Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-08

to your sympathy, and you cannot re-
sist the demands that a recital Of
their needs will make upon you. The
residents OF the eastern part OF the
!, State will urge an appropriation suf-
fcient to more nearly complete the
original plan and design of the Asy
lum at Bangor, and will present argu.
ments In favor of this action based up
On the deplorable and conceded fact
that our facilities for the proper care
and treatment of these benefciaries
are still inadequate. About two years
ago the praiseworthy efforts of Con.
gressman Burleigh to secure the Ar.
senal property at Augusta as gift
from the National Government to the
State were wholly successful, and un-
der the intelligent direction OF the
Board of Trustees one OF the large
buildings there has been so remodeled
and utilized that 1t has added greatly
to the efficiency OF the Augusta Asy-
lum and to the well-being and comfort
of it's inmates But much more re-
mains to be done even at this Insti-
tuition, and the advisibility Of fire.
proofng another wing Of the main
building is a question that should not
be overlooked.
Nor will the States just claim for
the further advancement and exten-
sion of educational facilities be slight
ed or ignored, for her common
schools, normal schools, academies,
colleges and university are all pub
| 90 loo
and liberal expenditure there but
adds to the strength and dignity OF
her citizenship.
The following are some of the re-
quirements OF the State upon which In
my judgment immediate action should
be taken, and which | unreservedly'
recommend:
The office of State Auditor should
be created. The present system Of
| auditing the States accounts by the
Governor and Council is an archaic
absurdity 1t Is cumbersome, uncer-
tain and incorrect, and would not be
tolerated an instant by any individual,
firm or corporation doing business in
accordance with approved and mod
ern methods. 1t seems to have been
permitted for two reasons; it is
known to have been the custom near
ly one hundred years ago, and since
that time no authority has been grant
ed to change it. 1t has long since
outlived any usefulness it may have
possessed, and each year its ridicu-
lous features are more pronounced.
The methods of bookkeeping, TOO, en-
| ployed by some Of the Departments
are extremely loose, and this whole
subject should be investigated and the
| defects remedied. Former Executives
have made this same recommendation
| for a State Auditor, and 1t is to be as
sumed that failure to act upon 1t IA
vorably Is due TO belief on the part
of the people that its endorsement
would simply create another Depart
ment or Office with additional and un-
necessary expense. | am Of the opin-
ion, however that the direct saving
effected by competent Auditor with
power would far exceed his salary
and the expenses attending the Office.
| The last Legislature created the
Office of State Highway Commission
er, thus recognizing fully the very
| great interest manifested in the move
ment for good roads throughout the
state. 1t is no longer necessary to
argue the advantages and opportuni
| ties that would accrue to Maine by Il
| system Of better roads, for these are
| now admitted and conceded by all
Public opinion seems to warrant u
most generous expenditure for this
purpose, and the questions confront
| ing you now are those OF important
detail alone The amount of money
| to be spent, and how 1t shall be raised
and apportioned by and between the
State and the municipalities. the loca
| tion of the work and how and by
whom 1t shall be done, these are the
phases OF this subject that invite your
| attention at this time. In order to
facilitate your labors along these lines
bill has been tentatively prepared
by the Highway Commissioner EN-.
bodying, 1t is believed, the best meth
ods practiced in other States. and this
Bill will be presented to you at an
| early date for consideration and dis
| cussion.
In October of last year there were
| in confinement at the State Prison at
Thomaston twenty-five patients of the
class known as the Criminal Insane
OF that number fifteen were serving
| unexpired terms of sentence, and ten
| were held by order of the Court after
their sentences had expired The
prison Is no place for these unfortun-
ates Their quarters and opportuni.
| ties for exercise there are necessarily
very limited and inadequate, proper
facilities for their comfort are alto
gether lacking, and it Is impossible
for the prison officials to give the spe-
cific care that the individual cases re-
quire. They should be under the i'm
mediate observation and supervision
of physicians and attendants skilled
in the treatment of the insane. This
view is shared by the Superintendent
of the Asylum at Augusta, who regu
Arly visits the patients at Thomaston,
the Warden OF the Prison, the Trus
tees OF the Insane and the Inspectors
OF Prisons and Jails. 1t Is obvious
that no provision should be made for
the Criminal Insane in our present
Asylums, for their presence there
would be a distinct menace to the vel
fare of the other inmates. They
should have separate accommodations
and the best Of care consistent with
public safety. The Arsenal grounds
at Augusta seem to offer the best So
luton of this problem, and If suit
able building were erected there, not
only would the cost OF administration,
maintenance and attendance be re-
duced to minimum figure, but we
would all feel that even the claims OF
these mental derelicts were 70 longer
ignored by humane and watchful
State.
A fire occurred in the laundry OF the
Asylum for the Insane at Augusta last
fall, which not only caused a severe
pecuniary loss and much inconven-
ience, but demonstrated beyond
doubt that the water supply for the
extin guishment OF fire was altogether
inadequate. 1t is of the utmost i'm
portance that the Asylums be fully
protected against disasters OF this ma
ture, for the consequences OF an uncon-
trolled confiagration there would be
most appalling. The State should
avail itself of every possible safeguard
for the prevention of the loss OF life
and property in these Institutions, and
prompt action should be taken to Sc.
cure water in such qaantity and OF
such power that all apprehension OF
danger from this source may be re-
| moved.