Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-26

oa1 AAIAAaSA W SSAtSvW AAA1s
wherever the provisions Of this bill are
understood. in all Of the rural disRicts. II
will receive the sevesess condemnation |;
and. - I am most heartily opposed to the
| bill, I desire, il il she'll become Q Law, that
the records OF this Senate shau show that
IL Was without any help Of mine, bat against
my vote and againss my most emphatic pro-
test.
Mr.. Mallet Of Cumberlsna-I do not
quite agree with the senator from Hancock
county. Il is true that the amount Of
money raised from year to year
for school purposes 10 increasing and
| the number Of scholars 10 decreasing. That
10 well understood by every member Of the
Senate according to the figures have taken
| from the treasurer's Office this morning.
| Ia 1872 the amount Of school funds and
mill tax was $500 6&S So and the number
Of scholars 223, ,995. For 1890 the amount
| Of school fund and mill tax s3S4,9lS.lS,
| number Of scholars, ,S72, Senator
Thatcher has explained the sources from
which We get our school fund and will
not 60 over that ground. The amount sp-
proved up to date for academies and in.ti-
tutions OF learning, the Maine Central
Institute $1,000 yearly for ten years. House
document 20; Foxcroft academy $500,
House document l4-What l mean by
approved, is signed by the Governor. and
| already become . Law. There are, in
the the House and Senate documents
the following academies who ask
for aid at this legislature. Somer-
set Academy, House document las,
$500 yearly for ten years; Fryeburg Acsd-
emy, House document 1879. $500 for 10
year,; MattanAwcook. $500 for 10 years;
Lincoln, 500 for 10 years; Limingson, $500
for 10 years. Total. $500 asked for. la
the Senate you will fiod the following
academies ask for aid: Hsmpden, Senate
document 40, $500 for 1891. $500 for nine
years; Monson, Senate document "a. $500
yearly for 10 years; Limerick. Senate doc
umeut 1879, $500 annually for 10 years !;
making Sll00 for 1891. Take the amounts
already approved, together with those
asked for and it foots up to SS400 up to
date, the amount that 10 to be taken from
the common school fund. Mr.. President
and gentlemen, we had this bill before the
finance committee and we have thorough
ly canvassed it, and it is the opinion
of the finance committee that the
amounts appropriated by this Legislature,
outside Of the free high schools and the
State College at Orono, can be very easily
taken from the common school funds. No
doubt we shalt receive some $3.50, 900 on
the increase in our valuation from our mill
tax. OF course the amount we receive
from the savings banks will not be increased
much and the amount from the permanent
fund will not be increased to any great ex-
tent, but we shall receive $3.50 900 from
our mill tax, making something over $780,
000 to be appropriated for our schools.
Now it SCENE 10 me, we can very easily
take SO. 400 out of that and appropriate the
balance to our common schools.
MIR. Rogers Of Washington--lt seems to
me we cannot afford to psss this act and thus
Withdraw from our public school fund mon
eys which properly belong to them. 1t seems
to me that this act would certainly draw
largely from our common school fund.
Our seminsries, educational institutions
and academies all over the State, as the
senator from Hancock has said, are all
looking toward us for assistance. II we
pass this act every one Of them will come
up here and ask for moneys every year. and
the demand will be continually greater.
That is our experience. We know that as
soon As we get public institution on our
hands that i, has been demonstrated from
year to year that they have asked for more
and more. You establish man in these
stone walls As secretary, or in some other
office, and as soon a. he comes up here he
asks for an increase of salary. Now we
would not do anything to cripple our
public schools. The men who are
graduated from them stood against rebel
lion, and it was through their intelligence,
through their energy and efforts that rebel
lion was crushed. Now. let US not do any
thing to paralyze this institution. Let US
do everything we can to promote the COM
mon schools. Let us stand by our common
| schools rs we would stand by the dearest
thing we have. Let us rot do any thing
to ipjure their interests. Ii is true that in
| the cities and large. towns you have plenty
Of schools, you have large population and
plenty Of scholars from the schools,
academies and colleges in these larger
| cities, but in the country towns,
where it is tparsely settled. we
haven't enough. They have to depend
altogether on the night schools. You
cripple the fund and you cripple them
you draw away thousand dollars from the
school fund and you draw away 80 much of
their educational advantages. Now tbink
| there is not senator here today who would
wish to cripple these bsckwoods schools,
| these bsck districts, these sparsely settled
towns who are struggling along from year
to year with only few weeks educational
advantages and who are looking to this
school fund for aid. move this bill be
indefinitely postponed and call for the yeas
and nays.
Mr.. Msllet--I do not think any senator
has any desire 10 take anything from the
| common school fund or cripple it in any
! way. 1t was thought these
appropriation, could be taken from
the common school fund from the fact that
the school fund israpidly increasing and the
| number Of scholars decreasing. would like
to offer an amendment to this bill, Senate
document No. 10I. Amend by striking
out the word "the" and insert in it's stead
! the word 'this" in the I n line Of section /,
and after the word schools in said line in
| sert the words "and the State College of
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts" 80
| that said section shall read "Section l.,
All appropriations heretofore or hereafter
made by the Legislature for academies,
| seminaries or educational institutions other
| than free high schools and the State Col
| lege Of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts
shall be psid out Of this common school
| fund
Mr.. Grindle--If l believed this bill
were going to pass l should
favor that amendment inasmuch ss
! am thoroughly opposed to the principle
aud inssmuch as I believe that net single
dollar should be taken from the public
school fand except for the public schools
hope t1is amendment will not pass, be
cause IL the thing is to 60 before this Leg
isistuse the more obi tjsctionsble il is, the
better is our prospect Of voting it down, so
that / hope those who are friendly to tbs
public school system will vote against tbs
| amendment.
! Mr.. Thstcber-The senator from Han
cock made the objection that this was lesv
ing the matter open so that any amount
might be appropriated for schools, snt
! therefore / thiak the smendmen: subs.itut
| lag the word "this" for the word "the'
would apply to ,hst obi bjsction; and viii
regard to the exception Of the Maine State
college approve Of that amendment, ant
| second the passage Of the amendment
| Mr.. Powers of Aroostook--I wish to Say
that I am opposed to the bill ss il stands
and shall be equally opposed to it IL smendet
by the proposed amsdmen. DO rot pro-
pose to take up the time Of this Senate b.
discussing this matter, but I wish to cal
the attention Of the Senate to one consider
alton. II seems 10 me thst the friends oil
this proposed bill place this measure upor
the ground that we are going to have
through IN increased amount Of revenue
caused by increase in vaiussion Of ths
State, m5re common school fonds than W
Eart that fhaYa fn ha n