to the
Monscheal Lake region. and that one
night within the past fortnight 16 men
from Boston on their way To Kinco.
stopped over night ut the Elmwood
hotel
Mr. Davis is certainly to be COM
mcnded for what he did to get State
aid in the worthy work that is be-
ginning to show such practical re-
suits for his city. The Journal hearth
~ congratulates him on it. At the
same time it believes that his paper
Coulu be in better business. than try
ing TO make political capital out of
this practical business investment of
the State in the securing of which he
bore so honorable a part.
In conclusion We will say that our