Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-04

! Of those poor unfortunates sleeping in
the corridors of that institution, and
find litfle rooms, about 10 by 10 with
four inmates sleeping in them, and
when you put your face into that ROOM
Won gasp for breath. then you make vi
your mind that the cattle of the farm
crs are better treated than those un-
fortunate people There are rooms with
lust room enough for three cots, and
the doors are closed at night, and
there are rooms with just space enough
for six cots and those rooms Are oc-
egpied by those unfortunates and the
Doors are closed at night. and when
you put Your head into that ROOM
you can imagine what it is.
| wish every member of the Sem
ate could have been with me as we
tramped through those corridors in
the night and my heart was bleeding
with pity for those people. for new
err knew before what that institution
was And / made up my mind that II
an opportunity came / would open my
mouth in this body. and if there is 4
dollar To spare in the State treasury
| believe that it is our duty to expend
it to help them. There are those there
who are not there of their own choice
They are not there for any crime
which they have committed against
the laws of the State of Maine. Ana
if we maintain that institution tor
them. we owe il duty to maintain 4
as we'll over there as they would hava
lived at home, at least in comfort ana
in cleanliness and in health.
te- Gf
ference between the front door ann
the back door of that institution, as
great a. difference as there is between
the front door and the back door OF
the great hotels which we enter.
am forcibly reminded of a boyhood ex-
perience that | had. when as youhs
Boy. ten or eleven years OF age, / en-
tered the. office of one OF the great
hotels of New England with an uncle
and while he was attending to busl-
moss. his friend, the steward of that
hotel, said to me. Wouldn't YOU liks
Ia go through it, boy. and see it, ant
[ said yes.
He took me by the hand and led
NE through. and finally we came 10
the kitchen and the back rooms, ana
T suppose. with boyhoods innocence,
l apened my eyes in horror anu Sasped
at the smell. and he said I Will tell
von there = great difference be-
tween the front door and the back
door of these institutions. And IL i
n good deal the same over there we
90 into that palatially furnished III
stftution. we go in and see the quar-
t.rad. oak and the nice tables, we 60
in and see the nice upholstered fuf-
,ttnre that the officials and the trus-
toes recline in when they go there.
we go in and see the hreplaces am
the nice chandeliers, and We say nov
we'll the State of Maine takes care
of its tinfortunates.
Put little by little we traverse those
long corridors and the rear door
nuenea. and the moment YOU enter .te
door of the old part OF that ihslitu-
ton YOU gasp for breath Tor the not
wave and. the stencil that sreets YOU.
Now Mr.. President, it seems 10 me
il is II duty of the State of Maine 10
look into that institution, and let
Tint highland that was before
tnaw that any bill of this kind was
~
for consideratione@i felt that the SUI
perintendent of tha Constitution haa
not done his duty that II ne nav
done his duty, if lie had come 10 inc
legislature and explained the eohet-
TONS there. if he had taken the com
n,ittee on insane asyluns over ehefe
o. tho night and told them what he
o,.bt 10 and invited other MEMBER
there and had the welfare OF the o'
Terminates that are unaer nun
boart he could have gotten an appso-
nriotion through which those peopss
deserve TO have.
And another thing, and an uhlostu"s
part of it,. it seems TO me- d. 10 80,
who are able 10 pay Tor thetr oo"'
lodging over there are given 'ie
nicc new, sanitary rooms anu
INT those unfortunates VINO are ."eie
objects. of charity are heraea
~ cattle. Nobody knows where .iies
~, Nobodv cares what becomes u
tt,..n, And they are turned loose III .hs
co,r;aors by day and hived IN their "ene
hV night. and those who canho, oe pa
-, i'm the little Gens are sleeping upon
the floors of the wards.
pa,t when you go through by oas' :"
fo,lowed the night visit by DAY Nisie
.,-s,vtbin. is nice and lovely. the sun
s1ines in. everything is bright ana
,+oo,.v so far as the building Is concern
cd and there is vast difference De
tween daylight and darkness as you .
through, A. prs.
This bill. it seems to me- Mf.
;d,ant. has developed, as | SAID peiore
into a personal contest, and as one mem
her of this Senate | dislike TO record my
vote for or against either party. ana
move that the matter lay upon the taoi'
for. further consideration.
Mr.. BOYNTON: Mr.. President, inc
onestion under discussion here Is Wheth
er or not the State of Maine VIII at
te,npt 10 better the business conditions
of our institutions in the state Inc
quarrel between individuals. he cohiu'
sion OF things has not materially 10 q.
with the states trying to better It's n
nancial condition.
Now the esteemed senator from YORK
senator Cole has pointed out condition
of affairs that exists at lie Eosplta
across the river Now whose fault is IL
Ever since | have been coming here &c
this LEGISLATURE. the authorities OF tna'