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The Chlmeo BMe «f it.Editor of RsdoKD:—I takr up a copy of your jmper a few dayi ago, and while in the aet of reading it I found myself deeply concerned in n letter from the pen of Prof. L. C. Bateman, the indefatigable correspondent' of the Record, under the heading nBaf Har-‘ bor'a Ix)»r.”I am aware that snch an article written by a hand go able as that of Prof. Bateman, must have a strong local interest, and hence arises the danger of appealing to the sympathy rather than the reason of the people of Mount Desert Island.Naturally enough sympathy would be attracted much sooner than reason In a question of great local importance.Mr. Bateman has most vividly pointed out to the readers of the Record the hundred and one ways by which the people of Bar Harbor would have been benefited had the World’R fair been given to New Y ork Instead of Chicago, but takes what seems to me an improper opportunity of attributing the cause of the gift—hence Bar Harbor's loss—to what he has termed the “double dyed treachery of Messrs. Boutelle and Milli-ken,our representatives in Congress from the third and fourth districts. Mr. Bateman I trust will pardon me if I may seem to differ with him in some respects in regard to the World's fair question as seriously affecting the prosperity of the people of Mount Desert, or other Maine resorts, and also if I may choose to disagree with him in my views concerning the conduct of the nhovc named congressmen in having cast their votes for Chicago instead of New Y’ork. The same high motive which I trust moved the pen of Mr. Bateman when he addressed his feelings in regard to the World's fair to the readers of the ItKf ouD, especially the people of Mount Desert, may le said to prompt me likewise in giving my rational views on the “vital question:Will Bar Harbor be materially or seriously affected because the World's fair will bo held in Chicago instead of New Y'ork? It is a fact which must not he ignored that whatever may be said by writers on this question can only he taken as speculative and uncertain. Men are born their own judges, that is, they have among oilier tilings a right to their opinions which they may express, if they elroose, to their heart's content, either by word or deed or otherwise, and this their right whether their opinions seem right or wrong in the minds of other men. Mr. Bateman lias an opinion w hieh lie freely expresses in regard to the World's fair. The men who saw tit to vote for Chicago have an entirely different opinion; nevertheless it is theirs and they are entitled to the privilege of expressing it, either by mouth or by deed.To ea-t doubt or suspicion, llrerefore, upon the honesty and integrity of these our public men, because an expression of their views seems to be inconsistent with what we believe and desire, I truly believe to be tin error, however w idely this opinion may seem to differ from that of Mr. Bateman.Whether or not the fact alone that the World's fair will he held in Chicago instead of New Y'ork will pi r o prove destructive to the welfare of the people of Bar Harbor and of other Maine summer resorts in the season of ls;i2 must remain wholly an open and speculative question until that great event Ita- come and gone.The question then whether or not Mr.Boutelle and Mr. Mi'likcii have sacrificed the interests of Maine summer resorts must likew ise remain an open one for the vear lstlj to detlnilely determine. I dare I tunity l'or condemning tinhla vote forwttj? Of thirty tltnea thirty pieces differ. Mr.Boutelle and Hr. MiiUkea each one no doubt had a naianof tbulr own for voting as tbeydtdtofCfcieagvat the eleventh hour, and we have no right to question their integrity. Soane day the people of Maine may know bettef the motives that prompted them. Then and'not till then ■houid we Judge them. I do not, Mr. Editor, desire to indulge in a prolonged dtecuaslon of this question but 1 am awttre that a great deal can he said in favor of Chicago aa the best place for holding the World's fair aa we can only conjecture what the result will be to Bar Harbor and other Maine resorts. In the meantime however I would not advise the people of Bar Harbor to put on sackcloth and ashes, but haul off their coats and go to work as in the past. Bear san-quine hearts,oh my people,and let me admonish you against losing too much sleep over the fear of becoming paupers In 189*2 because you may bo unable to reap the “hundreds of thousands of dollars” mentioned by Mr. Bateman In his recent letter in the Record. Never say fail uiy friends, even if the big show has gone west. Mount Desert will still be the home of the tourist. Her majestic hills rising out of the sea to the sky, are constantly attracting people to her shores. Will her magnetism fail her even in 1892? No. People will come to Mount Desert notwithstanding the elephantine show in Chicago. Would they do more if the World's fair should tjeheld in New Y'ork?I rend in the western newspapers that the towns about Chicago are w ondering whether they will he benefited or injured by the fair in case It is so near them. It is a question. It is only natural that we New Englanders should favor New Y'ork, hut for all that let us hopefully trust that we shall not be permanently or even temporarily destroyed because the fair lias gone out west. Europeans will visit Chicago as readily as New Y ork. The fact that a thousand miles of railroading is added to the terrors of an ocean voyage will not deter them from coming. Perhaps thoir attraction—our lienefit. It is now authoritatively reported that the Crand Trunk otllcials will run steamers between I.iver-pool and Portland in 1S92 for the purpose of transporting people who may desire to attend the lair in Chicago. If the World’.- fair had been given to New Y'ork this great scheme would never hate been proposed. If it is curried out—as I believe it will tie—then Europeans on their way to ( liieago Wo Portland w ill be landed at the very doors of our Maine summer resorts. What will prevent them coming to liar Harbor; People who make up their minds n go to the World's fair w ill go to ( liieago us soon as to New Y’ork. They will also \jsit their summer resort as usual, for they liuve the desire in their hearts and money in their pockets; what i- tile difference whether the fair is in New Y'ork or Chicago for that mailer; The wealthy w ill go to their resorts; the poor will onlv go to the fair for they have not the money to spare. Chicago herself I dare prophesy, will send many people to the seashore in 1*92 who will prefer tlie cool breeze at Mount Desert to her own stilled atmosphere. And all these tilings, too, which I have said are all speculative and uncertain. I.et Bar Harbor do her duty in 1*92 and thctouri-ts will In 'forthcoming. if tlie season then i- weighed and found wanting, and the eau-e of this deficit ran be honestly traced to the fact that certain Maine Congressmen in Is'.KI voted to have the World's fair in ( liieago, then will there Lie ample time and oppor-not believe differently tDrill I do that our two distinguished congressmen, Milliken and Boutelle, w hen they decided to east their votes for the l.ake lt;ity were prompted in their action by high and noble motives rather than by any “thirty pieces of silver which might have liecn hold out to them as an inducement to go with tin* men who were fighting for the queen city of the West. Both men may possibly have fallen so low in the scale of manliness for “ 'tis only human to err, hut I for one, though neither a politician nor a strong partisan cannot think them so unwise that they have purposely fallen for gain or lucre, with no better evidence to suppoit an opiniou than mere suspicion. If the Hon. Seth I.. Milliken, w ith his colleague Mr. Boutelle, sold his vote to the Chicago lobbyists I would not hesitate with Mr. Bate.! man to pronounce Mr. Milliken a “third i rale man who is notoriously on the | make; but if he didn't sell his \nte but w as inspired to his act by a nulilts- purpose, as I believe lie was, then lie should i uot be reprimanded by .Mr. Bateman nor the jieople of his district. There may be some great I’hillip dwelling over In Macedonia more powerful oven than the man from the third district, but just now in a political sense we know and recognize but one man among us and in lilui we have implicit confidence—Seth L. Milliken. We do not believe that he would so betray his trust and tlie people who elected him to Congress as to sellW 111 111tile majority of intelligent voters of Hancock comity and other counties in the third district have graciously delighted to honor since the dajs of Mr. Millikcn's illustrious ( - predecessor, Thompson II. Mureli.In summing up thi- brief letter, Mr. Editor, let me add a few facts which arc already clear in the minds of Bar Harbor people. Mr. Milliken bus, I have every reason to believe, the welfare and prosperity of Mount Desert deeply at heart. Never lias lie done any tiling in any way injurious to this fair island. His benetils to it are many and for all this kindness tlie people of Bar Harbor respect him. Among these lienefits I wish to mention the light-house which lie erected at a cost of g.‘lt;8,INN); a breakwater that will mist iibout fJ7(XI,(KXI; got a bill passed once to give the place a public budding which Drover Cleveland Vetoed, and notwitli-. standing this veto Mr. Milliken is now urging upon Congress the demand of Bar Harbor; but above all tlds consideration the fact exists that Mr. Milliken himself owns as much real estute at Mount IVsert to be benefited or Injured as in any other place in the country. Double dyed treachery, indeed!Cko. K. Coooins.lake good cure of your beard and keep it clear of gray hair s« as to retain your young looks by using Buckingham's Dye for the whiskers.
Newspaper Details
Bar Harbor Record
Bar Harbor, Maine, US
Thu, Mar 20, 1890
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 27 Aug 2024
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