Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-08-17

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of returns of any State in the Lnior
from its agricultural courses.
Governor Baxter said that in his
opinion money spent on schools was
the best investment that the people
| of the State. could make and that
he proposed to encourage the schoo
| authorities in every way and 10 bring
! home to the people the need of giving
| the rising generation every oppor-
| tunity TO get an education.
Public Health and Welfare Work
In discussing the so-called Welfare
| Work which the State has done, the
| Governor explained how this work
| during the last six years and stated
! that Maine had progressed with much
! greater rapidity along these lines
| than many of its sister states. He
! felt that the people of the State
would be interested to have the COM
parative figures showing how this
work had grown. The State Depart
ment OF Health in 1916, the year be-
| fore the war. spent s17,TS5 whereas
| during the past year 1t spent $77,3't
| an increase of 353 per cent. Great
! strides have been taken in health
work throughout the State during
| the period in question and the work
of the Department appeals to al
! public spirited citizens. The work
done at the two insane hospitals and
| home for the feeble minded, at the
| States Prison. School for Deaf, State
| Orphan Asylum, three tuberculal
! sanatoriums. two State reformatories
| and two State schools, cost the State
| in 1915, S944,167, whereas in 1922
| 1.954,4l were spent. or an increase
! of 81 ,0l0. 2l9, more than 100 per cent
| During that period the institution al
| Pownal has been greatly enlarged
| the work done at the tuberculosis
sanatoriums has been extended SC
| that the State now has three com
| plele and well conducted institutions
| The reformatory for men and the one
/ for women have been built up during
! this period. In other words to carry
| on these institutions. and to take care
| Of the ever increasing requirements
| has cost the State in 1922 more than
! it did in 1916. The work done by
! these institutions is of great impOl :
| lance and must be enlarged rather
| than curtailed in order to meet pres
ent day requirements.
Bonded Debt
| Governor Baxter explained that the
| total bonded debt Of the State at the
present time Was sl2 ,52l 500 Of which
! War Bonds and Soldiers Bonus,
| ST. so, 900 for the State Pier at Port :
| land, $2lS,300 for the University of
| Maine and the balance for the Az
gusta State Hospital. The Governor
! said he felt that the State should
! proceed slowly in issuing additional
! bonds, for the policy of paying as YOU
| so seemed to him to be the wise one.
J The State should be as careful about
! issuing bonds as it is about leyying
! taxes, for future generations will
! have their own burdens to carry.
| The Governor said he thought that
| the people of the State would he
| interested to know how the work
/ of the departments had grown during
| the past six wears that had To dc
: with the Natural Resources of the
State
The Forestry Department
| In 1916 spent S63,i72, whereas in
| 1922 it spent slS6,428 During the
! latter year the State had more forest
| fyp= 70 Of
! being recorded, hut due to the eff
! cient work of the department there
was a loss of but IS, 900 acres oi
| cumberland. In 1903 the State sur
| f"red from $40 forest fires and more
! tlan 1863. 900 acres were burned over
J These figures demonstrate what cor
\ rect forestry methods VIII do and
/ show that the work the department
| has rendered has been efficient and
| the economic gain to the State EH
| reason of proper forest fire service
/ hardly can be overestimated.
The Fish and Game Department
! In 1916 spent $9O,26l and in 1922
| $lI1.590. The work of the depart
| ment has expanded from $500 llcen-
! ses in 1916 to $4,000 during the past
j year. while its receipts have grown
from S41.63O in 1916 to sl21,2 O3 in
1892
! The Sea and Shore Fisheries
Which constitute one of the great
resources of the State expended in
1915 s42 56S and in 1922 $s4,846
These three departments have I'M
limited possibilities for growth. Our
| forests constitute one of our great
| natural resources, our fish and game
} draw thousands of sportsmen and
{ summer visitors to the State. while
! our sea and shore fisheries furnish a
! considerable portion of our food sup
! ply. The Governor expressed himself
as deeply interested in these depart
! mentS and hoped to see them extend
! their activities. for he felt that they
) produced a very direct revenue to
all tho citizens Of the State
Politicians
The Governor said that those who
. lake an Interest N public affairs are
often times termed Politicians and
i that this word in the past has inn
> pied self seeking and corruption.
Tile Governor said that politics ac-
cording to his understanding meant
; pubic affairs, ana that every good
citizen should become a politician III
!@e broad sense of the word He
thought that The people of the State
I'D not appreciate the unselhsh work
lone by the members of the various
Organizations of the party, and said
that he did not object to being called
q "poIitician" in the RIGHT sense of LIE