The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-01-14

work in Maine, wish TO can your at
tention to the Maine sanatorium at Heb
ron, for the treatment Of tuberculosis
Of the lungs. Today. this sanatorium.
which is largely endowed by private phil
anthropy, Is obliged to turn away many
patients for lack Of room. The results
obtained there are surpassed in point of
recovery by no other institution in the
country. I recommend the merits of this
institution to your consideration in the
way of appropriation and with it. also.
a consideration of the grave issues of
tuberculosis as a matter Of general leg
islation 1t may be that it rests with us
in this generation to stamp out this dis
ease before it is too late. I have no hest
fancy in calling this subject and the
Maine Sanatorium at Hebron to your at
tention and to urge upon you a consid-
Grafton Of the same.
So far as a cursory examination of
the condition of the Maine State prison
can go, I find evidences Of good manage
ment and a spirit of cooperation and
harmony among its officials. bill will
doubtless be presented to you providing
for the retirement on half pay Of all
wardens and inspectors who have actual
ly served 25 years or more as such. l
heartily endorse such a bill. You will also
have for your consideration proposal
for the building of a fireproof carriage
shop, harness shop and repository at an
expense not to exceed $4,000. There is
no question of the great need for such a
building.
Some Suggested Legislation.
May I suggest for your consideration
the advisability of some legislation look
ing to public aid for manual and tech
meal training schools? A proposition to
meet the expenditure by towns and cit
les for these purposes by an equal ap-
preparation from the state within certain
limits, Is akin to laws in other states
where technical training schools are
proving a blessing to the individual and
a spur to the growth of industry.
Recent developments in regard to 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 for
the enforcement of the same by local in
spectors is concerned. l suggest to you
the need of legislation looking toward
the state inspection of milk The ex-
pense, thus entailed upon the state, would
be lifted from the communities, but even
If 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 VIGOROUSLY inefficient. In many
cities they operate practically to create
sinecures for political workers with not
even a pretense at the inspection of the
watered 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-
Iature is waste Your co-operat ton is de-
sired toward reform in this direction.
1t is obviously extravagant 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 a reform
in our corporation laws. While it is
true that the state is receiving large
revenue from this source, it is also true
that, in a considerable measure, it is the
price of prostitution. Much of the scan
DIAL connected with corporations is made
possible by such loose corpora ton laws
as we have in Maine. I hope you will
take steps to remodel them, along evil
dent lines of reform, thus restoring to
Maine her selfrespect.
ne Natttc commissioners.
The laws governing the Board of Cat
tie Commissioners need some changes,
as there are several Inconsistencies which
should he remedied. The Board of Cattle
Commissioners has been active in its
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 vel 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 it 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 judlcious 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 law
which shall meet the requirements of
this state. I consider that there is no
issue Of greater moment than purifica-
llOl VI Jul pIeSeul lOOSG ana irregular
methods of procedure in caucus We
have the benefit of the experience of
thirtytwo states which have enacted
primary election laws. We ought to be
able to profit by their wisdom. Such a
law. l believe would tend to elevate the
right of suffrage in Maine.
l heartily endorse a measure shorten
ing the hours of labor for women and
children in our factories. Upon this
U,1eStion both Of The loo dino yol;tioo1 No..
ties in Maine are united. Such legisla-
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 is on a
level with those adopted by every 9TH
er state in New England
State Elections In November.
l suggest to you also the considerati ton
of legislation leading to a change Of the
date of holding our state elections to
November. - as to conform with the
customs in other states of the Union, and
to bring our election in presidential years
on the same day as that of the election
of presidential electors. 1t is a waste
OF time and money to hold two elections
where one can serve as well.
l 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 1t is
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 a limit must be set upon
our expenditures In any given year, you
must. nevertheless, note the serious con-
dition that confronts us. Valuable doc