Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-10-27
CHARITIES AND CORRECTIONS
CONVENTION AT WATERV|LLE,
Mayor Bunker Welcomes Delegates---Judge
Turner Observation-Disclosures by Bishop
Robt. Goldman and Rev. Raymond
Calkins, D. D.-=-The Program.

opened at the First Baptist churc
in Waterville Monday evening. TIL
conference was called to order D.
President Levi Turner of Portland an (
prayer was offered by Rev. G. ID. 3
Topper of Waterville. During the af
ternoon and previous to the call
the conference the work of reSistra
tiGn was carried on in the vestry ans
the number of delegates was large. The
body of the church was well filled Whel
the evenings program commenced
President Turner then opened tho
conference and said as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen:-About tw'
years ago, Mr.. II. S. Braucher, the gen.
eral secretary Of the Associated Char
ities OF Portland, and Mr.. E. P. May'
Of this city, a member Of the State
board for the inspection Of prisons ant
jails, conceived the plan of organizing
ali annual Conference of Charities and
Corrections for this state.
These gentlemen with their char
acterstic energy and persistent indus
try in good works communicated with
the leading charity workers and chief
officials Of the state in respect to the
project and gave the matter as wide
paper notices and correspondence.
"As a result of these efforts a meet
ing was held at Auburn October Dist
and 22nd of last year At this meeting
the Maine State Conference of Char
tiles and Corrections was regularly or
ganized by the adoption of a constitu
ton and the election of complete
list Of officers committees and loca.
secretaries.
"This hour, therefore. marks the
opening Of the second annual session
of the Maine State Conference of Char
tiles and Corrections.
Your very presence here bespeaks
and is a sufficient guaranty of your
quick sympathy and lively interest in
the objects of this meeting. and is ev-
idence that you are prompted by the
true spirit of philanthropy, which is
that happy union and blend of the
spirit of science and the spirit of SER
vice.
II trust the course Of our proceedings
will be such as to provoke the fullest
discussion and elicit the freest express
sion of views, however variant: for 1t
IS only in the white heat of cOntrover-
sy and upon the anvil of argument
that the spark of living truth is struck
out.
..p ',Still, I am entirely confident that We
shall approach all these problems
whether they appear as questions OF
UNIQUE and novel impression or of OBJ
soletc methods and inveterate abuses
with our minds not obscessed by pre-
conceived and fixed notions and preJu-
dices, but with complete openness
and charitable tolerance of spirit
Therefore. everyone should feel free t.
speak, for whatever the judgment OF
this assembly does not approve, 1 an
sure, its charity will cover.
"Through the Jealous efforts of Mr.
Mayo. it is our good fortune and tC
our great advantage to be gathered il
one of the very finest of the exccllcn
cities of our State-a municipality
which may deservedly take much pride
in its matchess location. it's good gov
eminent, it's beautiful streets and pub
lie buildings. it's ample railroad facili
ties, its great water powers its splen
did and varied manufactures. it's two
venerable and renowned seats of learn.
ing, and above all in the public spirit
intelligence and high character of 1t:
people.
I'VE are honored tonight by thu
presence of many of Waterville's bes
citizens, and among them it's chief ex
ecutive who, l understand. wishes t.
tell us what the terms and tenure o
our sojourn here are to be, and l an
sure we shall get some timely and help
ful suggestions and the benefit of hi
broad experience. l have the grea
honor and pleasure. as well. of intro
ducing Mayor Bunker of Waterville"
He then introduced Mayor l.. G
I.unker, who welcomed the conference
in behalf of the citizens.
The conference then authorized the
chair to draft a committee on nomina
lions.
President Turner. in behalf Of thu
association then responded to the ad
dress of welcome. as follows:
IT am sure we all appreciate Mayo,
Bunker's expressions of cordial welcome
his apt observations, and his valued
words of sympathetic interest and Ell
couragement: and therefore. through hin
officially the officers, members and friends
of this Conference make to the good PEG
pie of this city and likewise to Mayor
Bunker personally the obeisance of deeI
gratitude for the hospitality extended ane
for his own timely remarks.
II will speak in very limited anc
fragmenta,y way, first, of the necessity
and practicability of greater interest or
the part of the people of this State in oul
social problems: secondly. of the spirit
aims and ideals of .uodern sociological
endeavcr: thirdly. of the progress made
in one or two fields as furnishing exam
pies Illustrative of the scope and charac-
ter of the present general social move
ment in all it's spheres of activity; and
fourthly, of some of the more eNigent and
pressing matters in our own State.
I'm the first place, 1 think it is true
that the people of our State as Il whole
are not sufficiently familiar with and in
terested in our vital problems of social
and administrative character. Why is
this 50. Ny own belief is that this
condition is due more to lack of Informal
ton than lack of public spirit. These
people once their eyes are opened and
their interest aroused are the very ones
that will do most for the social mphft
of this State. for they possess both intel
,s~o,,.o. and p,ro D,,rpoSa and are iuVin-