Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-25
CONTINUED from Page One.)


2 It has leen the custom of the State
in the past to encourage the construc-
ton CT railroads and other means of
communication within It's borders.
They have received the encouragement
Of the Legislature, and all reasonable
facilities hive been offered that wouiG
enable the people to multiply these
agencies of transportation. Your rail-
roads have been extended into our
vast forests, through sparsely settled
communities; they lave extended
their lines to remote places and have
stimulated the advance o. the increas-
ing business interests Of the State.
bringing them into closer touch and
communication, and the development
of the resources of your State, of your
commercial and business interests, Is
in no slight degree dependent upon tn"
prosperity and advancement of your
railroad systems.
In TIE mast it has been the pride Of
our State, that conservative thought
and action was the rule in our legis-
lation. This rule, to some, may seem
old fashioned and out of Gate now,
nevertheless it is the correct rule ard
u dlIlcitO tOs NdIitcl wan NV 4N'ti ~
.r flee from us, but can be commanded
10 aid in the development Of Maine s
UNPARALLELED resources. 1t has been tn:
boast CT our State. that capital invest =
cd in railroads, in manufactures, III
great Industrial establishments winch
give employment to labor ana build
up communities, stood on an equality
with other property, and was not sub
ject T. unjust exactiOns ard unrea /
sonab,e burdens. This legislative poii-
ry has dominated at this Capitol 70"
/: period of more than % years, au-
hertd to not only in the "xecutlN''
branch Cf the State Government. bu.
In these halls of legislation; and 1t has
done more to aid in the wonderful ad-
vance you have made as state. than
any other one thing; because it mas
brought foreign capital to your aid,
without which it would have been i'm
possible to make the advance you have
already won.
Under this wise policy you have ex-
tended your lines of railroad, you have
I'd been developing and improving your
vast water powers, YOU have been
building up new communities and es-
ldDllSnlHS new anu liz
enterprisng people of Maine have been
opening the doors of our vast store
houses of industrial wealth and bring
ing forth something of value; recug
nizing that every manufactory You
erect with the aid of foreign capital
every mill you build. every new in
dustry you start, every water power
you develop, every railroad you OK
tend, every additional farm you cult
vate, adds to the great aggregate that
makes up great, prosperous anG
thriving commonwealth.
[ was somewhat familiar with the
legislation Of your State during tbs
time when some of these important
lines of railroad were constructed and
with the policy of the State in it's eff
forts to induce capital to invest lr
Maine in our enterprises, instead OF
going to enrich other fields. | recall
the efforts of the citizens of Washing
ton county to obtain railroad commu-
1icaton with other sections of the
State. Through the enterprises of tn,
people of that county, though they met
with many discouragements. capita
was procured and a railroad was con
jngton Junction to Calais and East
port That capital, with the exception
of the aid extended by the county, was
principally foreign capital. induced t'
come here because Maine was conserv-
ativc in her legislation and committed
to no radical policies; and except fol
this foreign capital this road would
never have been built. 1t was con
structed under Legislative sanction, ant
as q part of the executive branch ol
the State Government, if my recollec,
ton is correct, l approved of those
laws, and | approved them because
they we're right
No partnership entered into the
consideration of these questions; polIt
ical considerations We're subordinatet
to the best interests Of the state II
was Il question of business. of develop
nient. progress, advancement an,
growth, and whether the people .
Washington county should have an OPP
portunity to reach available markets
for their products. The Washington
County railway was constructed. an'
YOU can travel from the western line
of your State to it's extreme eastern
, border on an American railroad with
out entering foreign territory, or seek
Ing the protection of any other nag
than your own. And as result of TN:
policy and the construction of TN:
road. a water power has been develop
ed at what was formerly known as
Spragues Falls; almost countless
thousands of foreign capital have beer
invested in a great manufacturing
plant there established. which is nov
sending forth daily in car load dots 1t:
products to the markets of the coun
try; and thriving and growing VII
lage with a population of more than {
thousand people. has been established
in the forest. Does anyone regret the
legislation that has produced these re-
suits?
And in 1893 and 1894. amid the mos
discouraging circumstances, and whil'
the storms OF financial rum Were
sweeping away investments in RAILROAD
securities in many sections of you
country, the enterprising people o
Maine planned and constructed more
than 200 miles of new railroad. con
structed mostly with the aid Of for
eign capital. Under the policy puf'