The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-01-03

to destruction by fire, is valued at neariy ohe
hundred thousand dollars. The OLD nre en-,
CINE is. in the opinion of the warden ana
inspectors. entirely inadequate anu the pur-
chase OF a steam fire engine is recommended.
RAILROADS.
p.. of the Railroad Commissioners
shnws thar eight hundred and sixty eight miles
Of railway are in operation in the State.
Less accidents have occurred, and general |
improvements and efficiency, and greater Wig
lance have characterized the management of |
our railroads during the year. The sugges-
tons OF the Commissioners in regard to cases
where the managers of railroads decline to
repair roads deemed unsafe, and where they
refuse to run them for the accommodation of
the public, will, trust, receive your attention.
INSANE HOSPITAL.
The Trustees and Superintendent of the
Insane Hospital call attention to the fact that
the institution is filled beyond its capacity for
suitable accommodations. The important
duty will devolve upon you of determining
how the increasing number of these unfortu-
nate people shall be provided for.
The Trustees renew their suggestion of last
year in regard TO the abuses arising under the
statute which requires the state to pay one
dollar and fifty cents per week towards the
support of such patients as are without means
and have no relatives liable for their support.
The fact that, after the state has paid the en-
tire expenses of forty-nine patients, three
hundred and four others are receiving aid I'M
der this statute, leaving only forty who are
not supported in whole or in part by the
state, is strong evidence of the abuses COM
planned of Some'lesislation is required on
this and other subjects referred to in the re-
port The suggestions of the Trustees in re-
gard to the new chapel are commended to
your consideration.
STATE COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND THE
MECHANIC ARTS.
The State College of Agriculture and the
Mechanic Arts has been in operation four
years, and graduated its first class last Au-
gust. There are now seventy-one students in
the college. The freshman class numbers
tNirty-two, and will be increased at the be-
ginning of the next term. The number OF
students is increasing as the college becomes
more efficient and better known, and the next
class will. no doubt, be much larger than any
before. The young men composing the first
graduating class though coming to the instl-
tuition with the disadvantages of some two
years less preparation than is required in
other colleges acquitted themselves with great
credit and gave evidence of thorough prepa-
ration for the active duties of business life.
Labor is the means designed by the Creator
for the development of the physical powers.
The results in our college, as well as in other
similar institutions, show that few hours
labor each day aids rather than retards the
development of the intellectual powers, and
that it is not inconsistent with the highest
scholastic attainments. f
I am glad to notice that women are being
admitted to all the rights and privileges OF
this and other colleges in the State. 1t is 6
step in the right direction, and one in which
am proud to see the State of Maine take 6
leading part. The moral standard of these
colleges will be elevated by the change, anG
other interests will not suffer. Not only the
rights of women but the most vital Interests
of the future demand that she shall have OPP
portunities for the cultivation of her intellect
ual faculties, equal to those enjoyed by men
The avenues of literary and scientific attain
ments should be open alike to all our people
male and female.
The last legislature elected Joshua L
Chamberlain, Major General of Militia, t.
whose command the military companies of tn
State have been assigned.
In the report of the Adjutant General whicl
includes the reports of the Major Genera
and Inspector General, some important sug
gestions and recommendations are made il
regard to our military organizations, to whicl
I invite the attention Of the legislature.
An expensive military organization in thi
State is not deemed necessary. We do neet
however an effective force which can be reliet
upon to meet such emergencies as are lab
to arise. You will be called upon to conside
whether the Necessary interest and efficienc,
can be sustained by the militia of the Stat
without offering some opportunity for battal
lion or regimental inspection and drill.
STATE PENSIONS.
Eight hundred and thirteen applications fo
State pensions have been received during thu
year. Of these six hundred have been allow
ed and two hundred and nine rejected.
Whole amount allowed for pensions 1922,
1886 decrease of s., 1892 since last year
The distributor of this fund is great bIes
sing to such of our disabled soldiers and the
dependents of those who lost their lives in thu
service as are unable, by reason of specia
misfortunes to avoid restitution without thu
aid of charity.
Fortunately their number is gradually de
creasing, but while they are with us the Stat
will honor itself by providing for their neces
sites.
ENFORCEMENT OF THE PRoHIBIToRY LAWS.
All agree that intempe1ance is one of thu
| greatest evils that afflict the people. How tt
eradicate it is question that addresses itsel
to alllovers of sobriety and good order; and in
wolves the highest interests of the State. The
legislator who is compelled to aid in levyins
taxes upon his constituents for the support o.
criminal courts, lails, prisons, poor houses and
reformatory Institutions two-thirds of which
are made necessary by the liquor traffic, cannot
ignore the duty of removing, as far as possible
the cause that imposes these heavy burdens
Our State suffers greatly py this evil and still ne
one can go out of the State in any direction with
out noticing contrast in this regard, highly
commendable to our people. 1t is probable
that less intoxicating liquors are drank in
Maine than in any other place OF equal popula.
| ton in the country, perhaps in the civilized
| world. This enviable position has been reach
ed through many years of individual and or
ganized moral effort, supplemented by efficient
prohibiUory laws; neither means could have
| been equally successful alone. Other States
have temperance men and women as devoted
and as efficient as ours, but having no laws to
aid them, or lacking the public sentiment nee
essary to sustain and enforce them, the success
| they deserve is not achieved.
While some doubt the wisdom of prohibition,
it has been so often and so emphatically APP
proved by the people that it may be regarded as
part of the settled policy of the State. The
| law of the last legislature, making it the duty
of sheriffs and their deputies to institute
legal proceedings against violations of tine laws
prohibiting the sale of 1ntox eating liquors,
has secured more effective enforcement of
| these laws. The effects are perceptble in the
uecIedSe VI ufuHkeHneSS, ana consequently In
less arrests OH that account; in the reduction of
! criminal business generally, and in thousands
| of comforts and blessings brought to homes
where poverty and misery reigned before. If it
be said that it has destroyed an important bus
mess, and left the vendors of liquor without
employment, and their shops unoccupied, it is
answered that the money formerly paid to sup
port their business has been tnrned into other
and more useful channels of trade, or into the
families of those whose hard earned money
| supported the traffic.
| The law prohibiting the sale of cider the
some as other intoxicating drinks, except when
said by the manufacturer, has, it is believed,
failed to meet the expectations of its friends
1t has, however, demonstrated the fact, Gf any
demonstration was necessarily that cider in any
of its forms, is no less injurious when sold by
the manufacturer or his agent, than when sold
by any other man. The difficulty in discrimin-
ating between cider in it's harmless and hurtful
condition is such that the most of the temper
ance organizations, after much experience and
careful consideration, have found it necessary
to include cider with other intox cants in their
pledges. 1t must be remembered, however
that majority of our people do not view the
subject from this stand point, and have not
come to regard the sale of cider as an evil
equal to the sale of other drinks that are held
to be Intoxicating by the law. 1t must also be
remembered, that any law to be effective and
permanent must express, not simply what it's
friends deem to be wise, but what the aggre-
gate moral sense of the DeOnle recognize az