Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-08
GOVERNORS MESSAGE

covsmor Percival =. Baxter adj
,,s,,sd the s1st Legislature in joint
invention Wednesday morning on
a. ouestion of State aid to private
..,,n,ons and declared that if the
I.,hers will lay the foundations
~ shoshing State aid, that Will
institute its greatest achievement
. ."d the S1st Legislature always will
- remembered in the history of this
st,ts as a Legislature that acted
.suragecusly and built wisely.
.The money expenditure incurred
~ granting State aid to private in
't;tutions is entirely distinct and
mart from the great principle that
/, At stake the Governor asserted.
IN fact, the financial side of this
question is really of so little moment,
,ha. it is not worth considering III
,bis connection. 1t is imnaterial that
considerable saving would be made
by aboslling State aid. and my pro-
gram of economy is in no way in
ulyed in the present discussion.
Principle is not measured by dollars
and cents
He stated that if We were able
&c provide for all the needs of our
State Institutions and even if we
had large surplus of money that
could be diverted to other purposes,
The principle of no State aid TO pri-
vate Institutions would be Just as
important and just as binding upon
US as it is today. Further, that ii all
cur State institutions were complete
" equipped and on a comfortable
financial basis. he should still ad-
yoCate the adoption of a constitutional
amendment prohibiting the giving of
the peoples money to private enter
prises.
Referring to the University of
Maine, the Governor said: NO one
wants to close this excellent school
and it would be obliged to close did
1t not receive State" aid. The Uni
versty should be either public or
private. Some argue it is one thing
some the other; it cannot be BOTH
The solution of the University of
Maine problem. he declared to be,
either first, to make this a STATE in
slltution outright: or second, make
ha private institution giving it State
aa lor ten years, or more it need be,
50 that it will be self sustaining at
Inc end of the period, with the State
controlling its board of trustees while
u receives State aid; or third, make
"a private institution and insert a
cause excepting the University from
Inc constitutional amendment, with
lne further provision that the school
shall be exclusively under the con-
aol OF the trustees appointed by the
State.
me Governor carefully reviewed
.ne various institutions which might
ue called part public and part pri-
.a'e and offered suggestions as to
NAat IN his judgment is the better
problems.
~ ihe complete text of the Cover
. .v, address will be found in the
osl.osraphlc report of the days pro-
o o,su OF the Legislature on an
S'uer page in today's JournalD
p''' 'nexped'ent OIL Bill to In
NJ crease Justices Salaries
nm Inc committee on salaries and fees
.dvo.s suay IN the Senate reported
ssl ,.iseiy on the bill to increase the
n rr.a.ieS or the justices of the SUI
ny. Saie court. The bill increased the
mo '. a justice from $4,000 to ST.
m p,t year. The report of the COM
was Legislation incXpedient."
nv committee Reports in House
Cd in 1olnmlttee on Judiciary report
nm a. Tue House ought not to PASS
bald I, IT,, act providing that a fee be
amendn,ne'er notice is filed of the
tion eaument of purposes of a CORPORA :
ON ~. ought to pass in a new draft
in, ~,,. act giving the Gardiner Driy-
Ice . n.ue authority to establish an
'ousb bt.eaway on the Kennebec river:
deaJinsr ~ pass on the Nichols act
dafts wit WIN issuance of checks and
the h9n Mliere there are no funds in
relatina ought to pass" on the act
The cer, 70 the granting of licenses
reportea' iiliittee on salaries and fees
incr rs,sa ought to pass" on the act
granhaa ng the salary Of the steno-
Spn snsr Tor the Penobscot County
tced hv was given an order introd-
porlaps representative Rounds OF
establisSS.tI' mat a special committee be
land d s1os, consisting of tie Port