Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-05-18
MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.
Interesting and Helpful Session Held
Monday Evening

1
| Monday Evening.
| The regular meeting OF the Ellsworth
merchants association Monday evening
was largely attended, there being some
| fifty members of the association and busi-
ness men present.
The meeting was an interesting one,
| and boosted along the spirit of optimism
on which the future Of Ellsworth so
largely depends.
Hollis B. Estey, president OF the asso-
citation, presided.
c. l.. Morang, of the committee to
which was referred the matter of trying
to induce Hoyt's express company to
| establish an otfics here, reported that
with water communication with Els
worth so uncertain as the present, the
| company could not probably establish an
munication esta b.ished, they would take
the matter under consideration.
The secretary OF the association. Roy {.
Haines, was then called upon to introduce
William t. Billings, of the industrial de-
partment Of the Maine Central railroad,
who was present to address the meeting.
| Mr.. Haines prefaced the introduction with
few remarks regar ling the industrial
department recently established by the
railroad, and its importance to Ellsworth
Through it Ellsworth was already in com
munication with two prospective indus
tries. The merchants association and the
board OF trade have supplied the depart
| ment with data as to manufacturing op-
| portunities here.
Mr.. Billings is an interesting and witty
speaker. He based his talk largely on the
| text, SECT back to the farm" HI. said the
much-talked-of high cost of living had
been brought about by the tend ,ncy Of
rural population toward the large cities.
When the people revert to the farms, it
! will tend to restore the economical bal
ance'
| He dwelt at some length upon the ad-
vantages of this section for fruit-raising
and agriculture generally. He attributed
| the present stationary condition in agri-
| cultural lines here to a lack of conviction
| on the part of farmers as to its profitable
| ness, and a reluctance to adopt modern
and improved methods in their work.
As to the industrial situation, he said its
decline here, as in fact throughout New
| England, was largely due TO the diversion
| of so much eastern capital toward the
West. Instead Of using their money -
money that had been earned here-for the
development of their own industries, the
people OF Maize had sen. so, 900, 900 into
the West to develop its industries and
farms, and then went to the West for
their goods and paid the western manu-
facturer and farmer liberal profit on
goods that might have been produced al
home. New England has for years fur
nished not only large part of th'
finances but also of the brain for the mar
vAous development of the West. This il
not good business for Maine. eli you wan
business and mean business you must &C
after it in a business-iike way" was tbs
!. advice with which Mr.. Billings em
, phasized his remarks.
Mr.. Billings was followed by Rev. r. B
Mathews, who read a very apt article
J "Back to the Farm" from the Bostol
Ne,rs Bureau, Rev. o. G. Barnard, B. I
Sowie and c. L. Morang, all of whom ha
} some word of interest for the meeting
After the meeting, cigars were passed
and the members of the association had
heart-to- heart talk with Mr.. Billing:
One of the immediate results obtained wa
the promise that the farming special to b
; sent out by the Maine Central raiiros
/ next month, in conjunction with tn
I University of Maine, will make stop a
Ellsworth.