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

|
to here as a probable cause of friction
| in the future. In my judgment thai is
confined to very few. In the mex. place
| it should not be controlling elerent OF
! o,,r decisions. If any trustee takes shat
position in opposition to TINS oil! such
a commission is above the reach Of adj
| vice and this commission is only ADVISORY
| 1t has no control. 1t might come from d
| feeling on the part of the trustees tha'
this is a step which might lead 10 me
| abolition of some of the boards 81 uus-
tees. That is as it should be. Ii IL shoulu
| come to immediate removal the opJectioi
| of the senator from Knox ana "'iiei'
| who object to the creation OF new oihce'
the final effect might be to give us fewer.
F., The main reason my mind for the pas
! sage of this bill is the fact that mas peeii
| alluded to, that a large part OF me worn
| that is being done in this state tor ciia'
tiles for corrections, is being done OUTSIDE
tho control. directly, of the state t'el.
Tho senator has said that if the Ial!s
mood renovation cannot we pass law 10
ranovate them-cannot we set an inspec-
tor to work? Gentlemen OF the oeha'V
we can undoubtedly pass SUCH a Ia" II
ua knew what law to pass. This com
mission is intended to give us precisely
that advice if such advice is needed
do not want to take more time on
the business aspect of this case, eA-
cept to say this: That we all Know
that the work we are all doing anu
the money we are approprlatihs loi
rriya+e charities in the Legislature Is
| beiag done to great degree IN Il
| haphazard way. I say that not as d
reflection on any committee OF III"
Legislature, because the committees
| before whom these matters came, tooh
tie greatest pains to investigate theEh'
but we all of us know, as a matter
! If common experience, that IN TINS
short session no committee, no matter
what facilities are furnished u.s. 10
matter how much time members OIL the
| committee desire to put in, and 90 put
| H. can in fact do justice to the CLAIMS
brought before them by private IN
stitutions We need on this point the
advice of some disintereSted, high
minded, non-partisan board, which shall
exist from year to year and be con-
tinuing body. and which shall be able
to say to this Legislature, out Oh va
| ,;Ous worthy causes, when one neeuS
| he more No member of the board OF
trustees of any institution, public or
| crivate is likely to come to TINS Legs
iature and say: You may leave my
institution, this year, gentlemen, ano
aDpropriatc for some other because the
| others need is more urgent. every
member of such board or trustees
| is. by that very fact, special counse
fer his particular institution ana ne
feels, and properly SO, that his lnsti-
tuition is tie most important one IN
The State. For that reason and for the
sake of the advice that could be given
| 4 committee of this Legislature and 10
| these Legislatures from year 70 year,
believe that this measure is most
important. SO much for the business
cart OF this proposition. 7 believe 1t
will save money Tor the State of Maine.
| believe it will result III u more ,usl-
nesslke expenditure of our money; put
his question is not in the last
analysis a business proposition Who'll
w. It deals with an Interest that Is
higher than business and beyond bust
ness; and | say to you, gentlemen, that
YOU will make a mistake if you allow
any commission DOGGY, or any fear OF
jealousy or some slight friction to in
tcrfere between you ana tnIs high in
terest Of the State of Maine that is eN-
pressed in the words "CharitieS and
Corrections"
How are you going to measure these
things in terms of dollars and cents
the care of little children, the amelio-
ration of the condition of the poor ana
the unfortunate? That is the ques-
ten that comes to us for settlement
| r - IA haf for
voted against u measure which il
Intended, and which it is believed b.
those whom I believe are qualified
to give us expert evidence In the case,
is intended to better the condition in
this State of those classes OF Unfortu~
mates who are especially entitled to
your consideration and mine.
| Mr.. STAPLES: VIII the senator
permit me a question?
| Mr.. MILLI<EN: Certainly.
Mr.. STAPLES: I find on Page 81 OF
the Report of the Committee, SAM
tarium, Aims Houses. Do you believe
it would be a good thing FOR this State
to have home government In every
town and to have this commissions
regulate the aims houses of every town
in the State of Maine?
Mr.. MILLIKEN: In reply to the
request of the senator from Knox,
confess I am not an expert on that
subject. I do not know as much about
the aims houses of the state OF Maine
as ] would like to know; but I would
like to have all the advice at the next
session OF the Legislature from the
commission which it is possible 10 get
and if there is anything wrong about
the aims houses, l want to know it
and the senator from Knox would want
to know it if he should be elected and
| should be here at the next session
Mr.. BANTER of Cumberland: Mr..
| President, when any group of men
come before a Maine Legislature, ash
ing for the creation of a commission
| of this, or of any other sort, I think
the burden of proof rests upon them
to show us that such 4 commission is
needed. From the arguments that
have been presented here this morn
ing. l think that the proponents of
this measure have established a fact
/