Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-01-28
MAINE LEGISLATURE,
Senate.

read and approved.
Papers from the House disposed OF in con-
currence.
Pending the acceptance OF the report OF the
Committee on Fisheries, reporting an act to
prevent the taking of cells in South Bay in the
towns Of ,Brooksvile and Penobscot, on mo-
ton Of ME.>,WHlrMoRE OF Hancock, it was
tabled.
Mr.. WEBB, from the select committee on
| revising the rules of the Senate, presented a
report, which was tabled to be printed.
On motion of Mr.. BURGESS. majority and
minority reports of the committee on Educa-
ton on Industrial School for Girls was taken
from the table, the question being on the
adoption of the amendment offered by Mr..
Foster of Oxford, to substitute the report of
the minority for the majority report, which
provides that legislation thereon is inexpedi-
ent.
Mr.. Foster remarked in support of his
amendment prov iding that legislation was in
expedient, that If the majority report was ac-
cepted the State would assume the care and
charge of a new institution. Ii assumes it in
name, and accepts all of its burdens. Bat TIE
sum Of Sl2. 500, which is called for in the re-
solve, is but drop in the bucket, OF What
will have to be paid by the State in wears to
come.
lie argued that such school WAS not i'm
peratively demanded for the good Of the State.
as set forth in the statement of facts presented
in the majority report. SO far as the matter
was viewed in the light of morality, he agreed
with the majority of the committee; but what
we ask is, whether it will be for the advantage
and interests of the State to assume the bur
dens Of anothe. institution We of the mi.
nority Of the committee, say that Si2, $50 is
but a small proportion of what the State will
have to pay in years to come. LIST US look at
the matter, so that we may understand il. In
1871, commission was appointed to receive
proposals for the location Of the school; in
1872, an act of incorporation was granted.
What was understood then: Was il the bona
fide intention to have the school private one,
or was 1t understood that the State was to
take charge of the school? He believed that
it was to be private enterprise, and that il
| was so understood. In 1873, an act was
passed giving authority for the commitment OF
girls, between the ages OF Z aud -, and a
resolve was passed providing for an appropri-
alton of $1,000, providing that $50, 900 could
be raised by private subscriptions. Has one
dollar of that sum ever been raised, or has any
attempt ever been made to raise the $50, 900
He answered that not one dollar has ever
been raised, and now the State is asked to as
sumo the school. They tell us that they call
for only $1,000, to be paid annually TO the
school. He would ask, how IS it expected
that such sum would be sufficient: Why.
it will take from $4,000 to $50, 900 annually
for the support of such a school. Their state
ment, it seemed to him, was erroneous, and
he thought the cost Of such schools in other
States would bear him out in his opinion.
| He referred to appropriations asked for by
other institutions of this legislature. There
was the Bangor Home and Orphans Asylum
that wanted 81 900; the Bath Home, $40 900
the Agricultural College, 1000; and the
Reform School, $4,000 or $4,000. Other
appropriations are called for. Let us be care
ful and cautious in making appropriations.
We say that not 5000, but 5000 or $780,
900 will be called for from year to year to es-
tablsh this school on permanent basis. He
did not understand that there was an impera-
tive necessity for the State to assume any
such burden. The people are looking to us
here to see. what institutions we endow in
the present condition of our finances.
They tell US that if we do not take advan-
tage of the $l2 800 in donations, we shall lose
that amount. The State, he thought, can
well afford to lose it, rather than run the risk
of paying ont a much larger sum from year to
year.
He referred to the Reform School, reading
letter stating that that school had better re-
vert to the city of Portland, rather than the
State should grant any further endowments'
| The total commitments to that institution
since it was established is 1873, and 1913 Of
the pupils, if he might so term them, came
from the cities, and never outside fany city in
the State. We say that is our cities which are
mostly to be benefited by this school for girls,
just the same as they are now benefited by the
Reform School. He denied that imperative
necessity demanded such school to be estab-
lished by the State. The statutes were ample
in their provisions for our boys and girls.
He did not think that $1,000 would be suf-
fcent to pay salaries. The total amount ex-
| pended by the State of Massachusetts, for her
industrial school for girls since its establish
ment, has been $3.50, $4,000, exclusive of pri-
vate donations. Are we to pay ont a similar
amount in this State! There are no buildings
in Hallowell for such school, but they tell
us they have a beautiful site. We have plen.
ty Of beautiful sites in the good old county OF
Oxford.
| TWAS understood that private contributions
were to establish the school, and it was not
| the intention when the State made its condi-
tional appropriation of $1,000 to have the
school saddled upon the State. AS its friends
| have not shown any attempt to raise by sub
scription the $40, 900 called for, it seemed to
| hin, thaf thav hol Dractisad suhter FL ea in tho