Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-06-03
REPUBLICAN CLUB
HEARS MILL|kEN
ON STATE ISSUES

The small Republican quarters show
ed Friday evening that they were not
large enough for their seating capacity
was taxed beyond the limit when Hon.
Carl (. Mlliken. candidate for the
nomination of Governor spoke Mr. Mil
liken was, like the other candidates who
had previously spoken, we'll received
and listened 10 with much interest
The meeting was called to order by
Chairman f. W Ellis of the Republi-
can city committee, who presented Or.
w. Q. Cobb as the presiding officer DR.
Cobb after a few brief words introduced
Senator NJ. F Bartlett Of Waterville.
who told briefly Of the interest in the
coming election among the Republican
or his home city. He was followed by
charles II. Harrington of Waterville. a
candidate for sheriff OF ;',:9 COS ~ iii ,
remarks were also brief Carroll n
Perkins. also OF Waterville Mr. Per-
klns spoke briefly of conditions in Wa
terville and of his interest in the can
didacy Of Mr.. Harrington. saving that
II meant much TO the city Of Water
VILE and the county, should he be elect
ed Local conditions are close there
Republicans carry the city in the com
Ing election.
Hon. Carl (. Milliken was next intro
dtced and was received with hearty
applause and given the same at the
close of his interestin and instruc
tive address. He spoke in part as fol:
lows:
Imagine man boarding his money
in the bank and allowing his children
TO go hungry and ragged. and then
Dragging about his big bank balance
as an indication Of great business abiI-
it! on his part. Yet something precise
~ analogous to that has been done by
tie present State administration.
Appropriations totaling over 500 600
made by the Legislature Of 1915 for
mccoy institutions have remained unex-
pehded by direction of the Governor and
council for no reason that can be dis
covered except the desire of the admin
lstratlon to point with pride TO big
bank balance as an evidence of bu>i
ness ability in the management of the
AFFAIRS of the State
one instance is the appropriation FOR
partial renovation Of the State Prison
at Thomaston. There was much dis.
cussIon in the Legislature as 10 tho
pest course to follow. whether to star,
ne construction Of an entirely new pris
on IN accordance with Tie recomuerda
ton of Warden Ham in his report. or
u appropriate smaller sum for reno
Ndioh or the existing prison. No diff
terence or opinion existed as TO the mr.
gent need OF Immediate action Of some
sort TO relieve the unsanitary condi
lions III the present archaic structure
The Legislature decided 10 attemnr 70
renovate the existing prison and appro-
!rlated $4,000 for the purpose. In
stead OF setting about this task AT once
the administration insisted upon years
delay.
Another example is the appropria :
! 'loh Tor relieving TO some extent the
.EercroWded condition at the Augusta
state hospital for the Insane. by re-
modelling some of the buildings Here
again the need was admittedly urgent.
| ne appropriation was made contin-
gent upon the approval of the Cover
nor and Council, following a precedent
established by the Legislature of 1918
IN similar case. The present admin
lstrauon has taken advantage of this
provision in the appropriation TO DELAY
beginning Hpon the project until this
summer and now the rejection Of all
bids makes the completion of the lob
this year extremely unlikely. All this
in spite of the fact that all familiar
With conditions at the hospital agree
that the institution is so overcrowded
as to hinder seriously the proper care
of the unfortunates entrusted to the
hospital for treatment.
There was plenty of money avail
able for these appropria tons. money
taken from the people of Maine by
taxation. and designated by the Leg
islature for these purposes. Helpless
wards of the state Lave suffered from
delay. No other rea sonable motive for
the delay has been discovered except
the desire of the administration to
brag about a large cash balance.
And not only has the delay caused
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