Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-18


and the growing desire of the times to
get the better of our neighhors and
shift our burden on the shoulders Of
others.
My politics and my religion. if I have
any, Is equal rights to all and special
privileges to none Now every dolla.
expended on the University of Maine
so-called, Is to Increase the privileged
class. Every lawyer and doctor that
Is graduated from that institution has
the privilege to charge us what they
please, if we are unfortunate enough
TO need their services. and we must
pay their eXorbitant charges or go To
JAIL CT to the poor house. There is
no law to restrain them, because they
make the law and the court is selected
usually by them, from their own class.
The Judiciary and legal affairs commit
tees are packed with lawyers who
smother every bill sent to them if it con-
Iilcts with their own special interests
ana 1t dies violent death in that
slaughter house of justice. The learn
Cd professions have got US by the
throats and will soon have us tied hand
ana loot II we do not make a vigOr-
Gus effort to free ourselves from their
deadly grips. 1t seems that all politi-
cal parties have strayed from this safe
Democratic doctrine and are promoting
jealousy and discomfort among the peo
pie, dividing themselves into classes;
organized for mutual protection. Cor
rorations and other privileged persons
are Clamoring for this Legislature to
harness labor to haul the heavy burden
n n
ton of Their own representatives. The
lmproVident are organizing to rob the
provldcnt Of their honest accumula-
tlons and all parties are fishing for
The votes of all the disconnected, and,
might say, dangerous classes. And
God grant that all political parties
NAV awake to the grave dangers that
threaten the country, before it is too
late and destroy the mischievous
'Isms" that are bringing to the people
q pronounced unrest.
There il blotted page in the history
OF Maine, time of internecine war,
when the loyal subjects were striving
to conquer rebellion and to save the
unity of the nation, when men who
were looked upon as our best citizens
iald aside their pretended love of JUS
tice and fair dealing and bent their
whole strength to enrich themselves
out of the mseries of the people Gov
errors, public officials and scheming
promoters thought it their privilege
to fleece the sovereign people for
their own profit. Gigantic schemes of
robbery through land grants, and other
cunning devices gave them an easy
10 ri.,l 10
tween 1860 and 1870 covers the paper
credit scandal that smutted some of
our most prominent men.
This Institution. the University OF
Maine now clamoring for more of the
peoples lard-earned money, came into
existence in that period of the States
tlshonor, And it would be quite un-
reasonable to suppose that chance
like that would not exile the cupidity
Of men who would defraud the soldier
III the field and steal from the people
who Were periodically supporting him
| have 10 doubt. myself, that the land
grant from the government would have
Been Sufficient to found and cndOw
such college as was contemplated in
the 9ct, if it had been properly and
honestly managed. But that is past
and we must make the best of it. What
seems worse to me, is that certain
selfiShly interested persons conceived
the idea to change the name of the
Agricultural College to the University
Of Maine, to make lawyers instead Of
farmers. Moreover, they made the
Legislature see it in the same way and
change it, which in my mind was a
mistake. Now let us be careful not
to make any more mistakes than we
have already made. They come here
year after year asking for large sums
of money with which to continue the
manufacture of a privileged class with
a rowing commission to make repri-
sails of the savings of us plebians 1t
it NY belief that the three we'll en-
Gowed colleges can turn out more law
yers and doctors than are really needed
for the needs Of the people without the
State going to the expense Of creating
L surplus of even a good thing. We
were told two years ago that the pres
idcnt of that institution had retained
half a dozen. more or less. professors
receiving $3.50 q year, expecting the
Legislature to furnish the money to
pay them $500 per year which they
did. How many he now has on pro-
hatiOn l don't know, but it would seem
by their not very modest request that
he has a dozen. BY their admitted
cunning, they have been throwing bait
to the farmers by dedcating a hall as
Agricultural hall instead Of University
hall. Whether there are any gudgeons
who will take the hook remains to be
seen.
Two years ago if anyone said any
thing against the S1S0,G00 asked for it
was taken as evidence of the jealousy
of the other colleges. l never went
to college but l now wish I had. so
that l could be able to show these
schemers up III their true light. 1t is
laughable to observe their egotism in
thinking that Colby. or Bates, or Old
Bowdoin would be jealous of that il
legitimate unblushing pauDer.
New. Mr.. Speaker. I hope to be par
doned for my effrontcry in speaking
on this subject in this pointed and il
Iitarate manner, as the best part OF my
life was spent on the ocean. a bluff
sailor. So-called. among men who We're
honest. outspoken and had the courage
Of their convictions. We have been
creating new offices each wear to pro-