Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-22

ana justice IN TINS !ndttei' III
this minority report
The appropriations to supply our insane
hospitals carry far more than any o'he'
appropriations THAI We shall nave VI
that we have had during the present
session. | do not think that any se''"'o'
here will charge me with wanting III any
way to deprive those people VINO are
Iahoring under the terrible-erribie
disease which they are now of INSANITY
by taking from them anything III"
would contribute to their happiness anu
comfort. Myreligion goes OUT III '"''
way to those so distressed. II iiiiNe any ;
and | would do everything that "o"i"
mete out to them comfort
Now. Mr.. President. we have had eight
public hearings on insane hospitals an"
is there a member of this Senate WI"
can cite me eight hearings on one malter
witho,w any particular new evidence 10
come before the committee OF tiiis i-esi'
laIture? | assure you, Mr.. PRESIDENT '"''
| was willing to be present. WIS VIII
ing no give my attention to these near
in.s. | wanted 10 learn if possible Soi'ie-
thing ,bo,m the workings of these great
;nstb.utions which are being supported
h,. tb. State. | think the people IN gem
vol all nm and down this State want To
know and | believe that they have the
ri,bt 10 know-every man VINO deposits
his ballot i'm the box, and who has a
fax assessed against him, small though
il NAV be it may TAX him more than the
rich man who pays his tax conveniently
7 saw l believe mat class of citizens in
Il his state. and of this whole State. are
entitled to know; ana so far rs that is
concerned | have no personal interest.
only one end of LIS State to the other
and that means 694 46G SoulS-and | have
no particular interes1. for the eastern or
western. for for any other section. but
that number.
l want To call your attention to the
report put out by the board of trustees
OF the Insane hospitals. and | suggest
Mr.. President. if there is any nforma-
ton which goes out to the people over
this State. whereby they may under
stand the workings of these institutions
it is in this report. And | call your at
rention ITO what the trustees say The
question. gentlemen. on which we are
divided is thiS-Do We need a new build
ing at Bangor? Everything else is con-
coded by your committee. and | am sur
priSed that the senator from PenobScot
should make that declaration TO con-
tradiot any statement of facts that We
have presented that this committee
agreed on iihe ls1t day of March to recon-
mend $235 SSS for hospital purposes. We
We're unanimous. every member of the
committee there and | think we were
all there except Senator Randall. and
suggested that our report be forwarded
to him. as he has been i'll since it was
made-and we all say, and it was agreed
lpon that that sum should he the sum
that we should recommends; and | am
sorry that the senator has received any
information that would lead him to be-
iieve anything to the contrary. for such
are the faots the Is; day of March.
Now then. this ovcrcrowded condition
is what | have been trying to investi-
gate. to find ont that it was actually the
fact. that those patients were being
cared for in crowded condition detri-
mental to their interests. and let MS see
what the trustee says. They say here
This large increase in two years calls
for careful public consideration Of the
means best adapted ITO provide for these
unfortunates in the future They do
not state how many more above the
capacity of the hospital, either one OF
them. They leave it there.
Then we will pass on to the treasurer
report on the 18th page, and let us see
what information We shall CLEAN from
that. As said, We look to these TO hnd
out the workings of that institution. and
to see how you will interpret this and /
will tell you how | interpret it. Not that
] am finding any fault with the conduct
of the officials. or with their expenses.
but | would like to have this lead so a
commonplace man like myself when
reading it will understand what it means.
So they say the annual financial state
ment of the steward and treasurer shows
"a net gain of 81 1865. and there has be n
expended for general Improvements AKA
repairs over the receipts of the hospit Il
$1O.SJ39S. In addition dhe books of the
treasurer show also that there has been
expended for extra repairs, improve
ments, grading, for crushed stone for
roads etc. a total of 81. 123..S There has
been expended for new stock barn. adj
ditionS and alterations 81 1886 Though
incomplete at the present time there has
been expended on the piggery, S4,319.1
less insurance 5000. And the total
amount taken from the earnings % the
hospital for special extra repairs and
improvements-nOt including general e
pairs, lO631s5
This represets the current surplus earn
ngs of the institution. Now. gentlemen,
what do you understand from THAI Do
you not understand that this hospital
has been earning something? THAT vas
my conclusion, AMI | have not changed
it Il particle; hut when I look and see
that they have received from the state
by direct resolve. and for beneficiary APP
preparations sS2. 6542 -. then | can see how
they can have surplus. Most any man
or company could have a surplus under
those conditions. So that, gentlemen.
when we take the earnings from the sup
port by the State we find that it has
actually cost the State S54,223.S2. md it
is all right make no complaint. but |
say il does not put the matter plainly
before the people. so that we can under
stand it.