Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-04-01
NEW ENGLAND
GOVERNORS THEME
HER OPPORTUNITIES

New Haven, Conn. March ST.
Governor Ralph o. Brewster of
Maine, addressing the New Haven
Chamber of Commerce, spoke on
New England" and eloquently de-
scribed her opportunities. He re-
minded them that New England is
today producing one-half of the
wooden goods used in the United
States amounting to over seven hun
bred million dollars in value. New
England manufactures one-half OF
the boots and shoes; over 5000 of the
rubber footwear; supports over one
third of the cotton mills; produces
three quarters of the textile ma
chinery and, owing to your activities
down here in Connecticut contributes
to the needs of the United States
over $3.50 of its typewriters; 5000 of
its cutlery: 60Ro Of it's needles and
for good measure furnishes over $500
Of its athletic goods. For q section
containing but little over SEQ of the
population of the United States this
is an industrial supremacy OF which
we may well be proud.
Neither are we dependent entirely
for our food supplies upon other sec
tons when New England Is bringing
to market over five hundred million
pounds of fish each year. being one.
quarter of the total supply of the
country. With profit both to our
health and pocket-book We might
well emulate the example of Eng
land and Continental Europe and
consume in New England two hun
dred and fifty million additional
pounds of fish and in the United
States develop a market for over
three billion additional pounds of
fish which could be well supplied
from the remarkable resources plac-
ed at our very door. Maine alone
furnishes over one third of the
States; feeds all New England with
its forty million bushels of potatoes;
sends tremendous quantities to the
| metropolitan market of New York;
raises $3.50 of the certified potatoes
produced in the United States and
furnishes the highest quality of seed
to all the Southern States. Our po-
tato crop in the Pine Tree State is
1919 of the production Of the entire
country upon soil that grows three
hundred and eight bushels to the
acre as compared with one hundred
and twenty four bushels per acre
which is the average throughout the
United States.
New England knows how to make
things and to grow things and to
Suck of the abundance of the sea
and of the treasures hid in the
sand" Like every great commercial
community its opportunity today is
merchandising and markets.
The greatest market we possess is
the home market where eight million
New Englanders represent q pur-
chasing power of over two billion
6sN11 ~ 81
wear and use. Meanwhile we are
permitting our New England off
spring in Los Angeles to sell ready
made ladies hats under our very nose
and bathing suits made in San
Francisco in many of our great
! metropolitan Stores-and radio horns
made in California while Our fifteen
| million acres of hardwood growth in
the State of Maine are crying to be
used. To cap the climax of the
ridiculous in Aroostook County last
year with potatoes a surfeit on the
market and being dumped upon the
ground purchased potato chips
! made in Chicago and sold in the
State of Maine.
These are experiences sufficient to
make our Yankee ancestors rise from
their wellearned rest.
Cultivation of home markets is not
provincial but is the doctrine Her
| bert Hoover is advocating upon a
national scale in order to relieve the
strain upon our transportation syS-
TENS as our country constantly
grows.
California during the decade while
| 1t talked to us of being a winter
tourist State increased it's industrial
| output by over two billion dollars, by
| cultivating home loyalty and then
selling its products with the mo-
/ mentum thus created all over the
United States. Its recreationaI at
| fractions were demonstrated to be
| the key to unlock it's industrial and
agricultural growth. They convert
ed visitors into investors upon a
+. scale we may well learn with the
similar talents of recreational appeal,
! industrial atmosphere and agri-
| cultural opportunity in this chang
| ing modern day.
To secure an intelligent direction
of the two billion purchasing power
| of New England to our own products
| is the first lesson we must learn.
| This involves no limitation of our
| trade development in other sections
| or of our use of the products in
! which their resources give them OPP
portunity for production that Is
unique.
The other great market that is
| now looming on the horizon is one
| that has been stagnant for half a
|