Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-12

ing Of tax rate. They may not feel
that way today-but we rather think
that there will come a time, when
they have been at home for a few
months, when they will be thankful.
The kennebec Reservoir Dam was
case of weakening in the ninth inn
ing. We should have been very well
OF. { the original bill had been per-
mitted to stand and we could have
gone to the people with it. 1t was
not case for disgust at the whole
matter" as is commonly given as the
reason for the repeal of the original
bill which had been passed over the
Governors veto. although there was
occasion enough for that sentiment
to prevail. 1t was exactly like leav-
ing the field with game won, be-
cause the umpire" had given
wrong decision. That gives the
game to the other team mine to
nothing" We had no fear Of the out
come of that referendum on the
kennebec Dam. If we could not have
won on the proposition to upbuild
Maine we deserve to die Of dry rot
in Maine. The compromise was well
enough, if the thing could have been
sold to the people who had to buy it.
But it did not seem to be a bargain
to them and they declined it. That
is their business: the fact that they
did not like IT, only goes to prove
chtse as valuable as some seem to be-
lieve it to be. Some people want to
buy power and some do not
We are sick at heart over the out
come of the Kennebec Dam and
dead wrong in returning it with his
much OF the substance of his COM
promise proclamation. If he had es-
capped that error. he would have been
intrenched in right for a great part
OF his administration.
Why are we sick at heart? Be
cause of what we see to be going on.
What is going on? Our textiles are
leaving us for the south to get cheap
er power; cheaper wage scales: Ion
ger hours of work from operatives
and tax-free sites. Our shoe shops
are going west. When one shoe
manufacturing corporation. the In
ternational, has been given more
sites for factories. tax-free condi-
tons and other assistance for build
in shoe shops. in the past YEAR, than
we have of factories in all of Au-
burn and Lewiston. big as we are
something is going on: some COM
petition Is being shown against New
England. We are stuck mp here in
the end OF the earth as to trans
portation. When II takes fourteen
DAYS to get carload OF freight
from Worcester. Mass. to Aul,,,rn, as
it frequently has this winter and
when we can't get delivery Of mann
featured goods within two weeks
when it should he two DAYS. what arc
we doing
1t is no time to he fighting over
distractions. 1t is no time to he
splitting hairs; it is time To spnt
wood. It is not even time to get
"disgustod" because some one thinks
that a Governor or some one else is
Stepping on his toes ana showing
him scaut Justice. il is time 10 buckle
up the belt: do what Maine requires
and show the rest of tho world that
we can plav the game. II was no
time for the Governor 10 6cht our
his own intcrcst,n, poIicics. if is
time TO build dams and f,ow rivers,
We can s,wn>s do what We feel
ought TO he done. when we have the
power of the State behind US. We
can always tax: but we cannot tax
distractions. We can always set
revenue out or power: but we can
not get it out of policies. The efforts
of Mir WNman and Mr.. shelton in
the Legislature to get a dam: to get
something ct once. were heroic and
should have horne fruit. We arc
sorry. We had not the slightest
fear Of being buncoed. A million
dollar machine out in the field IN
der the mud and mire is good for
nothing: set 70 work it eniches all
the world.
How r;d;,,,,ou., x.,,.. ,r ,,,.
~ years of nnna.ant VOL. m he
owners of nower thev At Inst asree
r. hu,,d. we ann,, thc,, tha r;rht nnd
70, oi, of Tho ti,,,a ,nn aro Sn,,iinr
ana ,.nulina for rnora u,ater nnwor 10