Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-09-12

prssi4od. Only invited guests and
nsvsDapsrmsn were present At the
sxere1sss.
osvsrnsr oiysn ovatie"
Governor Baxter also received .
Yisins ovation Of cheers whsn Mtse.
Aucs1. In urging the prison autnon-
ties to adopt . viewpoint q Me IL
mates and in their G0nducs oDssIss
the Golden EuIe. he said. LeI IN
Gals never forget that the pFisone'
10 a man Ike themseiyss. q. -.
4 want you men," he SAID 70 tne
....whIsd prisoners, ITO feel In your
hearts that there - = place. ~
world for you. good pisce, y ~ ~
,r,.on q NOT Society's scrap heal:
I, n ia yrepa.r shop ! want TO see
. rainbow Of promise hovevinS over
,hess waits. bringing hope into 70 y
hrarts and diving assurance 70 YOU
~ brighter days to come after the
clouds haze melted away"
",ro the people Of Maine, 10 me
r,,rdens. guards and all those VINO
b.ys in charge the lives Of these ~
human beings, say let him wno ~
Ni,hout eaat the first stone.
Pay for prisoners
Pending action BY che next Legs
Istufe. Mr. Hichbcrn announced 10
Ire erisoners, thu. the prison co j.
n,issioners were TO try the expert
ment Of putting them on wage
earning basis. il Is proposed TO pay
Zach man 20 cents day for ms
worx. advancing this to 40 Genus.
tnsn TO 80 cents ~ he proves MS
efficiency. A.
ContiouousIy in his address, Dir.
u,chborn was Stopped by the roar
If applause from the invited guests
ana Inmates alike. In plea for the
rnnadence Of the prisoners. asking
them for their loyal support ana
nisarinr his own honor TO seeing
thst they get 4 square deal" MI
it,chharn spoke 80 earnestly ana
.i.csreIy that before he could hnish
Ills plea he was answered oy Ioa'
-, Animation from the inmatsA
iii. ths hichIisht In the dedication
r.remonies. brought mistineas TO the
ewes OF many present, NOT ths 'e"''
OF thess--the Governors.
He gaid: Il realize my weakness
,u, pray God to give me wisdom
md strength and courage ana vIs ..o"
that may be worthy OF TINS selviSe.
worthy the approval OF ING k'e@'
executive who has given me tn's W.
nort,,ni,y. and worthy of the con-
adence OF the splendid men VINO arc
my associates: men whom you NAY
trust, men whom you may hono,.
men whose integrity and caPacitY
are recognised and rsspsctea w
every citizen OF this good state.
Take me ~ you have akt"
them help me to help them; heip
~ 70 help you: and taxing w ~
together give unto us your conn
fencs, swear unto us your ioy~iS'
and pledge unto us
Hre MIR. Hichbo,n was inter-
rupted in n roar OF reclamation ana
was forced to stand silent until II
had died away.
Chairman OF the day, II. H. Hast
iras. gave 4 short Introductory Yak
regarding the nre which deatroycd
the old prison. depicting the scene
the night Of the hie. and passed on
10 the smount of materials which
entered into the construction OK tne
new prison. ~
]. Francis MacNichol OF Augusta
led the audience IN singing several
hymns. Opening prayer ana ciosins
tenediction was expressed by rev.
T.. J.. clifford. the prison chaplain.
Addrsss Of Gov. Psreival p. Baxter
When the news came over the teie-
phone that the old state Prison was
en- Are, and later that 1t had been
completely destroyed I thought that
the state Of Maine had been visited
by a dire calamity. For q moment
could not see that the disaster was
a blessing in disguise. when how
ever came here the next day and
saw the smoking ruins l realized that
Providence had taken mattsrs into
It's own hand and had dccrsed that
the old buildings were urht for hui
man habitation. Immediately the
Prison Commissioners and myself
set to work to build a prison that
would he both a credit to the state.
n nd n decent place In which human
beings could live and work.
We are hero to dedicate these
buildings TO the cause Of the brother
hood OF man. So long az men err.
so long will It be necessary Tor the
Sovereign state to maintain an In
-titution such as this. Its purpose
however IL not to revenge or 10 pun
ish. Il Is to help: not to break, put
to make men. The old Mosaic law
Of an eye for an eye and tooth Tor
n tooth long since has been discarded
Ivy right thinking persons. Today
the State says to you men, you have
hccn convicted Of wrong doing but
II hereafter you will do your part.
81. al do
help you out Of the evil times III
which you have fallep.
Old Prison A Disgrace
1t IL strange that In all OF the
centuries OF what we call the Chris
tian Era our eyes and our Under
standing have been opened 30 slowly
and unwillingly. The prisons Of the
past. and Names was no exception.
were shocking places. No greater
blot can be found in the record OF
mans relation to man, than In the
histories os the grim fortresses In
which both innocent and guilty men
have been confined. Ii the walls of the
institution that once stood upon this
spot could speak, they would tell a
tale that the people OF Maine would
be loath to believe.
Gradually prison conditions In this
country are changing for the better
and certainly new day has dawned
FOR the prisoners Of the state OF
Maine; n day of promise and OF hope.
The people Of Maine. acting and
speaking through their Executive
officers. have determined that the
mistakes and indifferences OF the
PAST shall be no more.
The Commissioners
The Comm xsicNerS of this Prison
arc men Of ideals, yet at the same
time they are cpiinentiy practical.
They appreciate that this institution
presents many troublesome problems,
but they propose to meet and over
come them. The service these men
render to the state 10 sntirely un.
selfish and their motives are lofty.