Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-10

this institution sixteen little girls. At
ter their new hospital was built, the
old building were used for an orphan
age for little girls and since that time
there has been an average Of about one
hundred and twenty-five to one hum
dced and thiriy-five yearly. There are
row ninety inmates in attendance.
The ages at which girls are received
are between four and fourteen years
Of age. They are suitably clothed and
ted and sheltered and at the present
time of the ninety inmates thirty-siX
are without either father or mother.
None Of these children have any
means of support. There have been
over thousand inmates in the
last few years. Great care is
taken in selecting homes for the
children when they they are able to
leave the orphanaGe. and no child
leaves it until they ire able to be self
supporting. Up to this time this insti-
tuition has not received any aid from
the State. but owing to the large and
increasing numbers i Is necessary tc
ask some assistance TO carry on the
work Unless aid is fun ished in addt-
ton to what they Ia" II will be nec-
cssary to limit the work done by the
Sisters Of Charity in this direction.
There has been 70 expense TO the state
il. securing the buildings which the
children occupy and consists of the Old
hospital composed of the Colder house
and { wing 40x9O. three stories in
height
Now Mr.. President and gentlemen,
il understand the report of this COM
mittee, l believe they think it to be
right in taking this position: That 50
much money has been granted to An
drnscoggin that we should not ask for
anything further for this purpose. [
submit that this is not local institu-
! ton; and although it is located in the
city of Lewiston. there are thirteen
cities and towns. and five different
counties represented in this matter. 1t
| is distinctly a State institution. 1t Ia
a saving of money for the State. BY
| this institution, these girls are saved
| from the poor house and from vice l
| submit, Mr.. President, we should take
| the same action here as was taken in
| the House. and refuse to accept the
/ report of the committee. Ii is worthy
| institutions; and if there is anything fr
| which we should appropriate money
that is worthy, this is one of the most
worthy. l will say as to the number of
public charities, that two years ago.
after the committee visited, this insti-
tuition and went through it, we could
| all sec the amount of good work the in
Stitution is doing. l will say that any
| member of this Senate that will visit
the institution may see what is being
l .lx,t, h.,.-
vote for the appropriation asked for.
certainly hope the report OF the COM
inittee will not be accepted
Mr.. PUTNAM of Aroostook: Mr..
! President AS President Of the finance
| committee. l do not wish to oppose any
worthy cause. l sympathize with the
| feelings of the Senator from AndrOs-
| Coggin in regard to the position OF this
institution. supported by the Society of
| the Sisters of Charity. This commit
| tee oppose it because OF the little mon
ey they have to give to State benefici-
aries. and they thought it fitting not to
give all the aid that was to be given to
one county, or to one charity, or one
institution. The Senator from Andro-
scoggin has just stated the reason why
we turned this down. He says that
| two years ago AS members of the conf
mittee on State beneficiaries they Wis
tied that institution They did not
then give any money to this branch OF
he Society of Sisters Of Charity OF
Lewiston because the State had al
ready appropriated money for two OF
the three charities controlled by that
society. These people came before US
thrnn mt.
first time we gave them $4,000 or
$500 a year for each of the next two
years. and when they came the third
time. we said we thought we had used
them we'll and some OF their people
said: You have used us WELL We do
not sympathize with the motive of the
member from Lewiston who intro
duced this new resolve. 1t seems to
us. that the three Senate members
upon this committee especially have
been fair and unprecedented in this mat
ter. ] will state to you "A fact which |
think will bring before your minds how
fair we were. The three members Of
this committee. from the counties Of
Washington. Aroostook and York.
three counties which comprise a third
Of the area of the State and, one fourth
or its population, in passing favorably
on bills calling for three-quartcrs Of a
million of dollars during the session Of
the Legislature. thus far have not APP
proprihted one single cent for either OK
those three counties. / think that fact
must emphasize TO you. gentlemen.
that we have not been influenced by
any prejudice in regard to any institu-
ton. or by any prejudice against any
institution. We endeavored to do what
we believed to be fair: and to give to
each matter the consideration which it
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