Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-05

may choose his, RR ell,,ics or religion
| Few citizens realize the extent OF
the States Welf fars, Wor ;nded 1 the aiS
to mothers with dependent chi!dren'
the protection Of neglected children.
! the supervision Of charitable 1nstitu-
lions, jails and almshouses were mat
ters Of no, or of purely local. concern.
Today the State has entered these
fields. On December 1st there were
535 persons in the Powhal Feeble
| sane hospitals. 104 in the School dor
the Deaf. 80 in that for the Blind. 343
in the three tuberculosis Sanatoriums.
tories sd Sc, in the STATE a1a,t Schools ts
these on December 1st> there were 5l7
mothers receiving State aid. 412 de-
the care Of the State, and 900 State
paupers. The State inspects 46 pri-
vate charitable institutions that year.
ly spend $1,140.413.14, and 81 jails and
he stste taas ths dz'nS The Se
States pension roll includes 516 blind
! persons and 1928 soldiers including
their families. All this is expensive.
| the taxpayers are not likely to com
| plain. During the past. two years the
| Governor and Council have made lib
phases of this work for which the
Eightieth Legislature failed to make
sufficient appropriation. The problem
| now before you is how far should the
what is the most effective and econo-
| omical method of carrying it on.
1 recommend your studying. this de-
partment so you will famillarlZe your
self with it's many activities. the
work that is being done means much
| for the present and even more for the
next generation. The mothers who re-
| ceive State aid and the children who
are wards of the State. make a strong
appeal to the sympathy of all who
| come in contact with them. There has
| been criticism of overhead and inspec-
| ton charges. but constant supervision
| is a vital factor in the care of the
states dependents. This department
| deos not have charge of all the states
| welfare work. for certain phases OF 1t
| Department, which has an annual APP
preparation of $393.S00 that is spent
under the painstaking and efficient
| direction of the Messenger to the Gov
Natural Resources: Water Powers
During my several terms as
| member of the Legislature L have
| advocated two policies in connection
| with the water. powers of Maine:
| first, the retention within the State
| of the hydro-electric energy gcner-
ated therein; and second, the con-
| struction by the State of storage
reservoirs to control and conserve
| the flood waters at certain seasons
| and to regulate the flow of our
| rivers. My views on these two ques-
| tions remain unaltered. AS to taking
! hydro electric energy out of Maine.
| probably no one today would attempt
it, for Names policy has been estab-
! lished by law and by public senti-
ament:
T 1t is seriously urged that the time
| has arrived for Maine to allow its
| hydro electric energy to be trans
mitted to the other New England
| States. Those in favor of a change in
our policy say that great power de-
| velopments are about to be UNDER
taken IN Canada. the purpose of
which is to bring Internationally
and other New England states that
are in need of it. l am told that
! those behind this project prefer to
! come to Maine and develop some of
| our great power locations provided
| they can take the power out side the
| State where there is market for it,
and these gentlemen say that unless
| this is permitted the Canadians will
build their lines into New England
| and once this is done Names power
| will remain idle for a long time to
| come. This reasoning is based of
| course on the premise that Maine
! cannot use any considerable propor-'
| ton of it's undeveloped powers. and
| that development is impossible unless
| there is an out-of-State market.
This reasoning does not convince
| me that a change is desirable, for /
| believe the day will come when
| Maine will use and need all it's water
| power resources. and once they are
! taken from us. no matter how we
| may strive to protect the States in
! terests. there is grave doubt about
| our ever being able to recall them.
II Canadian power is brought to
New England the pressure that is
| now being eXerted upon our State to
| modify its non-transmfssion policy
/ will be relieved, and Names water
powers will be left for Maine pco-
| pie. All the water power men of
Maine are not in accord on this
ways have favored taking power out
| of the state have changed their
| views and now believe that Names
| policy is sound.
| Natural Resources: Water Storage
| Water storage is the foundation of
successful water power development.
| Private companies already have con-
! structcd extensive reservoirs which
| have proven very profitable and
which will furnish power for all
/ time. The State itself could develop
/ storage reservoirs and derive an in
! come thcrcfrom and. in my opinion.
this would be forward step and
would be building for the future.
| IL our present illllnclal COEdltIDn
| warranted our doing so. should
! advocate both water storage con-
| stttutional amendment and an act
experimenting it and conditioned up
/ on its adoption by the people. Know
ing what l do about tho States
! present should ask for an appro-
| priation or for n bond issue for
water storage. and consequently
would not advise going beyond the
Inv ee.fs Of
if adopted will make it possible for
| future Legislatures to take the next
, step forward if conditions warrant
The state has parted with most of
its natural resources. for with the
! timberlands went the water powers,
| and about all that remains is the op-
! portunity to develop storage rescr-
| vors.
Shall charters be granted to pri-
, waite companies to develop water
storage? The end to be sought is full
! utilization to Names water resources,
| for every water horse power de-
velcpcd. whether used for public or
| private purposes means that our pco-
| pie and industries thereby become
/ less dependent upon the coal supply,
| We all want development and if the
! State does not undertake it. private
| interests should be allowed to do so,
| win me states interests fully safe
| guarded. In every private storage de-
, Vclopment hereafter undertaken I
| would reserve to the State the right
to purchase it at any time for a
fair price without paying for the
franchise or storage rights granted
by the state; tho purchase price in
no event to exceed the cost of the
| development. A clause partially
! covering these restrictions already
has been placed in certain storage
| charters. and the State also could
charge water storage companies a
reasonable annual rental for the
privilege of impoundng the water