Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-08

10 say u lew WOruS IN regard 10 InlS
proposition. 1t is a question that
interests everybody in the State of
Maine. We here in the House and
in, the Senate are interested perhaps
as much in the Budget as in any
thing. The Budget was made up
originally for a tax of about six
mills. 1t has been revised by the
committee and the Governor and it
looks to me as though it would be
quite little under six mill rate.
When we approach this railroad
taxation problem, we individually
think of the budget, but 1 think we
should also consider the interests of
the whole State of Maine, as well as
simply budget figures.
|. As I understand this bill, it's pur-
pose is to help the Maine Central and
the other railroads in Maine to a
small extent; we are to place their
tax the same as for the year 1920,
and this vol continue during the
years 1921 and 1922, so that it will
amount to about a half mill in 1921,
and about a mill in 1922 The ques-,
ton for the people in the State of
Maine or for this Legislature to de-
eide is whether the people of the
State of Maine are willing TO contri-
butte this money to help out these
corporations which now come to us
in distress.
At the present time, the situation
is such that the shippers have al
ready made large contribution to
these corporations in the shape of an
increase in rates; labor has already
4 m n 10 k,,st~
the fact that the roads have dropped
they possibly could, and they are
out Of jobs today, and they
have curtailed in the matter of
labor. The owners of the roads, that
! is, the stockholders have paid their
tribute, and they have paid hand
somely; they have paid every cent Of
income, and they do not receive a
cent in dividends eithe on the COM
mon or on the preferred stock of the
Maine Central Railroad.
| Now, as look back and as I IN
derstand the proposition and see it.
the State of Maine has developed
along the lines of our railroads ac-
cording to their policy. I can re-
member 80 years ago when the Maine
Central Railroad through my town
mad single track, and as you looked
up the line it looked little bit like a.
snakes track; it was crooked and
the rails were light, and the locomo-
tives were light, and the cars were
small, and the trains ran only about
twice a day; the rates on freight were
low and that brought industries into
the State and that helped to devotion
\ V0I1r acrriP,rlf,,roJ
they have heavy rails and heavy To-
comotives, large freight cars and
long trains, until recently, which run
often.
1 have as yet failed to explain to
myself just how this change has come
about. The population of the State
of Maine has not increased to any
great extent, and how it is that there
mas been so much more traffic? It in
the development of our industries and
OF our agricultural resources. I do
not agree with some of the things
tnat are said in regard to agriculture
IN Maine l think the farms of our
otate are shipping much more of their
products today than they used to
snip, and there are more apples and
potatoes shipped, and all kinds of
products. In regard to the manufac-
tured articles of our State the same
thing is true. I am going to say
that I believe this has come about
through the policies Of the Maine
central and the other Railroads to
hold their rates down low. We are
up here in the northeastern part of
our country who manufacture and
bring materials into the State, pay
the increased rate of freight; we ship
out these articles and pay an increase
again, and that is double increase.
A few years ago there was a point
not far from Augusta from which the
rate to Boston was IL cents a hum
dred; today it is So 1-2 cents a hun
dred. There is no inducement for
industries outside of the State of
Maine to come in and locate at points
like that; they are all figuring on the
freight rates, and it something that
we need to figure.
| Now, we have reached a point. I
think, where we are going to stop
new industries from coming into our
State, and in order to relieve these
railroads. this committee of the Gov
, Ci lloi was ippOlulSu W see IL was
advisable to advance freight rates
ten per cent. again. If they do so,
that is so much more against the in
terest of the industries of the State
of Maine not only against the man
ufacturers but against the farmers
and against the farms of our State,
and we want to realize that. The
manufacturers and the farmers are
contributing their part; labor is con-
tributing it's part. as far as it is able.
And 1 will say for labor that l be-
lieve as soon as the matter is adjust
! ed so that they can do so, they will
accept a larger part than they are ac-
/ cepting today, and there is no one of
us who wants to see labor cut down
so that they cannot make a decent
living. We are willing that they
should receive an honest wage for an
honest days work; we want them to
receive that, and the railroad owner
wants them to receive it too.
! AS 1 stated before. the stockholders
have contributed their share, and we
want to consider the matter somewhat
in that respect before we vote upon
this question. Who are the stockhoId-
ers of the Maine Central Railroad, for
instance? They are citizens of our
State large part of them Probably