Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-18

repulsive should be segregated; and
that everything should be done that
can he done to make OF those fnsti-
tutions decent and comfortable homes
for those people. 1 believe, for this
cause alone, I would be glad to vote
for this board, even at the cost Oh
$4,000 a year; and I believe, beyond
this, that it will do great good ana
THAT it will eventually lead to better
control of our public institutions than
we have now.
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox: Mr.. Presl-
dent, owing to the lateness OF the
hour, / will not weary the Senate but
a few moments with what I have to
say on. this subject. l am opposed,
as the senator from York is, to Gre
ating any commission I believe that
the people of this State are patriotic
enough to take care and to see that
the institutions of our State are prop
erly cared for.
= Mr. LOONEY: The. senator Is not
opposed to the Sturgis Commission, IS
he?
Mr.. STAPLES: I believe that our
institutions are as good as any instl-
tutions and that our beneflciaries are
as well cared for as they are In any
state of this Union. l believe We have
such trustees appointed by our Gov
errors, as are second to none that you
can find in any state of this Union
l believe that the trustees of these
institutions are all honorable and patri
cite and that they are appointed be-
cause Of their feeling for the op-
pressed, downtrodden and unfortunate.
| l have list of those trustees, and it
would be queer idea that, when you
had appointed such men as have been
appointed and as I shall read from this
| paUer-trustees of our several insti-
tutons-I say it would be a queer eX
perience in the legislation of Maine
that we should appoint a commission
of five to look after such men as Judge
Putnam of Portland-Such men as eX-
Governor Robe, who has done more
for that institution across the river
. than a board of trustees can do in a
long tirnc. Ever since he has been APP
pointed trustee his whole object has
been to better the condition of the
Maine Insane asylum. Does the sena-
tor from Portland think that the Maine
General hospital needs another super
vision? Don't you believe that the men
VINO control that today-and you are
proud of it in Portland-you boast of
it as being one of the best institutions
and one of the best equipped institu-
tons there is in the State of Maine
do YOU want a board of five men to
go there as they please. and criticize
Judge Putnam of the United States
; court? Do you want men to so there
and tell ex-Judge Symonds what to do
about the institution over which he
rules there in Portland? Have you any
: fault to find with those trustees, SEN
ator from Cumberland county? My
friend Senator Macomber upon my
5 right here, who has a Statewide rep
utation for what he has done to better
the Maine Insane hospital of Augusta
"a hospital that we are proud of and
of which I say, and I ann pleased to
say as q Democrat upon the foo" of
the Senate, that 1 do not believe any
thing has been squandered at that hos
t pital-the Central Maine hospital-they
!, have more patients than 10 y"ars ago
t and that is why they ask for more ap-
preparation. I want them we'll taken
care of.
You can create this commission and
t in two years from now you will want
, | to create a commission to look out for
} it and so you might go on. Let me read
5 from this list who these trustees are.
: If you are going to have q commission
! appointed, then do away with all your
i trustees and let that board control. I
. read the names of William r.. Putnam,
5 Maine General hospital; Joseph w. Sy-
monds. cy-judge supreme court:
Franklin A. Wilson of Bangor: Elias
Thomas. eX-membcr of the House. Do
you think that those men want a COM
mission to look after them? Cannot you
trust them to do what is right? You
won't say but what they are all honest
men. or but what they are capable
!. men. as capable as any you can find
in the state Of Maine I stand here to
defend them, as able men, men who
. have done a great amount of good in
the uplifting of those unfortunates
that have to go to the Maine General
, hospital.
Take the Central Maine hospital:
William d. Penncl eX-President of
the Senate; ]. p. Hutchinson. ex-mem-
Der of the House: F. H. Brooks, ex-
! member of the House; George w. Fur
, bush, eX-mayor. Those men are we'll
, known in the state of Maine You don't
doubt their capacity. You don't doub:
; their honesty. Do you think that you
+ want to spy on them by commission?
+ don't believe the Senate wants to
do it.
j Take the School for Feeble Minded.
The chairman of that is Governor Fer
/ Maid of the State of Maine; and
= wouldn't it he a ridiculous proposition
, to have commission of five appoint
ed to tell the Governor of the State of
Maine what he should do in regard to
3 managing that institution. There are
! also H. C. Baxter of Brunswick; c. M.
, Blanchard, ex-senator; Oramandal
, Sinith-all of these men are known to
=. everybody. Is there anybody in favor
: of this bill who will question the integ-
, ritv of those men, or but what they
will do their duty in the capacity to
. which they have been appointed?
$ Mans MicciOn IN Enrth