Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-08-20
One Democrat Answers Another.
Lewiston journal.


Mr. McGilicuddy said in Lisbon Falls,
the othe~ night: You all know that for
the past ten wears, our State has in
creased in population and THE IN
CREASE IN WEALTH IN THAT PER
IOD HAS NOT BEEN LARGE.''
This was the basis OF an evenings ar
sumcnt on the matter of increase of eN-
penses of the State intended to convey
the impression that while the State
had been standing still in point of wealth
and population. the expenses of the Stat
had heen going right along at the same
old pace.
Now this is not at all the fact.
The increase in valuation of-AIaine in
the past ten years is S1264c,041. The in
crease IL the past two years is $250S9 80
the greatest gain ever shown in the his
toy Of Maine in like time.
But this is no: all. You 90 not have to
believe what we alcne say You have but
to read the following from Hon. George
Pottle. one of the board of State asses
sor.;, Il lifelong Democrat, 4 very ardent
Democrat too, but n fair man.
Mr.. Pottle made thosC remarks on the
evening of Feb 10. 1905 at a banquet of
the Lewiston and Auburn Gentlemen $
Driving Club at the Dewitt House. Lew
iston, reading the same from manus, Iipt
and passing the manuscript to the writer
of this article at tie Close, of the banquet
the same being printed as written by
Mr.. pnttle in the Lewiston journal OF
Feb %. 1908.
In that speech Mr. Pottle began by
saying that Maine has grown steadily
-l,, -,
Gus of this great family of 46 States. In
$50 we Lad 4 valuation OF real and per-
sonal property subject to direct taxation
of only s.0Go,oE. To-Day we have a
valuation of about 800, $4,000 and if
YOU add to this tie property of steam
and street railroads, savings institutions
publc-scrNice corporations, You have
about $30o.0o0oO0 more. In 1920 we We're a
rural community. Today one-third our
population and A. per cent of the prop
erty of the State are in the twenty cities
Our first railroad line was constructed IN
1896. twelve miles in length and at the
beginning of the Civil War we had only
about four hundred miles of railroad
lines. while today we have 2145 miles
We have 400 miles of street railway lines,
not including about so miles in process
of construction. our street railroads have
practically all been constructed within
twenty years.
The gross earnings Of our steam rail
ROADS in this State for the year ending
June 80 1907. was $16,601 1853 and of our
street railroads $2,214, 2699l II speak of
these" remarked Mr.. Pottle. ''as showing
the general prosperous conditions in the
great diversity of business enterprises in
our State"
He then spoke of the wealth in our
fields and forests, the glories of our State
as pleasure resort and it's increasing
richness in natural resources
He then went on to say:
But we have something besides farms
and forests. continued Mr.. Pottle, we
have more than 5000 600 invested in tex
tile manufacturing plants giving employ
ment to over 25,0o0 men and women. We
have over $.0OOO. 600 invested in the man
ufacture of pulp and paper employing
more than 10000 people and it is estimat-
ed that nearly 10000 men are employed
a considerable portion of the year in the
various numbering operations
Cur financial institutions have kept pace