Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-01-30
TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

= TO HAVE AND TO HOLD
On Monday, February first,
goodly number. Of representative
citizens Of Maine leave on a pilgrim
eye down the Atlantic coast to
Florida. These Pilgrims will meet
many representative people of other
States, which, In the matter OF post
age rates are, as is Maine, discrim-
mated against under the present
sone regulations. Here would seem
TO be a subject of common interest,
which suggests cooperation.
II there should result from this
pilgrimage the bringing Of interests
to Maine that would expend within
the State no more than three mil
lion dollars annually, some of us
who are obliged to stay at home
would be willing to contribute lit
tie something to the expenses of the
excursion. But we do not need to
10 that, The representative men
who are making this acquaintance
with outside affairs will, we feel
sure, be on the alert to discover not
only any new business that may be
induced to come to Maine but also
ways and means for keeping it here.
They will study the methods used in
the communities they visit for doing
these things and endeavor to find a
way to apply them to Maine.
While about it, why not consider
that here in Augusta, for instance,
are big publishing houses that ex-
pend within the State around three
million dollars year? It would be
absurd to suppose that the people of
Maine are not interested to keep this
dollars for employment and for ma
terial, the dollars for Maine paper,
do not remain in Augusta; they are
distributed through the hands of
Maine wage workers, of Maine paper
makers and producers Of Maine ma
terial, sorters of Names mail. Yet
It seems to be beyond question that
these publishers, either by moving
their plants to the Midwest or by
selling them to be moved there,
might secure sum that, placed in
other securities, would net them
more Of profit than under existing
conditions and laws II is possible to
obtain with all the trouble Of man.
aging them.
This is because the Congress has
made postal rates that discriminate
against every coast State in favor of
another section of the country. Even
that body appreciates the existence
of injustice in this zone rate on pub
locations, as 1t recently changed but
did not cure them. With all the
tinkering, Notwithstanding the sacri-
flee of the fiat rate on publications,
the Government is not, as a result,
obtaining the revenue 1t expected. II
didn't figure correctly. 1t better re-
tions with a wide circulation may be
successful in Maine, New York or
Florida and not under compulsion to
move to Indiana or Missouri.
1t would be too much to expect OF
fallible human nature, that the rep
resentatives of the favored States OF
the Midwest would hasten to exert
themselves to remedy an inequality
that favored some of their constitu-
ents. No one State may hope to do
this, and there Is every practical
reason why representatives from the
States Disseminated against-and
apparently without profit to the
Government--shou cooperate to
that end.
The Maine pilgrimage to several
such states should take along and
Judiciously sow the seed of such CO.
operation. wherever possible Here
is an enterprise built up by Maine
people here at home until today they
are bringing annually three million
dollars to be expended within the
State. This enterprise Is now with
us. 1t will remain with us If treated
fairly. In the midst Of this Boom
Maine" let us find a way not only to
have our share but hold that which
Maine gumption has developed