Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-04-03

years ago found this building, which
this resolve was to build was needed
then. / think it was the unanimous
feeling of the legislative committee two
years ago that such a building was
essential. actually needed. The finances
being in such condition at that time.
or in other words. there being so many
demands that seemingly were adhead
Of this demand. that We hesitated to
introduce the resolve. This committee
was appointed to look into the matter
during the recess. And ! think the
committee have worked earnestly and
diligently and looked over the whole
situation there, from A to z.
1t was the unanimous report OF this
special committee that such build
ing should be erected there.
Now, gentlemen. ] am not going to
make a talk here in favor Of this
measure against the Governor, but Z
wish to say few things, and I want
to so on record on my position in the
matter l wonder how many of US
are really aware that this institution
was started for. About 1875, at the
time the institution was taken over
as a state institution and recognized
by the state, find that in the dedica-
tory address, Governor Perham deliv-
cred it, and l will quote from this ad-
dress two or three things that the Gov
ernor said in regard to this institu-
| ton, to show you what the intention
was at its inception. 1t Is not
place of punishent to which the IN
ates are sent as criminals by cr1m--
nal process, but a home for the friend
! less, neglected and vagrant children
| of the state, where under genial influ-
ences. kind treatment and physical and
moral training. they may be won back
10 virtue and respect and fitted for
! the peaceful and honorable self-sup-
bort and lives Of usefulness. TheE
come to a home Of parental love, real
love: they find no longer hearts Oh
stone but hearts of flesh. Here they
| find a home and kind hearts and hands
| to teach them the better way to the
road to usefulness and happiness.
Those are some of the remarks By
the ex-governor in his address at the
! time this was instituted ana l Won
| der how many of us are aware that
| that institution was established lor
! such purposes. I wonder how many
| of US are aware, that IN ORDER that
| the State of Maine should be what IT
ought to be. that we must begin on
the ground floor. And by the way, from
some of the actions here this winter.
we are not aware of that. some Oh
us want to begin on the upper floor'
| 1t is like building the upper story OF
a building first, and then building
! down.
It is nv belief, if we want to raise
| the moral standard in the State OF
Maine, which there is CRYING neeo
for today, we should begin at the nu-
cleus. with the child. And 1t is my
| wish that the institution should DC
| not only twice as large as IL is, but
! thrice as large Had this been today
| an institution twice or three tunes as
! large you would not have the neeo
for the extra wings for this institution
| across the river. and the extra build
ings down at Pownal. Why? Science
teaches US that in order to be right We
must begin right. Every one or us
senators have a mother, or have had;
every mother sometime was a Child
Fortunately for US our mothers had
| homes, respectable, and surrounded
by comfort ana happiness, or W.
should have not have been here. If we
had a place where all Of our children
TODAY in the State Of Maine who have
not respectable homes, who have not
| mothers or the mothers attention that
they need, or who have not the IA
Tiers influence that they need. II We
had a home for those children at Hal
lowell how much better it would be
for the State Of Maine.
There are those children brought il
there, pretty small and young, but
there are physical ailments. and from
our investigation we have found those
physical ailments begin very youns
in our State. 1t is just as true in other
states.
Now in order that those girls may
become the right kind of women thai
they should, the first necessary treat
ment is physical. When we get oul
new building, which We should have
down there. we can have that.
Science teaches us that the physica
must come first. The mental and NOR
al will naturally follow Now then
when we have a place where we car
gather all these girls that are unfor-
! tunate and have come from conditions
which l have spoken of, and where
they can be properly cared for by the
State under such influences as Gov
I ernor Periam mentioned when he
gave the dedicatory address. then
gentlemen, we will have girls thai
come up clean, honest, virtuous. re-
spectacle. Those girls will make oul
young men good wives, they will make
good mothers; they will make a bet
ter future generation in Maine thar
we have today. Then is when your
hospital wards can be reduced, youl
State prison can be reduced, because
morality will enter into it.
l am surprised when His EXcellency
says "the least urgent although these
things never should surprise us. Wher
We consider that an institution that is
as important as this one is, and the
enlargement of it is as necessary as
this is, and it is called 'the least ur-
gent l want to say, in Gods name
what is urgent in the State of Maine.
We pass appropriations for roads
which is very well, and for our insti-
tutions here. See how generous we
have been all over the State Of Maine
with these academies and smaller in.