Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-03-07
Editors Letter Box
ATTORNEY GENERAL
EXPLAINS BLIND LAW

MdIhe Law Department, Augusta.
| March 4th, 1916.
Editor Kennebec Journal,
Augusta, Maine.
Dear Sir
| In your issue of March 4th under
the heading An Error Corrected" ap-
peared letter from Willis B. Hall in
regard TO the law passed las, winter
entitled: An Ac, for the Relief of the
Needy Blind Residents of Maine. :"
There are some things in connection
with this matter which need a fair ex-
PLANTATION.
In the first place l notice that Mr.
Hall makes this statement: The Gov
ernor had the bill it, conference with
his Attorney General and with the
special bill reader. and after that he
signed it do not know TO whom Mr..
Hall refers in speaking of the special
bill reader" If there was one work.
ing in connection with the last legis-
lature did not know it. And am in
clined TO think that an investigation
Of the acts and resolves for 1915
would lead the reader to seriously
question the proposition. So far as
am concerned, DO Tot recall that the
Governor ever consulted with me con-
corning this bill. l knew. as did ali
fairly we'll informed citizens Of Maine.
that the legislature had passed some
s1rt Of a law providing pensions TO be
paid under certain conditions 10 blind
citizens but did not become familiar
with the details of the Act until the
Council Committee recently consulted
me concerning it.
The Act provides that all persons
over the age of tWenty-One who are
declared to be blind IS set forth in
the Act and who come within the pro-
visions OF the Act shall. at the discre-
ton Of the Governor and Council, re-
ceive two hundred dollars per annnum
from the State Treasurer. 1t elimi-
mates from the consideration OF the
Governor and Council all blind per-
sons who are charges of any charita Bile
or penal institution Of the State. coun-
" or city. or persons having an in
come of more than three hundred doll
lars per annum. or able to earn the
same. or persons who have not resided
HlLl!tn t1!c SD lC III -hdIIc NCltiLO-
ously for ten years and in the counties
in which they now live for one year
Excepting for these limitations all
blind adults are entitled to two hum
dred dollars per year.
Under this Act six hundred and
thirty eight citizens have applied for
aid and not nearly all of the towns
have yet reported to the Governor and
Council So that it is entirely reason
able TO suppose that by the first of
June seven hundred applications vii!
be on file. Many { these will not
come within the scope Of the Act.
The Council Committee has been for
months carefully Investigating the
various cases and frally reached the
conclusion that something over two
hundred Of the applicants were en-
titled TO state aid anG that there were
nearly that number in addition agains-
whom il was very difficult indeed TO
make a decision. In other words, that
a reasonable construction Of the law
would entitle about four hundred blind
people to State id.-It was then
noted that while under the Act aid ex-
tended TO four lundred pensioners
would involve an expenditure Of $50
900 per annum the legislature had ap-
propriated for the Years 1915 and 1915
only 100000: thus limiting the number
whom the State could aid without
overdra wing the appropriation 70 one
hundred per year To be sure. the APP
preparation for 1915 was not expended
and was carried over into this year. so
that BY exhausting both appropriations
during the current year two hundred
applicants could ha cared for. But
thar would involve setting precedent
which would call for an expenditure Of
$40 900 per year during the years l9l.
ami 1915, provided mat the number Of
pensioners remained as at the begin
ming.
1t appeared that there We're q number
of cases where d smaller sum than TWO
hundred dollars per year. added to
what the blind persons could earn or
what income sucn persons received,
would provide for tleir wants. But
the law is so written that the Cover
nor and Council must pay each pen
sioner two hundred dollars per year or
exclude him entirely from the bounty
Of the State This seems to be a pa
tent defect in the law and one easily
remedied
1t was suggested al the last council
meeting that if the legislature met in
special session in May it might be wise
to amend the law so as to make the
amount paid to each pensioner dis
cretionary with the Governor and
Council according to the pensioners
need, but not to exceed in any given
case two hundred dollars per annum
I do not see how there can be anything
in this suggestion which would move
the author Of the law to Indignation
It was also suggested that the law
might be so amended that it should
only apply to people who had resided
within the State Of Maine continu-
ously for ten consecutive years at the
time OF the passage Of the Act. or
should become blind while residents of
Maine. There is nothing. l think, in
this suggestion to cause controversy.
The Governor and Council are seek
ing to administer this law fairly and in
the spirit Of the legislature which
pasesd it. The Council Committee in
,boroo ~ +ba unrl, have devoted a