The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-15

call your attention TO the actual facts in
the state today. | think every member
here can remember when the first appro-
priation was made for the Maine General
Hospital, n charitable object 1t was un-
derstood think, by the people of tho
state that when that Institution was
esta ablished and endowed 1t would I'LL the
needs OF q general hospital and the appro-
priation for that would suffice for the
whole state. but what was the resultY
Immediately the physicians in other cities
began to see that there was chance, and
pretty soon we had the Eastern Maine
Hospital, and the Maine Central Hospital,
and now IL is apparent that they are
growing up all over the state, and every
city has one or will have one within q
very few years. 1t is the same practically
with other charitable Institutions, homes
for ri,ndl,ss women, homes for orphans.
homes for old men. they are growing mp
everywhere, and where will they end.
Here are two charitable .institutions In
the city of--well, / was about to say Deer
ing--in Greater Portland, in that part of
Greater Portland which was Deering, ard
all over the state these intitutions Are
growing up. Now there are people who
believe that our system Of caring for the
po,r is too narrow, that municipalitios
are too small territory, while some
contend that the poor should be supported
by counties. and there may b Gentlemen
who think that the state sho do 1t all,
in other words, that charity should he
dispensed at long range to use the en-
preston which the Master of State
Oranges has used, and it ID a most ex
pressive Ito do these things at long
range 1t may be best, but believe in
the municipal or short range method.
Now my own town has homeless woman
and two children that lntely came into
our care and we are caring for them as
we'll as we can. II we had dozen, as
we should be likely to IL we had the poi u
iation of Portland. we could establish a
home and then we could come here and
ask for an appropriation. IL Is the same
with old men. We have two aged men.
and il ws had a greater population and
greater number Of old men, We might
establish a home for old men, or some
benevolent institution in our town might
|
friends Of 1t might come here aud ask for
an appropriation. The result Is that the
large orsies come here with their homes
and get their appropriations, and the
small towns maintain the few poor that
they have, the few poor and unfortunate
women or whatever they may be and do
not ask any appropriation. We have not
enough of them to dignity by the name of
home and SO We support item by
municipal effort and regulation and then
we are called upon to contribute our part
| to support these great state institutions
no, they are not state institutions, thy
are institutions belonging to those cities,
while the state assists ia supporting
them Now they are all good. am not
questioning that, but where is the thing
to end? The mandate has gone out, 'ask
and We shall receive and who has not
gumption enough to ask? 1t is Just the
same with private institutions OF learn
irg but am not talking Rboat them
| now.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, 1 do not know
what to do with this thing. That institu-
ton down there in Deering is one of the
most deserving in the state, have not a
q uestion about that, and yet here Is
problem. Every city In the state has that
same class to take care Of and perhaps
they all ought to have their Home and
perhaps the state ought to support them.
but 1t is u problem for our very anxious
consideration how to do this thing and do
Justice to the smaller towns which take
care of such a class, vi hen they have them,
and do not come here and ask appropria-
tions. 1 was mistaken in one point when
| made the motion. l did not suppose
that this institution in Greater Portland
was more of city affair than 1t Is.
confess that the residence of its inmates
are more widely spread than / supposed.
and in consideration OF the general
character of this institution shall with
draw any objection to the passage of this
bill; but say that while this institution
draws from our other cities somewhat
and cares for them, yet under our policy
and our method it is certain that every
city of any sizs in the state will have
similar institutions in very short tins
for which they will come here and ask
appropI pIiations from the state, and the
smaller towns will have to bear their part
of the burden, while at the same time
caring for the individual cases that fall to
their lot, and that is the injustice of the
thing. withdraw any objection to the
passage of his resolve" (Applause.)
THE MILEAGE CAMPAIGN.
The next step in the progress of this in
teresting session was when Mr.. Chase of
Portland called up the order introduced
by Mr.. Gardiner calling on the railroads
to furnish lists of the free passes issued
during the year 1895. Mir. Gardiner stated
that the passage Of such an order was
within the powers of the bouse. 1t did
not call for the names of persons to whom
passes had Teen issued but it did ask that
the number OF passes, annual. quarterly
10 NtNNh har nf nah