Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-07

Governor-elect awaits the pleasure of
the convention.
The report was accepted.
The Governor-elect and suite then
entered the hall of the House of Rep
resentatives and the Governor-elect
took and subscribed the oaths required
by the Constitution to qualify him to
enter upon the discharge of his ofti-
cial duties.
The Governor then communicated
with the joint convention with ad-
dress as follows:
Gentlemen Of the Senate and of the
House of Representatives:
BY solemn oath we have accepted
the responsibility of performing the
duties imposed upon us by tbs cleo
torate of Maine.
This obligation is personal. It's
fulfillment requires from each of US
earnest, individual effort. Our con-
duct, should be actuated by the sin
gle purpose of serving well the State
of Maine.
Maine, recovering from the stress
and turmoil of war, faces with con-
fidence future pregnant with
bright possibilities that may be made
certainties by the united action OF
her patriotic citizens.
Inspired by a consciousness of the
greatness of their State and devoted
to a common purpose, the people OF
Maine are developing her resources.
The tide Of emigration that for sew
enty years past has set SO strong
away from Maine. is now l. believe,
turning toward Maine. and justifies
the expectation of a marked in
crease in population in the present
decade
Believing in the future of Maine
and prepared to evidence that be-
lief by faithful service, we may,
while solving the difficult problems
incident to reconstruction, find the
open road to growth and develop
ment.
Some of Our Problems
More than seventy-five percent of
the power now used in the United
States is produced from coal; more
than seventy percent of all coal
mined is used in making power, and
coal furnishes more than third of
the freight tonnage carried on our
railroads. The economic difficulties,
experienced in obtaining and trans
porting coal and of producing from
it low cost power constitutes a Sc
rious handicap that is being over
come to Il great degree in Maine by
hydro electric development of our
water powers. Such development by
private capital under State regula-
ton, should be encouraged by con-
sentative legislation protecting cap
ital in its investment as to principal
and interest, but always subject to
the provision that power developed
must be used in Maine, for power
must be made available before we
can attract manufacturing and ag.
ricultural growth to utilize it. The
difficulties mentioned are forcing
large users of power in manufaC-
turing or in transportation to seek
hydro electric power and Names
ability TO furnish this power will
bring many industries into the State
and assure the growth of existing
industries provided we can guaran-
Z
interests, transportation of needed
law materials and of their finished
products.
Transportation Difficulties
The problems of railroad operation
resulting from the descriptive man
agement during federal control are
serious everywhere, but owing to
local conditions, doubly so in Maine
During the period when the owners
of Maine railroads were denied con-
troll of their property the expenses
of operation were increased more
than were the returns from advances
in passenger and freight rates. The
Government controlled, absolutely
wages. operating costs and earnings
On the termination of governmental
control last August the owners OF
Maine railroads received from the
Government crippled roads operat-
ing under fixed. charges that
equalled and in some instances ex-
ceeded revenues and are today with
out power to reduce their fixed
charges or increase their revenue.
Although the electric railroads of
Maine were not under government
control they have suffered Indirectly,
1t is our duty to investigate care
fully the conditions surrounding the
operation of railroads in Maine, and
to provide such relief as the exist
ing circumstances demand. 1t is
vital to the development of our State
that the present transportation IA
cilitieS be made more effactiya opd
that they be so increased that we
may have in Maine our adequate
share of this controlling factor in
modern commercial life.
Agriculture and Roads
For the service of short haul
transportation. particularly of the
bulky agricultural products, and of
pleasure travel into and throughout
the State, good roads are an abso-
Lutte necessity. Measuring present
road conditions by those which oh
tanned fourteen years ago, when the
first constructive good roads Iegis-
lation was adopted. great advance
ment has been made in construction
and a vastly increased mileage of
good roads provided. The develop
ment of the system of good roads
already initiated will very greatly
stimulate the future growth OF
Maine. We should observe a libera
attitude toward new road construc-
ton. make adequate provisions for
the upkeep of the roads that have
been constructed, enact laws regu-
lating and controlling the operation