The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-01-10

on the deplorable and conceded fact
| tnat our facilities for the proper care
and treatment of these beneficiaries
are still inadequate About two years
ago the praiseworthy efforts of Con
| gresham Bufleigh to secure the Ar
senal property at Augusta as a Gift
| from the National Government to the
| state were wholly successful, and IN.
DER the intelligent direction of the
board OF trustees one of the large
buildings there has been so remodeled
and utilized that it has added greatly
TO the efficiency Of the Augusta Asy-
lum and to the wall-being and comfort
OF IT'S inmates. But much more re-
mains to be done even at this Insti-
tuition, and the ACCESSIBILITY of FIRE
PROBING another wing of the main
building is question that should not
be overlooked.
Nor will the States just claim for
the further advancement and extern
sion OF educational facilities be slight
ed or ignored, for her common
schools, normal schools, academies,
colleges and university are all a pub
lie glory, and every dollar of wise
and liberal expenditure there but
adds to the strength and dignity of
her citizenship.
The following are some of the re-
qufrements OF the State upon which in
my Judgment immediate action should
be taken, and which l unreservediy
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
FED to change it. 1t has long since
outlived any usefulness it may have
possessed, and each year it's 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 State Auditor, and it is to be as
sumed that failure to act upon it ia
vorably is due to a belief on the part
of the people that it's endorsement
would simply create another Depart
ment or Office with additional and I'm
necessary expense. l am of the opin-
ion, however, that the direct. saving
effected by a 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 a
system OF better roads, for these are
now admitted and conceded by all.
Public opinion seems to warrant a
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 it shall be raised
and apportioned by and between the
State and the municipalities, the loca-
ton of the work and how and by
whom it 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
a bill has been tentatively prepared
by the Highway Commissioner en-
bodying, it is believed, the best meth
DDS 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-
fairly visits the patients at Thomaston,
the Warden of the Prison, the Trus-
tees of the Insane and the Inspectors
of Prisons and Jails. It is obvious
that no provision should be made for
the Criminal Insane in our present
for their presence there
would be 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 Azsu1ta eeam = Ger tho best 50
luton OF tli;s Problem, and If suit
able building were erected there. not
only would the cost of administration,
maintenance and attendance DO re-
duced to q minimum figure, but we
would all feel that even the claims OF
these mental derelicts were no longer
ignored by a 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-
fence, but demonstrated beyond a
doubt that the water supply for the
extinguishment Of fire was altogether
inadequate 1t is of the utmost i'm
portance that the Asylums be fully
protected against disasters ef this ma
ture, for the consequences of an uncon-
trolled confagsation there would be