1939: Maine

Area and Population.

Formerly a part of Massachusetts, Maine became a separate state in 1820. It had a population in the census of 1930 of 797,423, of whom 795,183 were white; and 694,815 were recorded as native white. The total area of Maine is 31,857 sq. mi., about equal to that of the other New England states combined.

The largest city of Maine is Portland, with a population of 70,810, and property valuation of $116,774,655. Lewiston is second in population, with 34,948 residents, followed by Bangor, 28,749; Auburn, 18,571; Augusta, the state capital, 17,198; Biddeford, 17,633; and Waterville, 15,454.

The chief industries of Maine are agriculture, fishing, lumbering, and the manufacture of boots and shoes, paper, pulp, and textiles.

Agriculture.

Maine's agricultural year was generally satisfactory. The potato crop for 1939 was estimated at 38,250,000 bushels as compared with a production of 41,000,000 bushels in 1938 and with an average of 44,033,300 bushels annually for the decade of 1930-1939. The Lowered production was due largely to the reduced acreage planted to potatoes in accordance with the plans of the Federal government for controlled production. The growers are confident that the money value of the 1939 crop will be materially in excess of that of 1938; and in addition the Maine potato farmers will receive a gross of about one and a half million dollars for their cooperation in the crop control project.

All but 6,000,000 bushels of the Maine potatoes were from Aroostook County, with its crop of 32,397,000 bushels, very probably retaining for Aroostook its frequently-won distinction as the greatest potato producing county in the United States. The demand for Maine certified seed potatoes increases steadily, and the growers are well satisfied with the results of the recently-enacted law that places a tax of a cent a barrel upon potatoes, the receipts being donated to national advertising of the product. Although this legislation has been in effect but two years, the market for Maine-grown potatoes has materially expanded.

Maine dairy farmers received an estimated return of $15,400,000 for 1939, which is about half a million dollars in excess of the preceding year. A large part of this revenue was for milk shipments outside of the state.

Corn production was 520,000 bushels as compared with the yearly average of 508,000 bushels. Maine's apple crop amounted to 900,000 bushels, about 40,000 bushels in excess of the 1938 crop, but far below the ten-year annual average of 1,400,000 bushels. The blueberry crop of 198,896 bushels was very close to the normal figure, while production of 72,000 bushels of wheat was some 25 per cent in excess of the average wheat crop of the state.

Industry.

Maine's paper industry had a very prosperous year in 1939, with production greater than in 1938, which was also a good year. The newsprint mills were generally operating upon full time, while the manufacture of book paper and fine writing paper was about normal.

In the boot and shoe industry the year was fairly good, although the effects of the 1937 strike in the large shoe centers of Lewiston and Auburn had not been entirely overcome. In textiles, the year was rather dull in woolen manufacture and good in the cotton industry.

Reports from the coast fisheries were satisfactory, with the best sardine pack recorded in years — more than 2,000,000 cases. Fish were plentiful and large.

The summer resort business of the year was excellent, the amount expended in the state by tourists being estimated at $98,000,000. There are 225 boys' and girls' camps in the state, with an annual enrollment of between thirteen and fifteen thousand. Nonresidents own summer property in Maine valued at about $100,000,000.

Legislative and Political Events.

On Jan. 5, 1939, Lewis O. Barrows of Newport was inaugurated for his second term as Governor of Maine. The Legislature comprised 30 Republicans and 3 Democrats in the Senate, and 125 Republicans and 26 Democrats in the House. Senator Sumner Sewall of Bath was elected President of the State Senate, and Donald W. Philbrick of Cape Elizabeth, Speaker of the House.

A bond issue proposed by the Legislature for highway construction purposes was defeated in a referendum in September.

The most important legislation of the 1939 session and the most discussed was the so-called automobile title law, which was designed to restrict or prevent the sale of stolen cars. Under this law used cars imported for sale or trade must be registered, the sellers must file a $5,000 bond; dealers must file inventory of used cars annually; and owners must procure certificate of title at or before registration.

Education.

The Maine Legislature in January made a special appropriation of $200,000 a year for two years for the purpose of equalizing educational advantages, with the aim of improving conditions in the less financially able communities. This followed similar action by the Legislature in 1937. It is expected that the amount will be increased in future years. The state expenditure for public schools in 1938-39 was $10,523,539. The school census of April 1939 reported 258,159 persons of school age. The state has 4,570 elementary schools with an enrollment of 136,681, and 278 high schools with an enrollment of 43,517. The average teacher's salary in the elementary schools is, for men, $928; for women, $779; in secondary schools, men, $1,580; women, $1,148; in academies, men, $1,664; women, $1,100. The largest educational building development was in Waterville, where Colby College was preparing to move to a new site on which four buildings are already completed at a total cost of a million and a half dollars. The plans contemplate the construction of some eight more buildings before removal.

Finance.

Although Maine, like other states, has been compelled to make unusual expenditures for relief purposes, the end of its fiscal year, June 30, 1939, found the state with a balanced budget, a surplus of $12,355.08, and a debt reduction of $1,015,000. It appropriated $900,000 for old-age assistance, to be matched with $800,000 municipal funds and $1,700,000 Federal funds, providing for an average of 14,200 payments a month. In addition there were appropriations of $488,000 for state pauper relief, $31,000 for emergency aid, and $30,000 for the care of neglected children.

The larger cost items for operating the state government for the fiscal year ending with June 1939 were: health and welfare, relief and institutions, $9,505,442.87; highways, $12,377,676.34; $797,119.06 for Public Works Administration, Works Progress Administration and National Industrial Recovery Highway Fund Administration; General Government Expenditures, $5,790,837.97; Protection of Persons and Property, $1,266,713.29; interest and retirement of bonds, $3,103,549.85; Education, $3,569,842.64; Development, Conservation and Recreation, $1,159,020. In addition, thirteen state institutions with inmate population of 5,312 were operated at a total cost of $2,124,908.36.

Banking.

Maine banks are in excellent condition. According to figures of the American Bankers Association, the commercial banks in the first six months of 1939 made more than 38,000 new loans, totalling $34,000,000 to firms and individuals, and renewed 68,999 outstanding loans totalling more than $52,000,000. These figures are based upon reports from 66 per cent of the commercial banks of the state. Savings banks increased their deposits by $1,500,000, and the savings deposits in trust companies were increased $2,250,000 from September, 1938 to September, 1939.

State Officers.

The principal state officers are: Governor, Lewis O. Barrows; Secretary of State, Frederick Robie; Treasurer, Belmont A. Smith; Commissioner of Finance, William S. Owen; Controller, William A. Runnells; Budget Officer, William H. Deering; Attorney General, Franz U. Burkett; Adjutant General, James W. Hanson; Auditor, Elbert D. Hayford; Commissioner of Education, Bertram E. Packard.

United States Senators.

Frederick Hale, Wallace Humphrey White, Jr.