Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-01-09

Maine Is more prosperous now than
ever before in her history. Visible
evidences of this are on every hand
and commercial and industrial Stats
tics prove II beyond doubt. Agricul-
'ture and It's kindred branches, the
great Industries dependent upon for
ests and water ways, the multitude OF
manufacturing enterprises, the small
er but not less important trade that
responds so readily to the movements
Of the larger interests: all have shared
in the unprecedented prosperity that
has rested of late upon the entire
country, and all have contributed to
the wealth and well-being of the State.
The railroads are still developing new
territory and furnishing additional ia
cilities to the old, steamboats, are en-
larging and improving their service,
and electric roads are reaching from
the centres OF population to quicken
the life and resources OF the smaller
communities. The scenic charms OF
the State have not yet lost their pow
'er to allure, and both city and country
have profited from the tides OF travel
that sweep over them in an ever
swelling volume. The uninterrupted
growth OF the deposits in the banks
and savings institutions testify to the
soundness and stability Of general
business conditions throughout the
State. and the very marked increase
in those deposits prove that the wage
Garner, the fundamental factor in the
creation and support of values, is en-
joying and improving the opportuni-
ties which have been opened to his
labor and his skill.
One of the industries, however. that
las made Maine famous in the past is
now languishing. and that is ship
building. Our State is particularly
well adapted to the successful prose
cution of this business, and its decline
and present deplorable condition must
be attributed in great part to the fail
ure OF the National Government to
g adopt measures that will place this
class of property in position to COM
pete for the ocean carrying trade of
our own and other nations. Our Sen
ators and Representatives in Wash
inston have labored intelligently and
persistently in It's behalf. and 1t is
most gratifying to know that their eff
forts, aided as they are by the friends
of allied interests in New England
and certain other States, have brought
the Congress to give to the question
such serious and practical considera-
ton as to warrant a hope that the
rr7" future will bring relief to revive
restore this important branch o.
n 7e's commercial activity
discussion of the merits and d..
f'' Of any system of taxation adopt,
eG a State. and the wholly neces-
sarl and justifiable efforts of the law
making Body to reconcile the various
intere SITS involved. opens wide field
for argument based on both fact and
conjecture. By universal agreement
taxes are a necessary burden, and the
welfare of the State, municipality and
individual demands that taxes be
equalized in order that every class of
property shall bear it's relative and
proportionate share. But the accept
ance OF this theory does not material
~ lessen the practical difficulties of
the problem, nor renders some prop
erty holders less susceptible to the de-
Sire to evade the payment OF that
proportionate share. OF one phase of
lnis question we may be sure, and
that is that there Is a widespread
FEELING among the people OF the State
tnat certain classes of property are
NOT paving now their inst share Of
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