Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-07
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
. 4 Fl
Continued from page 80

something for itself. | hold here the last
annual report of the treasurer or the
University OF Maine This shows the re-
CENTS Of the university from july J. 1872
To June 50 1900. receipts and expenditures
They started the year with a cash bal
ancc OF $4,000. They received during the
wear in cash SSS.l9i. So that this institu-
ton for the last currcnt fiscal year had
an available cash revenue Of $lOo0W. Now
have they expended it all? Not by any
means We lind at the bottom of this
item in order to balance the debit side Of
this account cash balance June 80. 1870.
S,201 Now this is tho poor institution
which is asking You to give them $4,000
for central steam llunt. If they need
a central steam plant, let them build II
themselves. tApp!auscl.
Four years ago YOU all know what hap
pencd with regard to this same institu-
lion. They had been coming here year
after wear for appropriations for running
expenses and all sorts Of extraordinary
expenses. In 1897 they evolved Il new
scheme which was to get an appropra-
ton of 10000 a year for 10 years And
say here upon the floor Of this House
that one of the reasons which was given
at that time for asking 10 year appro-
priation was that they did not want to
he coming down here every year ana ask
ing for appropriations. And it was m
,lcrstood that if they were granted that
appropriation we We're to be let alone
and they wert. not to be coming down
here year after year and every year for
some appropriation. Now ask YOU. gen
tlcmen. if the institution has kept faith
with the Legislature in this matter? Two
wears ago they were down here just the
same and they wanted an appropriation
of $50 600 TO build Il drill hall, and they
said if they could not have the drill hall
the institution was going to the bad. il
WIS absolutely necessary. They did not
get their appropriation. but thcE have
;.ot their drill hall since. ana the institu-
ton is still alive. still on earth. and is
here with us once again. daughter and
applausel.
Now do not propose to attack in ans
manner or form this annual appropriation
promised them in 1897 Legally this Leg
islature is not bound to appropriate that
S20tNH. but, gentlemen, / say morally it
is and We have got to do it. Now |
thank You. gentlemen, for your attention
| wish to submit these facts and ask you
fairly what is your judgment as to the
necessity Of apprnpriating this $1J,0Go ana
If ii is not absolutely necessary. have W.
the money with which to do it. CAP
plausc).
Mr.. DAVIS Of Watcrvillc: Mr.. Speak
cr. is there any motion before the liouse?
The SPEAKER The pending question
j. the second reading Of the resolve
Mir DAVIS: Is a motion now in order
The SPEAKER: The gentleman cJu
submit his motion
Mr. DAVIS: | then move Mr. Speaker
that this resolve be indefinitely post
poncd.
The SPEAKER: That motion il in "r-
der.
Mr.. DAVIS Of WHtcrviile: on the mo-
tion "a Indefinitely POSTPONE | would like
to aav a few words. | have been mucn
Interested in watching the career of this
professional, perennial beggIr that is nov
before us. When the $.01.uDo appropria-
ton was made | tclephoncd from my Of
ticc to the then member from Waterville
asking him what the proposition was ana
If tho $3no,on0 asked for was likely to be-
com" q law. and he replied that il was
either $2nn.c~n or 500 .nno At the same
Tim. | tclcphoncd to the state treasurer
and .lsccrtain"d that we had on hand in
the State treasury AT the time barely
enough To meet the outstanding temporal
~ indebtedness and bills. | protested as
II citizen and tax payer against tins APP
preparation, to oar representatives: and /
believe that today this House is made up
of mon who are conscious of the fact
that they are here in the interest of the
TAX payers, in the interest Of the State
and Of every thing that is worthy of sup
port and Of nothing else, and | want t.
say briefly that believe article of the
Constitution is violated in the spirit ana
letter when we attempt to appropriate
anything like what is asked for at the
present time. 1t reads: 1T Shall be the
duty of the Legislature to encourage and
suitably cndow from time to time and rs
the circumstances Of the people may au-
thorize All colleges and scminaries Of
learning in the State.
Now. | submit that the intlences which
have been brought to bear, which have
been felt here from Legislature to L"eis-
laturc. have been influential in obtaining
for this institution share Of the money
for educational purposes that riGhtfullY
should have been divided among the other
higher institutions Of learning in this
State. How much have YOU given Colby?
How much have you given Bowdoin?
How much have YOU given Bates? Gen
tlcmcn. | think We should consider this
matter little in the light of duty. do
not believe that this Institution is de-
serving. and for the reasons given by the
gentleman from Portland tMr. Chase.
An institution with S22.55i.66 on hand
should not come here when it has avail
able each Year the land grant fund. tha
Coburn fund. the Morrill, fInd and the
$2o.Wn from the State. for ! read in this
same report by the treasurer that but
$3.50 was expended for mechanic arts ana
$500 for the department of agriculture.
! know il has been the custom to pre-
sent here various reasons why this mat
ter should go, why We should support this
thing and keep it up indefinitely year by
year, and ! just want to call Your atten-
ton to one thing in particular ana that
is to the claim that the State if il should
give $4,000 Il year for the next - years.
could not give back much more than til,
interest on the grant money that was
stolen when these lands were sold Now
xriS IL,