Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-14

ecutive Council. ANY expense necessary to
secure a result of such vital and universal
interest as the determination Of values for the
/ purposes of taxation. will be an expenditure
in the line of true economy.
RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS.
| The railroads of our State are of great pub
lie utility and should be objects of public
favor; but. though the property of these cor
porations is of private ownership, they are
public highways, the creatures of the law
created to promote, not private interest, but
the public good, and il is the bounden duty of
the Legislature TO see TO it that their fran
chises are used to that end.
The almost unlimited control these corpor-
ations have over their rates, tine power to
change them at pleasure, raise them or lower
them and levy discriminating rates, places
the industries of our State at their mercy.
For II is in the power of the few individuals
controlling their management TO tax Produc
| tion and commerce at will, and practically
dictate what reward the farmer, maaufactur-
er and merchant shall receive for their labor.
The public interests involved in the manage
ment of these highways of traffic, require that
their management should be regulated and
controlled by the sanctions of law. II may
/ be said the railroads of Maine have been
managed upon business principles only; that
they can be trusted and should be trusted.
So they can be--to look after their own inter-
rsts. but Lot to look after the public interests
altogether. For the protection of these in
terests the State can be trusted and trusted,
ALSO to do no wrong to private interests, but
even and exact justice to both. We have to-
day more than one thousand miles Of railroad
in operation in this State and one hundred
thousand miles in the United States. Certain
- IL hot nn1ass tho railroads of tho
are subjected to legislative supervision, the
legislation of the country will soon be sub
jected to railroad supervision.
The railroad commissioners should be in
vested with ample power to supervise the
management of railroads in respect to rates,
with full power to revise and establish them.
The law providing for the appointment of
the commissioners implies as much. While
one only of the commissioners is required to
be an engineer, the law expressly declares
that two of them shall he experienced in the
''management'' as well as construction of
railroads. This requirement of the law has
not been observed in the construction of the
board; while the board is composed of two
engineers of wcll-known experience and skill
in the construction of railroads. and one law
yer. am not aware that it has ever contained
even one member experienced As railroad
manager.
STATE COLLEGE.
The administration Of the State College of
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts for the
past two years has been of very economical
character, but by very close work on the part
| of the instructors its efficiency it is believed,
has been fully maintained.
| The value of the farm, buildings, appara-
tns. stock, etc, which the State holds in this
Institution. is about Sl45, 200, and the endow-
ment is Sl3l 300. yielding an annual revenue
of between 81 900 and Ss 900: revenue un-
| fortunately much too small for the wants of
the college. The Burnside Bill which has
recently passed the Senate, provides for an
annual appropriation for the support of the
/ State Colleges of Agriculture and the Mechan-
ic Arts. Should the bill become law. it is
hoped that this Institution need be of no
further charge to the State.
The number of graduates is 1874, and the
number that has been connected with the col
lege for periods ranging between one term
and three and half wears. is 1856. giving a
/ total of 800. This does not include the lO4
now in the Institution. OF the 80 graduates
and former students, the vocations of $50,
who NAV be regarded as established in the
work of life, are known. OF these 81 per cent.
are in agricultural pursuits, and 81 per cent.
| in the mechanic arts. Only II per cent. are
engaged in pursuits of professional char
acter. 1t is very obvious that the college is
training its pupils for the industries of life
rather than for the professions.
| believe that the college is filling a neces-
sary and important place in our educational
system that its affairs are judcously man.
| aged that its work is carried forward with
efficiency, and that it is worthy Of hearty and
liberal support. am free to saw that the
knowledge have of this institution, and of
/ its discipline. and particularly of the charac-
| ter of the young men gathered there, has
/ given me a most favorable opinion of its ad-
vantages. These advantages l believe, are
not surpassed in many respects, by those of
any sister institution in the State. Then. as
to the necessary expenses of the student,
| am able to state from actual knowledge that
1 thev need not exceed, or even reach. $50 a
wear. Hence it may be truly said that the
! inestu.able advantages of liberal education
are within the reach of every young man in
the State who possess only the ordinary re-
sources of the farmers boy-pluck and mus
/ Gle.
INSANE HosrITAL.
The condition and treatment of the insane
| in the State demands very careful considera-
tion. Statistics clearly show that insanity is
greatly on the increase. both in this State and
| throughout the country
The dictates of ordinary humanity require
that the best care and treatment possible
should be given to this most unfortunate and
| helpless class. They should be placed under
the most skillfnl and efficient superintend-
ence; and tbe.highest ability and intelligent
experience should be secured for this pur-
pose. As these patients are among the most
| difficult cases that come under medical prac-
tice, the best medical skill at command should
have them under their care. Modern science
is making a more thorough diagnosis of in
sanity, seeking more fully to learn its causes
and how to reach it with remedy. The In
i sane Hospital OF Maine ought not to be be-
hind Others in the progress that is making in
this direction.
Many States have permanent Board of
Commissioners in Lunacy, who have the gen.
eral oversight of all insane institutions. both
public and private in the State.
More than one half Of the patients in our
Hospital are women. In many cases their
| insanity is the result of diseases incident to
their sex. and all Of them require medical at
| teution.
There are many thoroughly educated
1 women physicians, who have made the treat
ment of their own sex = specially. grow
ing public sentiment favors the employment
Of woman pjygician af the Hospifal There