Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-01-12
Binds State and Governor

A0oB4N8S ~OOO See~
(Conttnnsd from paes oas.)
doubtless be presented 10 you pro !lnins
for the retirement on half pay OF al
wardens and inspectors who have actuai
Nv served Is years or more as such.
heartily endorse such a bill. You viii aiso
have for your consideration propose
for the building of a freproof carriage
shop. harness shop and repository al an
expense not 10 exceed $4,000. Tnere u
no question Of the great need for such y
building.
Some Suggested Legislation.
Nav suggest for your consideration
the advisability OF some legislation look
ing 10 public aid for manual and tech
nical training schools? proposition 10
meet the expenditure by towns and cit
les for these purposes by an equal ap-
propriation from the state within certaih
limits. IL akin to laws in other states
where technical training schools are
proving blessing to the Individual ana
q spur to the growth Of industry.
Recent developments I'm regard 70 I'M
purity OF milk offered for sale In some
Of our communities and the presence OF
bovine tuberculosis among dairy herds.
suggest faulty construction Of our milk
Inspection laws so far as provisions fof
the enforcement of the same by local In
spectors Is concerned. ! suggest TO you
the need OF legislation looking toward
the state inspection Of milk. The ex.
pense, thus entaiied upon the state, would
be lifted from the communities. but even
II the expense were not thus relieved.
the lives Of little children and the safe
ty OF the whole people are not to be I'm !.
periled by false economy. The present
laws are notoriousiy inefficient. In many
cities they operate practically to create
sinecures for political workers with NOT
even a pretense at the inspection OF the
yatered and doctored decoctions that
pass for milk.
The competitive system which has al
ready been established In the state In
certain lines should be extended and 9TH
er contracts entered into by the state.
Much Of the legislative advertising OF
hearings before committees OF the legis-
lature Is waste. Your cooperation 10 de-
sired toward a reform In this direction.
II Is obviously extravasant to advertise
hearings upon local issues In newspa-
pers which do not circulate In the To-
cality interested therein. The expense
of advertising "a hearing for private leg
islation should be borne by the inter-
ested parties.
I suggest to your consideration reform
in our corporation laws. While II II
true that the state 10 receiving large
revenue from this source. II IL also true
that. In a considerable measure, It II the
price of prostitution. Much Of the scan
dal connected with corporations 10 made
possible by such loose corporation laws
as we have In Maine. ! hope you will
take steps to remodel them. along EVIL
dent lines OF reform, thus restoring to
Maine her selfrespect.
Tho Cattle Commissioners.
The laws governing the Board of Cat
tie Commissioners need some changes.
as there are several Inconsistencies which
should be remedied. The Board Of Cattle
Commissioners has been active In It's
work and in sections where the testing
for bovine tuberculosis has been going
on for the past three years. the percent
age Of diseased cattle has dropped from
six percent to two percent. A report
Of this commission will be before you.
and you will have to consider the ques-
ton OF its finances. as well as OF the
other questions suggested.
Some reform Is necessary In our eau
Gus law. The platforms Of our politi-
cal parties are pledged to II and the
evils Of our present lack Of system are
apparent to every voter. Either a sys
tenn OF primary elections or a law that
would provide for the holding Of all eau
cuses the same day, to be fixed by sta
tute law, or such other method as seems
wise and judicious to you. are within the
scope Of my suggestion. The questions
involved In this legislation are OF great
importance to the purity Of the ballot
and to the safety OF the state. l urge
you to work In harmony to enact a law
which shall meet the requirements Of
this state. consider that there Is no
issue Of greater moment than a purifica-
ton of our present loose and irregular
methods of procedure in caucus. We
have the benefit Of the experience Of
thirty-two states which have enacted
primary election laws. We ought to be
q BILE to profit by their wisdom. Such
law, ! believe. would tend to elevate the
right OF suffrage in Maine.
heartily endorse measure shorten
ing the hours Of labor for women and
children In our factories. Upon this
question both Of the leading political par
hes In Maine are united. Such 'leglsla
ton Is humane and progressive in its
tendency. and the law proposed, which
limits the legal measure OF the hours Of
work for women and children In our fac
tories to fifty.eight hours a week 10 on a
level with those adopted by every 9TH
er state in New England.
State Elections In November.
suggest to you also the consideration
Of legisla ton leading to a change Of the
date Of holding our state elections to
November. 20 as to conform with the
to bring our election In presidential years
on the same day as that Of the election
OF presidential electors. 1t is waste
Of time and money to hold two elections
where one can serve as well.
! hardly need call to your attention
the crowded condition Of public depart
ments and the lack Of adequate commit
tee rooms In this state house for II II
evident to you all. Several departments
have been added within the past few
years. the housing OF which greatly over
crowds the building, understanding fully
as you do that limit must be set upon
our expenditures In any given year. you
must. nevertheless. note the serious con-
dition that confronts us. Valuable doc
uments are stored here In hazard Of fire.
You have inadequate quarters for your
committee work. There Is every indica.
ton that the demand for room will In.
crease greatly within the next two years.
II new departments are created the ques-
ton OF where to house them becomes
practically unanswerable. Various ex-
pedients have been suggested. such as the
erection OF An Office building or an ex-
tension to the state house. / suggest an
early consideration OF this by the COM
mittee on public buildings.
The School Question.
Several conferences have been held
recently between the governors and gov
errors ELECT Of the New England states.
the chief purposes Of which have been
TO promote. so far a. possible. legisla-
ton along lines which the New England
states have in common. ] have been
privileged to attend some of these ses-
sions. and It has occurred to me to sug
eest to you sevsraf0opics which have
been generally agreed upon as worthy OF
especial attention In order that so far
hs possible. we may fulfill our part OF
the general plan TO do all that Is possible
10 increase the prestige OF New England
and TO benefit the individual states. In
this connection. wish to call to your
attention five recommendations relative
10 our common schools and high schools
IN Maine. which are particularly essen
lial It seems to me. to this state. II 1t
S to keep In line with the rest OF New
England in educational matters.
First: The requirements OF a state
ratification OF teachers with view to
ecure better qualifications from the
teachers and higher salaries for the
teachers. The average salary In the
schools Of Maine Is lower than any other
lorthern state. and few southern states
nave a lower average. The result, of
,ourse. Is constant drain Of our teach
ng force to other lines OF work and to
,ther states So great Is this drain upon
10 that even our normal schools. support
I'd largely by the state. fail fully to
serve US in the supply Of teachers be-
'ause a large percentage Of their grad.