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

now pending before the Legis,a,
| would say that there are +,
er measures now pending bef,
Legislature that somewhat an.
question under discussion Thu,
bill ROW pending before the com
on legal affairs: An Act relatiry
inspection of jails and prisons
is another measure which is ali
important and that is: An Act
prohibits or places q penalty nm
municipal officers of cities and
for placing any minor between m
of two and Is years i'm an AIN,
and provides that children Of n,
must be placed in some suitabl.
or institution. ! believe that tba
matters which will be favorablv
by this Legislature: and it viii
the burden Of correction at had
the different cities and towns
ii should remain
Mr. President l move that vsl
vote is taken it be taken by II.
and nays.
Mr.. MACOMBER of kennebAI
President, | had intended to MAKE
remarks in regard TO this matter
has been so thoroughly gone into !
that | am only going to answer
two points made by tie eentlemsI
Portland
My objection to this measure is
is not Il practical proposition to n
operation. In the first place, it esd
es, to my mind, another commiSI
commission for what? To elect
point a set of officials to period
same duties o. which We now had
eral sets Of officials | believe til
pie of this State do not believe l
such establishment of additional Il
We have had it under the Sturgl
and the people have spoken, il II
me, in unmistakable terms agairi
further commissions.
This commission as proposed is
gentlemen-or ladies-to have 4
charge of all the institutions of thJ
The difficulty about it is that thu
absolutely no authority under til
They can simply travel around tfi
without any pay and calmly maEI
To- FThl
boards of trusteeS-to the Govern
Council: and it is worth only vi
it may be worth. Take any ind
of this State as an illustration
this would work out. Here is IN
at ThomGSton. In the first pd
have Your warden who is paid al
and appointed by the Governor
able at his will. Then you have
of inspectors paid by the State
duty it is To visit that instituted
month. see every prisoner, know
what their diet is, what their nd
discipline are-men who Lave 4
those offices, many of them, fOT|
years. Even, in addition to thd
have q committee of the Cound
members of the Governors q
whose duty it is to so to the Statel
every month. examine that institute
know its needs. and recommend
Governor and Council ana to this 4
ture what are its needs. Then, uD1
establishment of the Office of Stsl
ditor all the finances Of that instl
are in the State auditors hands. 4
go so far as to control the purcf1
supplies and materials that enlsl
the various businesses carried on 4
prison. There are four boards AZ
Then there is the Governor and hs|
their business to attend to these Y
tons and to see that the various
ures and matters are carried out
erly? On top of all this, we have \
five paid commissions looking afit1
institution down at Thomaston; anu
it is proposed to establish anotha|
doubtedly men can be found WI
work without pay; but should tfs1
their services are valuable to the|
why should they not be recompeh'1
on the other han, they render tnp'1
vices, why do we want them? lhe'
a recommendation 1t goes to hH
ernor. He refers it to this very W
tee of the Council. Can it get Ve''
further? 1t seems to me that t'N
proposition is entirely impracticaO'11
it means putting on this state ho'
for just as sure as this propos''V'
Continued on Page Nine'