Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-24

Their loyalty TO the party II as nrm
ore az tse s Taes enow npo
highest peaks Of our Hottest mountains
They are as unselflsh In their devotion 2
the rivers which flow down. turning u
fruits OF our magnificent forests as the,
roll onward to the sea. Are you g0in
to show to these men that you care moth
Ing for their present. condition? Il w
are not, postpone this resolve, let thi
matter stand for two years. Let us Sc
II the cottage system IL not a better sys
TEN than that one which has been start
ed With such magnifcence In the city 2
nitely postpone this resolve. !.
Mr.: Fogler OF Roclsland: ! have lis
tened with a great deal of pleasure to tn
Iistfc speech Of my friend from Skowhe.
gan. should be much more pleased
however If l believed that in six days
investigation-for II liz but six days since
understand my friend to say that since
that time he has undergone "A radica
change of mind In respect to the resolve
II should be much more pleased II | be
arrived at after six days investigation
not going 10 the proper sources of infor'
nation but going to the people through
the country around about. as he says, who
than We dol say should be more thar
pleased II believed. II l had any idea
that he had succeeded in refuting.. not
only the general idea which has beer
the conclusions which have been arrived
az by the Legislatures of the State oil
Maine for the last 20 years. The matter
mas been repeatedly before the Legisla-
OF further accommodation for the insane
of this State, that unfortunate class OF
people who are peculiarly the wards Of
me state, VINO have not the faculty OF
watchful care and the careful attendance
which can only be found in a proper hos
p ital and the legislature has decided
tons. Some five or six years ago. the
Legislature. after careful consideration.
determined that the wants of this class
Of people required. that the dictates OF
matter of dollars and cents required that
there should be decent and comfortable
ana ample accommodations for this class
Of people. That Legislature provided for
pital could be erected, and whether that
was wise or whether the cottage system
Is wise ! do not propose to discuss: Th"
lature of 1889. II remember correctly
They decided that new hospital was re-
luired and appropriated money for n site
FOR for. such eio, q hospital , And the matter
hospital or further Recommendations were
not required was never for n moment re-
garded as uncertain by that LEGISLATURE
In l&s it was, determined through the
ton 1t was determined by the House and
Senate that a hospital should be built
which should AFFORD ample accommodate
tons for all the insane OF the State. and
a commission was appointed and an ap-
preparation made for that purpose. We
have the report of the superintendent of
the Insane hospital OF this State year
n..sr year ar Nv we have the report OF the
year. all saying that Il Is impossible In
the hospital now at Augusta to care prop
eriy Tor hte wants OF this unfortunate
believe that my friend from Skowhegan
had refuted. even In his own mind the
conclusions arrived at by the committees
OF the legislature. by, the Legislature it.
tencent of the hospital who have had II
In charge and who have had an annie
opportunity to know just what was re-
CURED say II he had succeeded in re-
futing the conclusions arrived Mt by these
men should be pleased indeed. Now.
what are the facts upon which We are ~
rely? Are We to rely on the reports OF
have made n study of that matter. are
We TO rely upon the committees of this
House and Senate in years past and at
this session for information? Or shall
says he has got It.. by, going home and
consulting the people whether there are
any particular insane in his localityp I
propose to stand by my vote with the
men who have investigated this matter
who have. told us year after year tina,
more ample accommodations are required
in this matter.
My friend says that there should be no
unless there is a "burnine
necessity Well. ! say this. that If there
Is any necessity at all for providing for
further and better accommodations for
these unfortunate people of our State. il.
there is any necessity it is burning ne
cessity. There is no half way about ii.
II II is required at all it is required now.
and now Is the time. You make this APP
preparation this year and it will be two
years probably before the hospital AT
Hangor Will be open. Pass this now and
IL VIII De four years. no matter what the
may be at the hospital
at Augusta. no matter how crowded. 1t
Will be four years before they can have
any relief. But the gentleman says it is
true tia, that the hospital at Augusta is
we say. it is somewhat crowded. and tho
degree of it's being crowded should not
enter into this thing at all. The question
in that hospital who are not properly
cared for by reason of the overcrowded
condition of the hospital. And he says
further that It is no worse now than 1t
has been for 20 years past For 20 years
past we have been told by these gentle
men in charge over and over again that
there was lack of accommodate there:
dJlu II ~ HO answer 10 the plea Tor more
ample accommodations that 1t is no
worse than 1t has been for 20 years If ii
has been bad for 20 years. If 1t has been
as bad for 20 years as 1t is now. ought nor
this Legislature to make 1t better instead
OF; saying Let 1t remain worse? do
not propose to discuss the condition of the
State of Maine. l have more favorable
idea as to the condition of the people of
this State than my friend who has lust
spoken. / think there Is a higher cues
ton here than the matter of mere dollars
ana cents. think that where the cause
or humanity appeals to us it Is high
above the matter of mere dollars and
cents. and ] appeal to this House tina
we should at this time take measures to
increase the comfort and the accommo-
dations and the better treatment Of the
insane of the State. This hospital at Au-
gusta is crowded. not somewhat crowd
ed. as my friend put it, but 1t is crowd
ed. and am informed by men who have
made an actual examination, the trustees
of the hospital. that 1t Is over-crowdetl.
am told that there are 200 people there
IN that hospital that are lodged In the
corridors OF the hospital instead of in
rooms that should he provided by the
state. ! do not think this matter OF this
insane hospital is a very proper text for
a political speech and do not propose
TO make one. It Is true that the Repui,-
pie OF years. has been for many years the
dominant party in this State. I have
stood with that party from 1860 down to
the present time. l have stood with 1t
and voted with 1t. and intend to in the
1nture. because | believe for one thing
that 1t Is a party which recognizes the
people and the dutyqOf being humane, OF