Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-22

\ On motion Of Mr. Walls of Vinal Ha-
ven, the rules were then suspended. the
resolve was read a second time and
was passed to be engrossed.
On motion of Mr.. Williams Of Somer-
vile.
| Adjourned.
| The following is the speech of Mr..
Haskell of Windham, in support of his
motion to indefinitely postpone resolve
in favor of the Maine Eye and Ear In
Urinary. delivered in the House on
| Wednesday, Feb. 90
Mr.. HASKELL said:
| Mr.. Speaker and Gentlemen-Thua
far during the session ! have retained
from trespassing upon the time Of the
House with any extended remarks. |
| therefore trust that the privilege will
be generally accorded me Of explaining
my position relative to this resolve APP
pfoprlating the sum of ten thousand
dollars to the Maine Eye and Ear In
| urinary. In doing so ! do not want q
single member of the House TO under
stand that | am opposed to or am in
any way trying to belttle the Maine
| Eye and Ear Infrrnary as an institu-
ton Far be it from me to do it the
1
that under proper management it is
capable Of comforting greater benefits
upon the poor and unfortunate than
any other institution in the whole State
| but its endowment has become so
1 large, its management has become 50
| eXeCrable and the methods of treat
| ment and care of patients have be-
come so questionable that the people of
western Maine must emphatically pro
| test against any further appropriation
by the State.
| Now Mr.. Speaker, this institution
/ was Incorporated in 1886 under the
general law for the foundatio Of cor
| porations, and is located in the city of
| Portland. In 1885 it applied to the Leg
| islature Of this State for assistance
and received an appropriation of $4,000
| for two years. 1t continued to receive
| this amount till 1893, when it asked
| for and received an appropriation Of
| $1,000 q year for the next two years.
! Since that time it has received that
amount from the State up. TO the pres
ent time, amounting to more than
| 100000 In the meantime il has receiv-
I'd many thousands Of dollars from the
| city Of Portland from various requests
and donations, besides the very gener-
| your attention.
In 1894. one Of POrtland's Wealthiest
ana philanthropic citizens died IeaV-
ing Will by which the Maine Eye and
Ear Infirmary was bequeathed two
thirds Of the residue Of his estate. af-
ter payment Of certain other requests.
4 legal problem confronted it. The rel
atiNes Of the deceased sought to pre-
Vent the infirmary from holding this
very generous bequest. and brought Il
bill Of equity alleging that by the gen
eral law under which the institution
| was Incorporated. the amount Of real
and personal property which it could
| mold was limited to 100000; that it at
ready held that amount and the be-
quest was void. To this bill a general
demurrer was filed admitting the allie
cations TO be true The case Went to
the law court of this State for decis-
ion, and that tribunal reaffirmed that
principle of law to which it always has
adhered in such cases, viz: that this
| question could only be raised against
| the corporation by and in behalf Of
| the State by whose authority it held
/ its charter and the Maine Ear and Eve.
| infirmary was thereby made secure in
| its bequest. OF this bequest the mod
est sum Of $195, .66 had been paid
over to it by its trustees and still there
| is more to follow. on page Is of the
/ last annual report will be found bal
| ance sheet of the institution. On the
| debit side is charged construction
| Sal. 612.05; stocks and bonds. S79.O1-. S1
part of Harrington fund on deposit
awaiting investment, s23,290S2, ana
cash s4S25. Add to this the amount Of
Harrington fund in Mr. Larrabee'S
hands as trustee. $l0G, 666. and we have
| the total amount Of resources as dis
| closed by the report. $3.50, 635. 80. OF the
stocks ana bonds listed $4,000 worth
| have been acquired by purchase and it
IS not 10 be supposed that their actual
| worth is less than the figures quoted
Among the remaining $40, 107.S7 worth
| appears stocks of the CaSco, Canal
and National Traders Bank of Port
| land. the stock of the Portland Gas
Light 90. and the bonds Of many we'll
known water companies. and although
| the valuation of a few NAV be excess
slVe. the amount Of shrinkage cannot
te considerable. Deducting. however
from the total resources $94. 666 for the
notes of the infirmary outstanding and
we have left as the net resources of
| the corporation on which today it is
receiving an annual income the sum Of
SOB 1863 49,
cow Mr.. Speaker, | desire to submit
q few comparisons. showing the man
her IN which this income and the
states appropriation are expended, ana
| the amount Of free treatment that is
thus given. And in order that there
| may be no cause for saying that the
| comparison is unfair | will cite YOU
70 one of our own institutions. the
! central Maine Hospital at Lewiston.
| where the eye. ear, nose and throat as
| well as all other diseases are treated
| the same rs at the infirmarv During
the past year the Lewiston hospital
mad a63 in-patients. the infirmary 53S.
| - less. OF these the former treated
| 24S absolutely free. the latter "a: the
former had 10 part paying patients.
the latter -. OF all paying patients
the former had 275. the latter
400. In other words the Lew
| st0n hospital treated almost five
| times as many free patients as
the lnfirmary and a little more than
half as many full paying patients The
Lewiston hospital has given 1884 free
i days board, the Infirmary has given
$40 less than one-third as many. 1t is
not difficult to see from these comnari-