Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-12-16
JUDGE CLEAyES DISCUSSES
PROBLEMS FAC led BY AUGUSTA
IN her INDUSTRIAL GROWTH

Judge BENJAMIN, +. Cleaves, eor-
merly of the Public Utilities Commits
sion of this State. and now executive
secretary of the Associated Industries
of Maine, spoke, last evening at
forum of the Augusta Chamber OF
Commerce, on the problems related
| to the industrial growth of this city
Judge Cleaves has had chance
that any speaker from another place
would not have, that is to learn not
only the general conditions in the
State, but also those peculiar to this
city, He has been q resident of this
city for the past seven years and said
that although he was soon to leave
here, because of the removal OF his
office to Portland, that he had no
fault to find with the city and that
he had found the educational facili-
ties Of the city especially good.
, In his opening remarks, the speaker
said that the problem of the city
was much the same as that which
obtained in the whole State. He said
that one way to boost the city was to
boost the State and Maine must be
able to attract industries before any
one city could hope to grow indus
trially.
Then he enumerated the handicaps
and the advantages that industries
would find in Maine. One of the CHIEF
handicaps here and for that matter in
several of the New England states, is
the fact that IS we are far removed
from the place where the raw rsaters
ial is produced it necessarily costs US
more to get the material here.
There is being held at this time in
Washington a conference which is or
vital Importance to the people or the
New England states. This is the
meeting of the Interstate Commerce
Commission to determine the rate OF
decrease, if any, that shall be made
in the freight rates. He said that 1t
was to be hoped that it would not
work out as it did on the 10 per cent.
decrease on the certain farm pro-
ducts This decrease which went in
to effect a short time ago was so
worked out that it applied only to
goods entering the New England
states. Any good being transported
wholly within the New England
states or from these, states to others,
would not receive the benefit of this
reduction. Judge Cleaves figured that
that would mean a loss of about =
500,0 to the farmers of ArocstooS
on their potato crop alone.
Now. to avoid section preference
such as this, it is necessary that the
people who are most effected by any
thing of like nature should b band
cd together as unity is for the good
of the common cause. He said tina.
New England was sending Il number
of traffic experts to plead their cause
before the interstate commerce mcc.-
ing.
He said that it would be necessary
to put up a more convincing argument
to them because there was but one man
on the board from New England and
that he was practically an cutcast
without influence. This fact would
naturally mean that the need Of these
states would not be so apparen. to the
commission as ii would be if there
were number Of men repre- senting
the East.
Another matter that we must watch
very carefully is the division of the
railroads into a number of systems
which is authorized by the Esch-Cum-
Minis bill. Various plans have been
discussed. but the one that has been
tentatively adopted calls for the d.
vision to be made into 10 systems
Some people advocate having the rail-
roads of New England all in one sys-
tenn, but others say that If this were
to be done the other sections of the
country would be able to put us out Of
business and that the best means to
avoid this is to line up with some
trunk line, preferably the New York
Central. All this must be thrashcd
out, and that means that the people
of these New England states must
band together and send experts to the
hearing that we may get our tights.
Another fact that shows the differ
cncc between the Fastener and the
Westcrner is that the Westcrner is al
ways Dragging about his sectiou of the
country and his state and town. and
the fastener never does this. If we
are to become known to the r,anufac-
turers we must talk and talk Augusta
until they get to know about ii and
it's facilities as we'll as they nov
know the West and South.
Some of the advantages of Maine
are it's hardwood growth and the fac5
that we arc relatively free from labor
trouble. The hardwood growth of
Michigan is being rapidly exhausted
and this will mean that Maine with its
$4,000, 000, 600 cords of hardwood that
it within practical hauling distance Of
existing railroads, will eventually be-
come the home of some Of the Wagon
factories, auto wheel manufactures
and other large users of hard wood.
The labor situation here is very
good. Due to the fine quality of the
workers of this State who think for
themselves and are not so impress