The Portland daily press., 1893-02-16
Action Taken by the House on the
Bangor Hospital Bill.
MAJOR DICKEY,S MADAWASKA
TRAINING SCHOOL CAUSES
DEBATE.
Tho Question of cctarfan Education Be-
fore Legislature-DrugSists Bill to be
Reported With Local Option Clause
The Oakdale Hearing.
Especial to the Press1.

The Oakdale Hearing.
Especial to the Pressl.
AUGUSTA, February 15.-The Bangor
people are evidently afraid that that
elaborate insane hospital, with it's pala-
tial center structure and wide stretching
wings will not be built. Seeing that the
vision of million dollars to be provided
for the asylum in the present condition
of state finances was troubling the legis-
lators, the friends Of the new hospital
scheme decided to begin in a less pre-
tentious way. Whether or not this
would save the state any money in the
end is not clear but the proposition this
morning lied to the recommittal Of the
majority report of the special committee
in favor of appropriating 100000 and
the minority report opposing it. These
reports were made by the special COM
mittee composed of the combined finance
and insane hospital committees.
Mr.. Adams of Bangor moved, that
mittee, He said he made this motion at
the request of gentlemen who had signed
both reports.
Mr.. Brackett of Limington, one of the
minority of the committee, opposed the
motion. He said that this was not a
new question. 1t had been discussed
two years ago. This year large special
committee had given two hearings on
the matter and had carefully considered
the: question. It was question
whether the time had not
arrived when the House shoul go into
committee of the whole and settle the
matter. In order to explain the position
of the minority of the committee, Mr..
Brackett read from the unanimous re-
port of the trustees of the Augusta hos
pital in 1888 to show that they were then
Of the opinion that the present institution
might be considerably enlarged. Mr..
Brackett took the same ground now.s re-
ferring in terms of praise to the manage
ment of the Augusta asylum.
NJ. Harris of East Machias thought
that the minority report from the special
committee was not sufficiently definite,
lacking recommendation of what they
believed should be done. He favored the
recomnittal Of the matter. 80.
Mr.. Shaw of 4Rortland, WHO
minority report, said that there was d
doubt that the unfortunates of the sta
must be provided for by increased 81
commodations. Mr.. Shaw thought t
point of Mr.. Harris well taken. He haa
himself wanted some recommendation
made by the minority, but as
he did not believe the finances of the
state warranted the beginning of the
elaborate hospital proposed at Bangor.
Consequently he had signed the minority
report Now, if it was found that pro-
vision could be made at Bangor for the
insane at less cost, he belle ed the mat
ter should be again considered in COM
mittee.
Mr.. Fairbanks of Bangor, was the next
speaker, and devoted some of his re-
marks to the sectional issue, urging the
erection of the hospital at Bangor, be-
cause the Eastern section of the state
had sent the first regiment to the front
and must now stand up for its rights.
Mr.. Fairbanks threw some light on the
scheme by speaking of the erection of
one or two wards, cook house and
laundry, leaving ont the palatial centre
structure.
The motion to recommit prevailed.
The Sectarian Question.
The House this morning, while waiting
to tackle the question Of the Bangor
hospital, found itself plunged into dis
cussion of the sectarian division of
school funds. 1t all came about in this
way: The resolve appr opriating $4,000
in aid of the Madawaska training school
came up on tine passage to be enacted,
and Mr.. Sprague of Monson moved an
amendment authorizing the Governor
and Council to see If the school was
managed for sectarian purposes and if
such was found to be the case to with
hold the sum appropriated.
The matter was not perhaps of great
Importance in itself, but as related to the
general question of sectarian schools ex-
cited considerable interest. The friends
of the school based their arguments
largely on the necessity of getting their
money quickly and not on unwillingness
to have the school investigated. Mr..
Pratt of Turner, early in the debate
moved that the matter be assigned for
next week. Later, Mr.. Pratt withdrew
this motion. He said heswanted to hear
the matter discussed and his desire had
been gratified.
Major Dickey Of Fort Kent, where the
school is located, came to its rescue. He
said that the school was not sectarian
Institution. Children of all denomina-
tions went there and sat side by side,
the question Of religious belief not being
raised. Major Dickey's own children
had attended the institution and gradu-