510 



MAINE. 



By this system the worst boys, brought under 

 the influence of the family, are educated and 

 taught habits of industry. 



Fisheries and Game. The biennial report for 

 1887-'88 of the State commissioners shows 

 that the game has exhibited an almost phe- 

 nomenal increase, while by fish-planting and 

 protection a bountiful return of resources that 

 had been crippled is assured. The run of sal- 

 mon in Penobscot river has been large in both 

 years, but in 1888 it far exceeded that of 1887, 

 both in size and numbers. It is deemed neces- 

 sary for the protection of the fisheries to have 

 the river patrolled. In 1887, 104,000 sea-sal- 

 mon eggs were sent to Grand Lake and put into 

 St. Croix waters. There were hatched at Or- 

 land and put into Craig's brook 25,000. These 

 eggs were presented to Maine by the United 

 States Fish Commission in 1838. In 1888 

 Maine purchased 232,000 eggs ; and the United 

 State Commission presented the State with 

 148,000. Of this number 60,000 were put into 

 the St. Croix at Vanceboro, and 320,000 into 

 the Penobscot and Mattawamkeag rivers. 



The introduction of landlocked salmon has 

 been advanced in 1888; 50,000 were hatched 

 at Orland and distributed. 



A wonderful increase of venison game animals 

 is reported. Moose have been more numerous 

 than can be accounted for, unless by immigra- 

 tion from the provinces. This has likewise 

 been the case with deer. Wherever the law 

 against dogs has been enforced, deer, moose, 

 and caribou have made their appearance. 



The commissioner of sea and shore fish- 

 eries finds that, cwing to the protective law, 

 lobsters have been cheaper and more plentiful 

 than before in ten years. The yearly catch is 

 estimated at 25,000,000. Mackerel have been 

 scarce, and the yield was only 25,511 barrels 

 in 1888, against 56,919 in 1887, which is the 

 lowest catch in fifty years. Ths menhaden or 

 porgy, which disappeared ten years ago, reap- 

 peared in 1888, and one or two menhaden-oil 

 factories started up. Alewives are diminish- 

 ing, and the herring-sardine business is on the 

 increase. The product of 1888 was 450,000 

 cases, each case containing 100 boxes, and 

 each box ten or twelve little fish. The com- 

 missioners have control of 35,000 square miles 

 of territory, to cover which is an appropria- 

 tion of 18^ cents per square mile, or a total of 

 $6,500. From this sum has to be paid $2,000 

 for sea and land-locked salmon eggs. 



Ship-Building. During 1888 this branch of 

 industry steadily improved and was better 

 than it had been for years. There were built 

 18 schooners, 1 bark. 1 steam-bark, 2 steam- 

 yachts, 1 steamboat, and 1 steam-tug 24 ves- 

 sels; total tonnage, 10,035-82. Perhaps the 

 two most notable craft constructed during the 

 year were the five-masted schooner " Gov. 

 Ames " and the steam-tug " II. F. Morse " the 

 former the largest and only five-masted schooner 

 on salt water, and the latter the largest tug-boat 

 in this country. There is one larger schooner 



than the "Gov. Ames" "The Golden Age," 

 king of the Great Lakes. 



Political^ The Republican State Convention 

 was held in Portland on June 12, and Edwin 

 C. Burleigh, then State Treasurer, was nomi- 

 nated for Governor. The following are the 

 chief declarations of the platform : 



That free trade as taught by the British Cobden 

 Club and supported by Grover Cleveland and the 

 Democratic party, is hostile to the industrial and 

 business interests of the United States, and that the 

 Mills Tariff Bill should be opposed by all the honora- 

 ble and effective influences which the friends of 

 American labor can exert, both in Congress and 

 among the people. 



That it is the duty of Congress to reduce the na- 

 tional revenue to the amount which shall equal, as 

 nearly as possible, the annual expenditures of the 

 Government, including therein a liberal provision for 

 our veteran soldiers and a proper means of national 

 defense, and that this should be done in a way not to 

 impair our Republican protective system, which has 

 proved of inestimable value to American labor and 

 our home markets. 



That, for its surrender of American rights and in- 

 terests in the recently negotiated fishery treaty, the 

 present national Administration deserves the em- 

 phatic censure of all patriotic Americans, and that 

 the Republican Senators are entitled to the thanks of 

 their countrymen for their able and effective efforts 

 against its ratification. 



That the prohibitory law against the terrible evils 

 of the liquor traffic, after many years of trial, has be- 

 come the fixed policy of the State, to which the Re- 

 publicans of Maine are firmly pledged, and we de- 

 mand that its provisions shall be faithfully enforced 

 according to their terms and spirit. 



The Democratic State Convention was held 

 in Augusta on May 22, and nominated William 

 L. Putnam, who was Mayor of Portland in 

 1869, for the governorship. These are the 

 principal declarations of the platform adopted : 



That unnecessary taxation is unjust extortion, and 

 that the immediate and constantly increasing surplus 

 now accumulating in the United States Treasury is a 

 menace to the business interests of the country and to 

 economical government. We believe that our tariff 

 is so arranged as to foster wealthy monopolies at the 

 expense of the common people, and we sincerely ap- 

 prove of the Democrats in Congress to pass a bill 

 which will, in the language of President Cleveland, 

 " relieve the people from unnecessary taxation, hav- 

 ing a due regard to the. interests of capital invested, 

 and workingmen employed in American industries." 

 We do not advocate tree trade, but favor and desire a 

 revision of the present unjust and burdensome tariff 

 laws. 



That reform hi the administration of the affairs of 

 the State is urgently demanded. Needless and ex- 

 travagant expenditures have come largely to absorb 

 our State revenues, thus postponing the payment of 

 the State debt, upon which more 'than the original 

 amount has already been paid for interest. Salaries 

 have been unnecessarily increased, in some cases at 

 their request and with a population nearly stationary, 

 with no State enterprises requiring outlay, the ex- 

 penditures for State purposes have nearly quadrupled 

 under the rule of the Republicans. 



That we view with alarm the growing evil of in- 

 temperance in our State, and in the interest of good 

 society and temperance demand the repeal of the pro- 

 hibitory liquor law, and the enactment of a stringent 

 high-license law. 



The official count of the presidential election 

 showed a Republican majority of 23,253 votes, 



