Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-15

The congenial and far-Seeing president
of the Waterville Chamber Of Commerce,
Mr.. Ralph Patterson, has conceived the
idea of a community farm and is work.
, ing in cooperation with the Augusta
people to perfect such a project. Upon
! first reflection we might be led to be
lieve Mr. Patterson had become a phil
anthropist in divert;ng his attention
from the business street of Waterville
to the rural sections of Maine. Mr.. Pat
terson may be little more far sighted
than some others but rest assured he is
not depressing from an old established
| law that self preservation is the first
law of Man" Mr.. Patterson besides be
ing president OF the Waterville Chamber
Of Commerce is connected with The Cen
trail Maine Power Company (Which is
one of the big industries of Mainel and
draws his income from this source. lie
doesn't need to he told that their success
means his success. The c. NJ. =. Co.
derives its revenue from selling and dis
tributing electric current. 1t isn't sufti-
cient for this company to work out the
problem of producing electricity alone,
but what shall become of it when gen
Grated. The revenue depends upon the
consumption of the product.
Nearly every individual who uses his
eyes would prefer electric lights; nearly
every individual who needs power for
operating machinery would prefer cleo
trio current for this purpose The want
has long been in existence. The pos&bil!
ty of obtaining it is the only barrier
What we would like to have and what
we may have depends upon our own in
come, not upon our desires. To crafty
oru innumerable wants we must first M
crease our revenue. 1t is an established
fact that destroy your cities and the
farms will go on; destroy your farms
and the grass will grow in your streets.
The cities are dependent upon the farms
Correctly speaking they are mutually de-
pendent upon each ether. The manu-
facturer cannot run his mill without the
products from the soil The merchant
cannot run his store without patronage,
He locates where they are able to buy.
He first must see to it that they have
the purchasing power. The source Of
wealth is the earth. The stimulus to
seek that wealth is profit. Without prs
fit the tiller of the soil only feeds HIM
self The amount of energy put forth
by labor depends upon its reward.
It. is not Incidence that prevents the
Maine farmer from increasing his pro-
duction, but the lack of reward. In
crease his pay and you increase his eff
cheney. The sluggishness in our CONNER
cial business is the result of farming de-
pressions here, nothing else. Our mer-
chants are not unaware of the hun
dreds of thousands of dollars that go
every year to add to the dividends Of
the great mail order houses over the
country. 1t isn't that the farmer or city
resident prefers this, only as a means of
economy. In other words for the same
reason that our merchants buy their
beef and other things from the great
West better quality at less cost. The
West has always prospered at Names
expense. Just as long as this method is
followed, Maine will remain poor. For
the reason that they are prosperous and
we are not is the reason that the inves-
tors money goes where prosperity is. in
stead Of into our own Industries of farm
ing and manufacturing. Every dollar of
our money that goes from Maine to other
sections just so much is every security
in Maine affected. The banks of our
State. instead of opposing the operating
Of federal farm loan act here, should
welcome with open arms every dollar
that should come into the State for the
safety OF their own Investments here.
To get back to our subject, 1 reiterate
1t 10 wise move on the part of the