Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-08

Shall we 20 on with this work or shall
we cripple 1t by cutting down the appro-
priation and for which this work can DC
carried on. And If there Is defect con-
Noted with the institution, II 1t can DC
criticised In some points, shall we throw
away the means we have there provided
or shall we like intelligent mon go to work
and correct those defects and build 1t up
into that perfection which we all OF us
are earnestly desiring it should rench?
Mr.. Barrett Of Canaan said that he
wished to state a few words to the House
in favor of the amendment which he had
offered to this resolve. The resolve calls
for an appropriation Of s25 600 year Tor
10 years My amendment calls for an
appropriation Of fl5, 900 for 10 years l
wish to call to your attention the history
of this measure in this House. The first
bill presented called for an appropriation
of 10 of mill upon all the property in
the State of Maine and that too for an
indefinite time which might be forever.
That bill called for $32, 500 per year.
Some gentleman who had looked into the
matter suggested to me that this bill was
| going through, and upon the spur OF the
moment thought would trig the wheel
of that appropriation the best way could
| | offered as an amendment 1-l5 OF mill
| instead of Ito. This amendment reduced
the appropriation called for over $40, 900
n year But there were other objections
! to that measurc, and when came to con-
slider the matter fnore fully and look at the
History of this institution in TIE past,
came TO the conclusion that in Offering
this amendment i had made mistake
came TO the conclusion that 1t was too
much. We all came to the conclusion
that 40 of mill was too much, and the
matter was referred back TO the commit
tee An attempt was made 10 instruct
the committee to bring in a resolve OF not
less than 100000 n year, but the attempt
was defeated By vote Of this House.
Now we come 20 the resolve which has
been reported back by the same commit
tee that reported The original bill. j find
in the report that they say that this in
stitution ought 10 have $53, $50, that L.
for the years 1895 and 1896, and they
recommend an appropriation for two years
of $50 600, making discount Of : IL, $50.
| find by the report that there are in that
Institution ! departments and they call
for those | / departments s2g. 400 learned
today that there were not so many depart.
ments years aga MS there are now. That
they have been increasing year by year
until the purposes for which the college
was founded has been outgrown. ] should
like to ask the committee why do you
permit this institution 70 increase the
number of its departments without limit
Why do you allow this Institution 10 go
on in this manner outside and beyond the
intention and the purpose OF this institu-
tom Why don't you put in report say
ing that there shall be no more depart
ments added, and that some OF those al
ready added shall be cut Off
Now l sec ia this resolve an appropria-
ton of s2500 for Improvement Of the
campus. In the bin reported two years
ago there was appropriated $4,000 for the
Improvement OF the campus. How much
does that make in four years: IL makes
in the neighborhoSd of $1,000. What has
become Of the $4,000 that has already been
appropriated find that this resolve APP /
propriates $1,000 for general expenses /
/ also find that two years ago .his call up !
on the State was not mentioned.
Now il seems 10 me-. after taking into /
consideration the historyof the appropria- I
lions to this institution in the past, and
considering everything in connection with 4
this matter, that the sum OF SID, oO0
year is amply sufficient. We don't want
to cripple this institution. We want to
see IL prosperous and we want TO give TO
it literally and generously and we have
always done so. But we would like to
see it brought within some limit that VIC
may be able to supply their wants. If we
give SIS, 900 year TO that institution it |
will not set it back. ii will be set in a
condition of progress and growth.
l am not going to talk about economy
to this House any more. That is not what
| am talking about. am talking about /
the needs of this institution and what we
ought to do for it. The subject of econ I
omy we cannot talk about because it is I
not popular (Laughter) Here at Au-
gusta hear men talking about inoney
and reckoning it ny the millions, hundred 4
thousands, fifty thousands and sometimes /
as low as twenty five thousand. but up in |
the old district, which was the hcme of the /
Speaker and myself, they reckon money /
by dollars. hope this amendment will I
be adopted.
Mr. Gilbert of Greene said that as chair
man of the committee he felt called upon /
to explain in regard to the modification /
of departments ut the institution and the
inference to be drawn from the speakers |
remarks of increased expenditures in I
consequence thereof. In these / depart
ments is included just one more than was
established at the inception OF the insti-
tuition, and that department is electrical
engineering, which was established one
year ago. a scientific college without
this department would resemble the play
of Hamlet with Hamlet left out. There
has been library department added t
which has called in quite number of
students, but there is no additional ex
pense for the instruction in that depart
ment. So with the other departments
that have been added. 1t creates no addi-
tional expense to the institution. You
may see the wisdom of that management /
which enlarges the scope of the institu-
ton, gives it greater educational influence
and greater educational results, and at the
same time without additional expense ex-
cept in this one department. of electrical
engineering.
Mr.. Holbrook of Brunswick said he
was one who had always been friend to
the college at Orono. We acquiesce in
the Justice of its claim We recognize it I