Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-16
Saturday, February II, 1907.
Wholly a Portland Movement.

Our esteemed contemporary has
sized up the situation with an accuracy
which nobody can deny. The demand
for the removal of the State capital not
only at the hearing, but before the
hearing. has been found nowhere out
side of the city of Portland and its
immediate vicinity. It has been case
Of Portland against the whole State Of
Maine, although the Portland papers
naturally enough deplore having it
looked upon from this point of view.
Portland at the hearing, but he hailed
from the neighboring town of Scar
boro. And several petitions, to be
sure, have been presented to the Legis-
lature which did not e!nanate from
Portland, but they were signed by
citizens of the neighboring city of
Westbrook. No petitions from other
parts Of the State have been received
by the Legislature in favor of changing
the capital. No speakers arose at the
hearing from AroostOok, or Penobscot
or Washington, or Somerset, or
Pscataquis, OF Androscoggin, or OK
ford counties to voice any sentiment in
those sections in favor of a change.
No newspapers in those counties, or
in any other sections of the State out
side of Portland, have argued in favor
OF changing the capital.
On the other hand. hundreds of re-
monstrances, with thousands of sigma
lures, representing every section of the
State are pouring in upon the Legisla-
ture protesting against such change
being made. Speakers from all the
counties mentioned above voiced with
emphasis and earnestness before the
committee at Wednesdays hearing the
unanimous objection Of the people of
those counties against any change in
the location of TIL. capital Letters
from over 400 towns. written by town
officials, masters Of oranges. and
other men Of local prominence well
qualified to express the sentiment OF
their communities. have been published
in the columns Of this paper protesting
against any change in the location Of
the State capital. Editorial utterances
have appeared in seine % leading
newspapers of the State, representing
q dozen counties. all protesting against
any change in the location of the State
capital, and these have been republish-
ed In the columns Of this paper as our
readers will remember.
Thus, while the request for changing
the capital has been confined to Port
land and it's environment. the protest
against any change has come from the
newspapers, the leading men and tax
paycrs by the thousands in every sec
ton Of the State. More significant
stil. the voice of protest has been
raised in Cumberland county itself
Not only have two of the leading
newspapers Of that county. the Bruins
wick Record and the BridGton News
opposed Portlands request with Dotf
argument and ridicule, but re-
monstrance signed by $50 taxpayers OF
Brunswick, leading professional ana
business men of that town. has beer
presented to the Legislature. and IT Is
known that decided opposition to the
Portland proposition exists in many IL
not all of the rural towns of Cumber-
land county.
Whatever arguments the hackers oil
the Portland movement started out &c
advance have been shown to be unde-
serving of serious consideration Inc
"offer" made by the city in its attempt
to, bride the State to give it paiatia
state House in qualification of its loca
pride has been shown to be goio
brick, and nothing remains of Port
lands contention save the simple rae
that it wants to be the capital OF tht
State. Just to Sratily inns very
natural desire, for which nobody car
blame the rich and aristocratic city OF
Portland. the Legislature of Maine l.
asked to disregard the wishes of th'
people throughout the length an'
breadth of the State and to set asio'
.he many worthy causes which are
pleading at its doors for appropriations
and to put upon the taxpayers o
Maine the crushing burden of wholi3
unnecessary and uncalled for expendi
ture of millions.
It is the story of 1889 over again
and Portland's case has fallen as IA
az il did them. Then it was beaten II
the Senate by vote of 10 to and IL
tho House it was turned down withou
division or debate. The people
Maine have been heard from this time
as they were then, in regard to Port
lands request and their answer is IN
same with even greater emphasis thai
no