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

| iature and the people Of Maine. The
! discussion that has ensued has as
! sumed State wide proportions. This
is well, for a vital principle needs to
| be discussed in every home and shon
! so that the truth that underiies it,
| if truth there be, may be brought to
light.
| Opposition has been arounsed. mis-
! information has been spread abroad
and prejudices have been appealed
| to. The more the grain is beaten the
sooner will the chaff be threshed out
and blown away. There is no issue
| before our people of greater import
| ance than this. Economy, water
powers. roads and all other questions
! will take subordinate positions once
| the State Aid issue is thoroughly
! understood.
Economy Is not The Issue
| The money expenditure incurred by
granting State Aid to private institu-
tons is entirely distinct ad apart
from the great principle that is at
| stake. In fact the financial side of
! tiIlS luSSlioH Is really Oh SO niue
moment that it is not worth consider
ing in this connection. 1t is immater-
ial that a considerable saving would
be made by abolishing State Aid, and
my program of economy is in no way
| involved in the present discussion
! Principle is not measured by dollars
and cents.
An institution or charity either
should be public or private: il never
! should attempt to be both at one and
the same time. The individual may
J give to whomsoever or whatsoever he
! VIII; he may contribute to the adj
vancemcnt of any particular political
! religious, medical or educational
| object or school. The State, however
| using the money taken from all the
people should spend that money only
| Tor what are understood to be public
, purposes. and should do this only
! through these channels that ire und er
! the direct control Of State author
| tiles.
Names State Institutions
! IN Maine the State supports two
! Insane Hospitals. Feeble Minded
/ Home. three Sanitoriums for the
Tubercular. a Prison, a Eeformatory
. for Men and one for Women, a Cor
! rectional School for Boys and one for
( Girls. and Soldiers and Sailors
! Orphan Home. The State also helps
/ Needy Mothers and provides for De-
I pendent and Neglected Children. All
| TINS is done by public money and the
/ work is administered by public Of
4 flclals. Race, politics, religion and
! social status are not considered in
/ the care of the States wards.
/ Principle Not Dollars
1t very properly can be advanced
that the several State institutions
+ above mentioned can use and really
need more money than the state is
| able to furnish them. and that new
construction is required at most of
| them if the State is to take proper
/ care of its dependents and detectives
| Apart from all these arguments
! place this question upon higher
ground. If We We're able to provide
for all the needs Of our State institu-
/ tons and even if we had a large sur
! plus of money that could he diverted
! 10 other purposes, the principle of
/ no state Aid to private institutions
/ would be just as important and Just
as binding upon us as it is today. If
! all our State institutions were COM
! pletely equipped and were upon a
! comfortable financial basis. l still
! should advocate the adoption of a
! constitutional amendment prohibiting
the giving of the peoples money to
! private undertakings.
| 1t may be advanced that certain
| private institutions can do some cdu-
cational and relief work more eco
| nomically than such work can be
done in our State institutions. AS
! nave stated, this is not a question of
/ dollars and cents but one of prin-
! clple, and it is immaterial whether
! Such work costs more or less in pri-
Nate institutions than in these of the
| State. The people of Maine will not
sacrifice deep-rooted principle even
| if by doing so they can make a saw
ing in their taxes.
! Federal Aid and State Aid
| The granting of Federal Aid to states
! IN some ways is similar to the grant
ing of State Aid to private institutions.
! There exists 4 difference of opinion as
to the wisdom of Federal Aid but the
| i'll effects, if any. resulting from it are
! less harmful than those that flow from
state Aid. The Federal Government
never would consider appropriatinc
public purposes. and it gives it's money
to the several states to be used by
! them for such purposes. State Aid
however. selects certain private insti-
| tutionS as the States bcneficiarics
passing by others equally entitled to
assistance from the public treasury,
| put whose managers prefer to do with
out 1t rather than sacrifice their inde-
pcndence and perpctuate practice that
is bound to lead to disastrous results.
Our Public Schools
| state Aid. which is public money.
J mas been and now is granted to certain
| private educational institutions which
40 eAcelient work, but in my opinion
public money spent for educational
purposes should be used only to support
our public schools. / am firm be-
never IN our public school system,
Whlch from the carly days of this Re-
| DuoIc mas been recognized as one of
the corner stones of our liberties. I
oeheVe the people of Maine stand
squarely behind this system and once
| ms issue is placed before them, in my
op'nioh' they will decree that no pub
! nc money shall be given to any schools
mat are not exclusively under the
management OF State and municipal |.
| public, authorities. The children of
| me Wcli-to-do and the poor, Of the ma
| i've porn and the foreigner meet in
'ne puolc schools, exchange views and
soon learn that in this country all are
equai before the law. and that all
Shouid he given equal opportunities for
ueNciopinent. The days of class dis
.inEtlons or religious prcjudices never
! 1<~s.~