Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-09

provement.
| The summer training schools are at
tended by a large proportion of our
teachers, from which they derive many
advantages. The teachers institutes
| which have been largely attended, lave
| afforded parents, teachers, students
and school officials an opportunity to
| discuss the various questions relating
| to the work of the schools, and have
been of inestimable value.
Under the provisions of the will of
the late Cecil Rhodes, two students
from this State may have the advan-
tage of scholarships at oxford Uni
versity, England, and receive $500
each year during "a residence there OF
| three years.
A small appropriation may be neces-
Sary to enable the State to take advan-
| tage of the opportunity thus offered.
The general law providing for aid to
academies, enacted by the Legislature
| OF 1901, appears to have fulfilled the
expectations of its advocates, and has
| apparently proved an effective remedy
for the evils previously existing, while
at the same time giving aid to many
worthy and deserving. institutions
which are doing splendid work in the
various towns in which they are situat-
ed. 8t .ef
University of Maine.
During the past year there has been
large increase in the number of stu
dents attending the State University.
The condition of this institution seems
entirely satisfactory from every point
of view
One hundred and sixty new students
entered the university in the fall Of
1902, every county in the State being
now represented. There are twenty
three students from outside the state,
nineteen being from Massachusetts,,
two from New Hampshire, one from
New Jersey and one from Rhode
Island. OF the freshman class. one
hundred and one students entered up
on technical courses, including agricul-
ture. The number of students in the
institution pursuing technical studies
Is two hundred and sixty seven. TWEEN
ty-nine new students entered the
School of Law, making sixty in atten-
dance in this department.
A large percentage of the students
are seeking to obtain an education by
their own efforts, and are wholly or
partially self-supporting.
The building containing the drill
hall, chapel, gymnasium and admins
trative offices, which was built by the
subscriptions of the alumni, has been
completed and entirely paid Tor. 1t
is a most excellent and serviceable
building, and the work of the univer-
sity would have been seriously Grip
pied had it not been constructed.
1t has been the policy of the insti-
tuition to provide instruction in every
line of practical work Courses in
mining and marine engineering have
been added, and special work in for
estry has been begun.
The trustees recommend the erection
of a building which will serve as a
mechanical laboratory shops for iron
and wood working. and power plant
You will be asked for an appropria-
ton for this purpose, and am sure
the needs of the university, which is
ding excellent work in the education
Of our youth. will receive your most
careful consideration.
Elections.
Our present ballot law is manifestly
defective in some important details. 1t
should be simplfied and made 50 clear
| and plain in all of its provisions that
every citizen can understand it. 1t
frequently happens that election Off
GERS, through a misunderstanding of
the law. fail to count ballots which
should be included in their returns. In
every state election, hundreds of citi-
zens lose their votes by reason of their
| failure to mark their ballots in ac-
cordance with the strict requirements
| of the law. This is not as it should be.
| No man should lose his ballot by rea-
son of a mere technicality, when his
| intent is so clearly expressed as to be
| evident to all. ,t-
| The right of suffrage, which is the
| highest privilege of citizenship. is the
very foundation of our form of govern
| ment. Justice demands that the law
| should be so modified that every man
| may exercise his franchise according
to his own views and wishes, without
endangering his ballot.
| l commend this matter to your
careful consideration and trust you
will enact such changes in the law as
will render it more easily understood,
| WHiic preserving every tSSeUlldI Iedl-
ure of its present provisions.
Primary Elections.
| Every safeguard of the general cleo
| ton should be placed about the caucus.
Our present system is liable to grave
| abuse. and earnestly recommend and
urge the enactment of direct primary
law which will more completely pre-
serve the purity of the ballot, and I'M
der severe penalties prevent the mem
bers of one party from participa ting
in the caucuses of another. The ne
cessity for some action is so apparent
as to make comment on my part un-
necessary. There have been so many
instances of irregular practices in the
primaries that some direct and con-
trolling legislation is imperatively de-
manded. s..o ,t4.,
The Prohibitory Law.
An awakened public sentiment
among the people of Maine demands a
more complete and vigorous enforce
nent of the prohibitory law. In near
ly all our country towns the law is re-