Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-18


their work wisely? (Applause).
/ viii, read a few words from the re-
solve:
"The reasonable expenses of the COM
gagged on the commission, and they shall
also receive reasonable compensation for
their services, the amounts OF which shall
be fixed by the Governor and Council.'
1t is all in the hands of the Governor
and Council. and am not afraid to trust
this matter with them. believe that the
time to settle this matter is to settle, 1t
today. / believe he time to build it is
now; this. year. The opponents OF this
resolve talk about our poverty. There is
no reasonNto believe that we are going to
be in a position to do this thing any bet
ter in two years then we are today. If
We do this now. those Of US who come
here in two years will come rejoicing in
the fact that this building has been COM
pleted and stands as a monument to the
humanity of the people of the State, and
the future home for those individuals
across the river of whom the man in con-
troll of that institution, Dr. Sanborn, says.
there are at least 200 more than there are
rooms for their accommodation. or more
than the building was intended to ac-
commodate. Let us give these people a
better place in the Eastern Maine Insane
Hospital at Bangor
Mr.. Pattangall of Machias: l think the
discussion should be confined to the is
sue. ! do not understand that there is
ly postpone, that involves in any sense
the honor, integrity or intelligence of the
members who form the commission. To-
wards the commission l have personally
the best of feeling. But We face a pc
culiar situation. Gentlemen have arisen
in their places and laughed at economy,
have spoken of the five cents difference
1t makes In one mans taxes and the ten
cents difference In another. The cO-ordi-
nate branch of this Legislature have been
engaged for two days In a fierce and long
debate over difference of only 5000 in
an appropriation for the State College.
These are time when stringent economy
seems to be called for. These are times
when the Senate deems 1t not beneath
their dignity to devote two days two a
discussion that may save 5000 year for
two years. When the Chief Executive of
the State deems 1t not beneath his high
dignity to demonstrate with the Senate
and with the members of this House on
the passage of a bill involving an appro-
priation of $500 for the next two years and
intimates in confidence regarded so care
fully that every citizen OF Augusta has
heard 1t and discussed It that $40 900 would
be all right-when the saving of 5000 de-
mands that the powers of the Senate are
Chief Executive should be exercised to
save that amount to the State, then /
submit II Is ..le buty OF the House to
stand by the Governor Of Maine and to
uphold his hands In his efforts for econ
| omy, and where he makes a saving of
5000, TO emulate his example. and save
If we can. s275000 to the taxpayers of the
State OF Maine. You may talk about
economy in general terms but somewhere
you have got to cut the appropriations
down. | submit that at this point il is
a fair argument and a proper argument
for us to examine not in general but
specifically, where this appropriation will
land us with regard to the financial
condition of the State.
The last administration reduced the tax
| rate from 2ia mills TO "a mills. Because
LIE hot
| was somewhat lavish In Its expenditures
we find the receipts of the State of
Maine for two years past greater than
| the expenditures; and in room of the bal
ance that had remained in the treasury
for sometime of Si5S.0OO, when We met we
found a balance of but $203 600 The In
come of this State for the next two years
as estimated by the State treasurer is in
round numbers $2,90o,0OO. So far at this
session We have appropriated s1,6S4 900.
Committees have reported $o20000. and in
the unreported bills amounting to 1874 600
there appears to be $4,000 at least that
must be reported making at least $2,2l0-
600 appropriations that are now called for.
There has been nc appropriation for the
current expenses of 1898 estimated by any
committee. That appropriation cannot be
more, making s2.45o000 that we are asked
to appropriate with an income of g. 800 co.
That will be a deficit of $3.50, 900. To meet
that we have y cash balance OF 100000
through there win be sS5o0oo that has got
to be paid In taxation from the people of
Maine. A quarter of a mill in the tax
gives $4,000 l ask you if you propose in
a time of profound peace for the State OF
Maine to increase her debt, II you 20,
you propose to do that which every men,
Der of the Republican party in the State
of Maine und In the nation has been criti-
Ching the Democratic administration for
doing in these four past years, Or do you
propose to raise the tax rate TO 81 mills
not for the purpose of providing for the
insane of Maine, but for the purpose of
and which certain gentlemen wish to see
carried out at once. l said not to pro-
vide for the insane of Maine and said
1t advisably. for. this COMMITTEES who
for $215,0Oo and the commission. during
the debate in the committee. reached a
tee agreed that if the commission was to
be stricken OUT they would present in
this House an amendment cutting that
appropriation down to 10000 So I say
that no man of the five on that commit
tee has a right to say to this House
that their purpose is to provide for the
insane of Maine. According to the United
States census report there are something
like 2aDl demented or weak-minded peo
pie in the State who are not in the hospi-
tails. 1t is our duty to provide for them
all as much az to provide for 200 of them
or for one of them. and the shame upon
the great name OF the state of Maine will
be as great when but one remains I'M
provided for as though $500 remained.
If but 200 patients are to be accommo
dated in half-million-dollar building.
take That appropriation and follow it
through and this resolve would call for an
appropriation of sc. $50. 000 distruSt those
figures. as to the unmber of inaane in the
State that need the accommodations of
a hospital. | know that up to now no
one Of them has applied for admttance
at the hospital in Augusta who has been
refused. 1t is not the duty of this House
to provide accommodations for every
half-witted man in the State in the In
sane hospital. The petition that the men
who oppose this resolve are not In SYM
patty With the suffering insane is a
ridiculous position and an insult to every
one of us who have seen fit to take the
position we have, Sympathetic men can
vote meney out Of other peoples pockets
much more readily sometimes than they
can take II out of their own.
On this measure, with the action of the
Legislatures of 1891 and 1893 before us,
our plain and simple duty seems to me to
be to keep the expenditures Of the State
within our receipts and to avoid raising
the tax rate above the traditional rate
Of 24 mills. In two years from now that
will yield us an ample appropriation to
go on with this work Before the COM
mittee l asked the question or one of the
commissioners Whnther, IL this work was