Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-03
governor talks
ON KNOW maine
PRODUCTS WEEK"

Lessons to be taught by know
Maine Products Week" is the sub
ject of a statement Monday by Gov.
Ralph o. Brewster in which he says:
"In recent years we have thought
of ourselves so much as nation
that we have tended to forget that
there was any proper use for the
states. The strength of America has
grown out of an indiSSoluable union
of equally indissoluable states. The
dual allegiance that is recognized in
the oath of office that every public
official takes is unique in history but
our experience has demonstrated
that it need mean no lessening of
our interest in the welfare of the
nation or the state.
maine is peculiarly and naturally
an economic unit 'perched on the ma
tons edge. If there is any state in
the country that could advantage
ously cultivate self sufficiency it is
state such as ours, with very great
resources in it's forests, it's water
powers and it's SOIL blended with
climate and scenic beauties that are
unique.
1T is sometimes thought that 1t
is provincial to talk about the virtues
of our state or to cultivate confidence
in the possibilities of it's development
in the years that are just ahead. A
little consideration will show that
the exact opposite is the case. The
more widely one has travelled through
the United States, the more keenly
will he appreciate the attractions
and possibilities of Maine with its
$500 miles of beautiful seacoast,
thousands of beautiful lakes and
streams. 100000 acres of forest
and $4,000 miles of scenic highways
stretching from Kittery to Fort Kent.
IAN these attractions, however,
will be of little value unless they are
developed by a thrifty people using
our resources for the service of them
Seves, their state and their nation.
Seven hundred thousand pairs of
feet are to be shod in Maine each
year; seven hundred thousand
mouths are to be fed; seven hundred
| thousand backs must be clothed.
These seven hundred thousand con-
sumerS residing in our state through
out the year are the key to the de-
velopment Of our agriculture and our
industries as shall come to properly
appreciate the advantages that are
offered. If we can make each year
2O,000,000 pairs of shoes and ship
thcHI AltO every Sldle III the union,
we should be able to furnish shoes
for the people of Maine. If we can
make hundreds of thousands of shirts
and distribute them all the way to
the Pacific coast we should be able
/ to furnish shirts for the men of
Maine. If we have one of the largest
stands. of choice hardwood of any
state in the country today it should
not be necessary for us to import
radio horns from California or desks
from Michigan to supply our needs.
agricultural opportunities are
coming com back east rs the cheap farm
need of fertilizer In the west takes
away another advantage they have
enjoyed. Railroad strangulation adds
the third argument, urging very
persuasively that the great industri-
al east should feed itself
Home markets furnish the KEY
to the development of our capacity
to serve the people in our neighbor-
ing states. We have already begun
to realize these possibilities in our
remarkable production Of potatoes.
and in sweet corn, apples, and more
ercently-canned peas. We have
hardly scratched the surface of the
development that is bound to come
III connection with industries depen-
Gent upon hard woods as the sup
plies in TIM Middle West are so ra-
pid:v vanishing before the terrific
drain they can ill withstand. We
seem likely also to be still in our
infancy in certain lines of dairying
development for which our State is
wei adapted by its climate and re-
sources of other kinds. The cheese
industry Is rapidly developing and
bids fair to offer a most desirable
field for development of diversified
farming within certain sections OF
OUR State.
IF Maine people shall consume
primarily Maine products of all
kinds so far as they are advantage
eously available we shall develop a
tremendous market within our
midst for these wares and add to the
prosperity of every community and
every industry and every farmer
within our State.
I'VE shall thus furnish these
goods and assured market within
the neighborhood, where they are
produced ard stabilize them against
the fluctuations to which shipments
are subject to distant parts. We
Shall also lay the foundation for
more and more economical produc-
ton as the output is increased and
the overhead is reduced, and enable
us to sell IN competition our goods
IN other states in 50 far as our ma
tural advantages place us in a favor
able position to compete.
This is the secret of the remark
-able industrial Development of Cali
1ornia in the decade just passed.
While it talked to us of being a
tourists state, it increased it's indus
trial output by over a billion and a
half dollars. California started in
l9iO at position almost exactly
equal to our own. This enormous
expansion has been built up by a
loyalty to goods produced within
their state and with the momentum
thnt this has given they have car
ried their goods across the continent
anu even into foreign lands.
We are approaching this prob
len In no narrow or PROVINCIAL
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