Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-01-16


as last year, as is the same amount
for the live stock sanitary commas
sioner's department.
The Needy Blind
Tie most interesting of the items
touched on by Mr.. Leadbetter was
the appropriation asked Of $6O.00O
for the support of the needy blind
resident OF Maine. an increase OF
$50, 900 from each Of the last, two
years.
He said that 4 years ago. when the
law was passed, the Legislators
thought that perhaps 100 cases might
be found in the State, but that 639
applications were received last
year, of which about 600 were worthy
cases. The applications were tnves-
tigated and the most needy sorted
out and aided. The balance are on
the waiting list. Some receive $S,
some s12 and some SIS, none over
the latter amount. There are now
on file about 700 applications. The
State has on the allowed list 324
cases, taking at the last payment in
December, $4,000.
T. rom 81 10 lUC ol lhS oPPAANohSS
are on the pauper lists. They were
not assisted, as it has been the pcl-
icy to let them remain on the paupar
list and thus be supported, instead
of taking them off and allowing
others to go on that list.
Mr.. Leadbetter exhibited some 81
tie applications, showing the great
bulk and the percentage. about onc-
half, of those granted. He stared
that the original application papers
did not give all the necessary in
formation concerning the cases I'D
this necesstated large amount cf
investigation and search.
He mentioned the fact that the
death rate among the applicants Is
from 10 to Il per cent, showing their
poor physical condition and need of
assistance in some form. He thought
the normal death rate was l or per
cent. The State has one or two ap-
plicants of over 100 years of age.
with a number over 50 years anu
some over 80 years.
Live Stock Sanitary Commission
Poyden Bearce. live stock sanitary
commissioner, explained to the commit
tee the importance of the work done
l., his department. He called atten-
ton to the fact that it was well ss-
tai lished that one of the greatest
sources of tubercular infection in the
human family was the use Of milk from
tubercular cows. By eradicating the
disease among cattle the State was
working to eliminate suffering among.
the people and, incidentally. reduce the
number of such patients which .nuSt
be cared for in the sanitoriums o
Maine
At the present time, he stated, Maine
was being assisted by the federal gcv-
eminent in the work Of testing and in
vestigating infection among cattle. II
1917 without this aid. the State tested
5000 cattle. while with the aid n lalS
but 1900 were tested.
In explanation Of this decrease in the
number lested Mr.. Bearce said that
the Turner Center Creamery. which
formerly paid a cent a pound more co1
butter fats from tubercular free herds
than from others. had discontinued
this preferential rate; other creamer-
ies-the few who had one it-had fol-
lowed the example. AS result there
had been much less demand for the
tests by farmers. He said that il he
could have his way every COW in the
State would be tested after it was four
months old. He believed in the test ami
the results attained.
He had no suggestion to make with
ho coipr-
but felt that an increase must be made
ir pay of the clerical help. He felt that
50 week was small for the stenog7ar1-
er there. This is the present rate.
State Pensions
Gen. John Harper told the commit
that there were now 2s55 State pension
err and that they received an aver."a
o: less than $50 per year from Ma'n".
~he average amount allowed was about
sec per month. a few received s. AMI
the maximum was S. The appropr;a-
ton asked was 500. the same as ir
the past two years. From this am o'Iit
there had to be deducted about $l5.6G9
annually for what were known as mil
tary pensions: that is, pensions grant
ed by special act Of the Legislature.
About 20 Of these were granted in is17
after the appropriation had been fixed
OF this list of pensioners about 100 rc-
c.ived s. and So a month. If all tsen-
sioners were paid the maximum o. S.
month it would cost s4oo coo a yeae.
+, lie said that while the pensioners
were finding no fault, he. personally.
felt that they should all be increased.
ho ;ror tn,
1900 cases
State Board Of Charity and correc.
tions
Secretary ]. r. Bagley OF the state
Eoard of Charities and Corrections told
the committee of the needs of tina. Ill
VISION of State work. It would require
~ the very least cait ulation s12,o0l to
60 the work of the beard. This est
mate was based on the fact that in 1918
it cost $4,000 and then they were u:i-
able to do all that they should: there
was not the amount of personal irspec-
zion which should have been made. They
fel. that salaries should be increased.
l. seemed to the board that the secre-
tary should receive at least 5000 and
that there should be an additional field
agent at a salary of 1920 a year, while
the pay of the clerical force ought to
be advanced to meet changed toadi-
lions.
The administration Of the mothers a'd
was placed in the boards charge with
out any increase of appropriation. Adj
n'nistration Of this work cost about
$3.50 last year. In these cases person.