Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-19
NEEDS OF STATE
Continued from Page one)

Commerce. He has been making q
quite exhaustive study Of conditions
pertaining to productiveness in
Maine since 1850.
He found that during the past ten
years there has averaged Ia farms
daily passing out of existence, not
withstanding there is land in Maine
that has raised better crops Of corn.
and certain other grains per acre
than is raised in many of the So
called grain producing states. Dur
itie this decade three farmers per day
lave been leaving farming in Maine
for other pursuits.
Too little attention. he said. is be-
ing given to cooperative development
of our really splendid resources. Too
little effort is given TO making bust
ness. To illustrate he spoke of the
time when the sheep raisers in
Maine were seeking legislation to
protect their flocks from dogs The
retailers, though spending thousands
ct dollars to get business, were I'M
willing TO help with a few hundred
dollars the sheep raisers to make
more business from which all might
profit.
Address Pres. Todd Of 3. & A.
A feature Of the afternoon meeting
and one Of which every member pres
ent is sure TO do some thinking was
the address of Pres. Percy f. Todd of
the Bangor & Aroostook railroad. Of
him, President Elwell of the Asso-
citation said in his introduction that
he had the distinction of maintaining
condition of prosperity on the road
under his mana cement during the
trying years.
Mr.. Todd said that the subject as
signed to him was such that in the
time at his disposal he might hit only
the high spots. He hit some OF them
so hard his audience will remember
them.
He said he believed 100 per cent in
organization. lie had found from
experience that the Association Of
Industries in Massachusetts is an
They do things" He spoke Of what
the b. & A. had been trying to do in
Aroostook to encourage cooperative
marketing and he was hopeful Of
good results.
Regarding railroads he said that
during his 90 years experience he
had found perhaps half dozen
crooks connected with the manage
ment but they We're inconsiderable
compared with the honest, decent
men.
He referred to the type of men
like Willard of the b. & o., who had
risen by sheer ability from fireman
10 railroad presidency at $4,000
per year, a type that is finding con
ditions very discouraging.
With regard to freight rates in
Maine he said he saw no prospects
under present conditions of their de-
crease. He went into detail of costs
to illustrate this. He asked tfem
what manufacturer could succeed
under conditions where, as in the
case of railroads, the Government is
fixing 100 per cent of the selling cost
and 20 per cent of the operating
cost He dWelt at some length on the
need of cooperation and cited what
is being done and what the B. and
A. Railroad is trying to help ARGOS
took do in the way of cooperating.
He discussed the various plans
for consolidation of the railroads and
said that if the New England roads
must be consolidated they should be
put into a New England system and
be financed in New England and he
had assurance this could be done.
The banquet was served at the
Congress Square hotel at p. NJ.
Following. Arthur G. Staples made
merry with one Of his inimitable