The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-04-06

tks hi
seen which compares with it. A bank.
wall the whole Of the river front. which
cost the government over $40. 600 to
put in, thoroughly substantial; a wharf
there to which vessel drawing 10 feet
of water can come to land coal or
anything like that-but they don't re.
quire that; for the steam pipe of the
Augusta Lumber Co. passes directly
through and across this ground now.
and the magnificent buildings up be,
yond are heated from that plant. And
way down there by the river all that
has got to be done is to tap that pipe,
take your heat, warm your patients
and care for them under those magnifi-
cent slate roofs that have stood there
for more than half a century. There
are "a of those buildings-mind you
that!-all fenced in there with a splen-
did iron fence eight feet high. The
government dug down beneath the
frost line and laid in it's granite founda-
lions, and set those posts eight feet
high, and it cost the government $780,
900 to fence it.
Think you, gentlemen of the Senate,
and Mr.. President, that in that 7O4
j patients contained within this hospital
over here, when DR.. Sanborn has been
quoted as saying that 20 per cent. of
them ought not to be there, but should
he in the home for feeble minded in
stead, that we cannot with proper
keeper let them roam up and down the
banks and hillsides, and over the green
acres under the shade of those trees,
and be as comfortable and as we'll cared
for as in the new wing at Bangor in
two years and half from this time?
think so.
Gentlemen, l think this is business
proposition. look at it that way.
Now, gentlemen, here comes in the
point in question; here is a point that
will interest you. | am sure it will; it
did me-
When we were at Bangor of course
| this overcroWded condition was con-
| tinually being thrust upon us. l was
looking as best [ could-for my charity
goes out in trat direction, | assure you
to see where and how this might be
obvated, and these people be relieved
| if it were so; and by some means, |
don't know just hoW-but here in a
paper that dropped into my hands
there, and have been laboring under
false impression received from that
paper ever since. Let me tell you what
it is. Mind you this paper is not signed.
| am glad it is not. 1t goes on to recite
how many patients there were in the
hospital in Bangor November 30, 1901
1913 patients. Augusta had 900. Total
number in both hospitals 1893. Novem-
Der 80, 1902, POO in Bangor, 631 in Au-
gusta. In 1903, PIG in Bangor 664 in
| Augusta; total $50. Number of patients
| i'll Bangor November 80, 19O4-254; at
Augusta the same date 704; total 95s.
Number in hospitals in excess of
normal capacity-17O-I thought sol
thought SO until the Sth day of March,
when DR.. Sanborn told me right here in
| the presence of witnesses that are here
today, that the actual condition was
that they had just so in both hospitals.
Then l stepped aside; says is that so
is that the fact? | made a minute of
it. Yesterday l asked him the ques-
ton over again, and in the presence of
witnesses he says so. And | assume,
| MI. President, that that is correct; and
/ ask you if there is a man in the State
OF Maine who is better qualified to
Judge of the capacity of both those
hospitals than is Dr.. Sanborn? | take
! it for granted that that is correct, and
| that 40 has been hung up before this
committee from start to finish in order
to bias their opinion, and draw them
| facts as they are today.
Gentlemen, | do not like this treat
ment. l do not think it is becoming in
the trustees, and l want to say to you,
Mr. President and gentlemen of this
Senate, that this matter has not been
represented by majority of the trus-
tees. A majority of the trustees have
been conspicuous by their absence, but
some have been here, and | regret very
much that they should have assumed
the position which they have, in order
to carry this money to Bangor; and as
has been said-that they may have it
to spend over in Bangor.
Gentlemen, we want to spend this
money where it can be made to bring
these people to the most comfortable
possible position for the least amount
of money. That is what we want.
That is what | want, and l trust that
every senator who hears me wants pre-
cisely the same thing. Do you believe
that there is a man here who wants to
be warped from his honest convictions,
or to have anything whispered in his
| ear by party III interest: why 90 we
sit here and represent the people of our
several constituencies? Were we sent
here to be wavered in our ideas? Gen
tlemen, we were sent here by an hon
est and fair ballot-sent here to do for
this State as we would do for ourselves
in business transaction; and assume
that you will see my point, and if you
do that you will vote with me on this
measure, and that is that the minority
report be substituted for the majority
report.
And now, Mr.. President, just word
more. Here are so many worthy insti-
tutions that have been coming here
asking COR aid, that l have felt badly
because we could not reach out for
them. l would to God we could reach
out for all of them. We have turned
down hospitals. We have turned down
appropriations for the feeble minded.
We have said to the blind-and God
bless that Old man who wandered about
, here in this State House week after
week, feeling his way along with cane
we have said to him-Wait until our
treasury shall enable us and we will
reach out to you; but until then con-
tinue to grope your way up and down
this earth in darkness, and feel your
Way along until we shall he able to