Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-02-01

| the state OF NAME FuUuGtt$ nAtt1 ~
but there are a few points to which
| desire TO call your attention. which
L feel may be Of material interest
because they serve to emphasize the
! great benent which the people oil
the State of Maine may derive
| through the tourist interests.
L need not mention that my one
aim has always been to be construc-
tive in whatever I might undertake
and in this connection that which
has come to me within the creates,
force is the development of the tour
ist industry in Maine.
When the attention OF the people
was first drawn to that industry as
being of some Importance it wal
| early in the seventies. in that great
depression which was the result OF
the Civil war, and nothing has been
done SO much toward the develop
| ment of the State OF Maine up to
the present. But, gentlemen, this
has OF late been impaired because
of sharp, we'll defined competition
and because we have had too many
so-called conservative men. The
influence Of their conservatism, how
ever. has been destructive to the
welfare of our state and the devel-
opment not only of the summer in
terests but of all others. 1t Is time,
gentlemen. for all to be constructive.
have but little patience with any
man who becomes q block III front
of the commercial wheel.
Following his main address Mr.
Kicker read the following figures to
show the great gain that has been
made by the State in real estate and
personal property value as deter
mined by the State assessors:
Resident real estate valuation,
1S92-S164.4 56.5S1
Personal property. 1S92--$66, sos,
Al.
Real estate. resident, 192O-s309
73S.397
Personal property. 192O-$127.-
124. 302
Total increase on real estate val
uation. IS 1-3 per cent.
Real estate owned by non resi-
dents. valuation, 1S92-s3O, 312.512.
Personal property, nonresident
1S92-$3, 552,7S6.
Real estate, non resident. 1920
$40, 549,672.
Personal property. nonresident
1920-$21 ,22O, $50.
Increase in real estate valuation,
2Gf 2-3 per cent; in personal prop
erty. 400 40 per cent.
Mr.. Kicker said that many peo-
pie come here first as summer Wis.,
itors, stopping at hotels, later they
rent cottage and usually end up
by buying a summer home. Mr..
Kicker urged that citizens watch the
legislature and see that there are
healthy tax laws passed.
At this time regrets were read
from the following men, who sent
either letters or kilograms: Frank G.
harrington, Governor Percival p
Baxter, Obadiah Gardiner, President
A. J. Roberts and William J. Ian
nigan.
The next speaker to be introduced
was Hon. Ralph 0. Brewster who
spoke in part as follows:
Sen. Brewster
"In my judgment, Maine in this
decade must do what southern Cali
fornia did in 1900 to 1910, and Florida
in 1910 to 1920. 1t must sell itself as
the summer tourists State par excel
| lence to the whole eastern half OF
! the United States. This Is plainly
our present talent to use"
| Much of the address was similar
| to that which Mr.. Brewster had pre-
viously given before a Rotary club al
| Sanford. He drew comparison be-
! tween what other states are doing
and what Maine should do and thu
excellent beginning of publicity tina,
has been made.
This State. in my judgment, he
ways in stimulating this great enter
prise. Let the State protect oul
natural scenery which is our creates
natural asset both along our lake:
and streams and along our highway:
by proper regulation and restriction
of the advertising signs. Let the
state properly regulate and protec
the constantly increasing traffic OF
its highways and provide full art
adequate information regarding it:
various attractions and available
routes.
AS the vacation season constantly
| extends, Maine will reap increasing
benefits, and the tourists that come
to rest will see with new vision oul
industrial, commercial. and agricul
tural possibilities. This is the story
Of California and of Florida. AL
ready Maine farms have been devel'
oped by these summer visitors. ant
our apples are now competing in the
markets of the east with the produce
| Of the west. Already abandoned fac
tories have been taken over and in
dustries started by these visitors wht
! like to pass more of their time II
| Maine. The winter attractions ant
possibilities in Maine are just be
ginning to be realized. and its posi-
hilities as an all-the- year-round resi-
Dental State for red-blooded me1
\ IA.
exploitation.
l am not telling you of dream
I am telling you of fact and this i:
unfolding before our eyes. Practical
ly all of the resorts i'll Maine viii
tell you of increasing patronage thi:
past year, and the Maine Publicity
Bureau is given credit for this in
crease by all the experts on adTertis
ing in the country. Let US seize this
opportunity and make the most of 1t
Let the State cooperate in proper
, ways and l predict that in the mex
10 years Maine will see a develop.
ment without parallel in this great
and profitable business, and that we
shall have laid the foundation fol
commercial, industrial, and agricul-
! 1880 to 1910. which may well parallel
the development of Southern Califor-
mia and Florida.
The final speaker Of the meeting
was Willis Il. Parsons State COM
missioner of inland fisheries and
| game. Mr.. Parsons urged that the
Boards of Trade and Chamber OF
| Commerce in every city and town
get busy and promote Maine as q
summer resort. He said that at the
present time the State has II hatch