Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1874-01-23
around the unfortunate who NAV he

brought within their control, the
more they will guard themselves
from the appearance of an abuse of
power. One of the officers, whose
report is printed with that Of the
board of trustees of the Mt. Pleas
ant hospital, attacks the law with
great force, and in my judgment
speaks Of the general assembly
which passed it with unseemly tenn
per; especially in view of his Off
cial relations at that time to the
state and its people. Without en-
tering into any argument upon the
questions which he discusses, there
is one thing Said in the report
which demads single word. In
my judgment, whenever the law
making power of state deems it
wise or proper to increase or
strengthen the safeguards by which
any of it's unfortunate citizens may
be protected from anything that ap-
proaches, in the remotest degree, an
abuse of the power under which
they are temporarily placed; or if,
in the wisdom of the Legislature,
new checks and safeguards are
thrown around the administration
OF the finances of the state; no Off
Ger or agent of the state, from the
highest to the lowest, has right to
assume that there was implied in
this legislative discretion a person.
al reflection upon himself. l am
gratified that this committee were
able, after searching Investigations,
to report that they found the affairs
of our hospitals administered with
SO much faithfulness, fidelity and
professional skill. By this report
they have added to the professional
reputation even Of the official who
in his report treats them so cava-
lierly. But tae fact that the SUPER
intendents and employees of onr
hospitals are above reproach does
not prove that among all those who
have to do with the insane in the
different hospitals of this country
there may not be now and then one
who would, ii left unmatched, abuse
his power. This was shown in the
gross abuses Of the Bloomingdale
Hospital in New York, which were
brought to light by the tact and en-
terprise of a newspaper correspon-
dent. That the evils which were
anticipated as an effect of this law
have not followed, so far as the ex-
pertinent has been tried, is proven
by the fact that the percentage of
cures and of cases improved in the
Mt. Pleasant Hospital has been as
large during the past two years as
ever before in the history Of this or
other hospitals. 1t is not strange
that convention composed entirely
of superintendent, jealous OF their
powers, and engaged in the inno-
cent amusement OF "mutual admira-
tion," should have tlattered the pro-
fessional vanity Of each other by
critlcising with coarse epithets a
law and Legislature that constitn-
ted tribunal with the powers and
duties of this committee; but that
one of these gentlemen should,
months after the ebullition of this
occasion might be supposed to have
cooled to better reason, introduce
epithets which were thrown out in
extemporaneous and selfgloritying
speeches into grave report to a
legislature, is another evidence of
the evil effects of many years of I'M
restrained power over those incapa
BILE of self-direction, even upon a
cultivated mind. This committee
will have proved itself of great
utility if 1t accomplish no other
good than to rid the state for the
future Of such arrogance.
TIE NEW CAPITOL.
There has been expended during the
past two years. on the new capitol build
ing, 1884, 1896; the entire expenditures
thus far upon this work, have been
1914, 1925 IS. For all the details in ref
erence to the progress Of the work, and
the itemized expenses thereof, refer you
to the accompanying report Of the com
missioners, which will afford to the read
err the fullest information. will add to
the recommendations made therein the
following considerations, which l regard
as suggested by the first principles of
economy. Up to the present time the APP
preparations for carrying forward this
work have been as large. perhaps, as
could be economically nscd. The com
missioners have had work on their
hands of an entirely different character,
and of greater magnitude, than other
building commissioners in this Stata have
had to deal with heretofore. Quarries
and quarry stone were to be examined
and considered. There are doubtless
many quarrles in Iowa that, in the opin-
ion of the unprofessional and casual Wis
itor, would afford the material for doz.
en- capitol buildings, but which, upon
trial, would scarcely turn out single d.
mension stone answering the require
ments of building of this character.
Under such circumstances, the commits
sioners were disposed to move slow and
be able, if one experiment failed, to try
another without involving the State in
serious loss. Now, however, the build
ing has reached point of advancement
where quite large sums of money will
necessarily have to be expended for 9TH
er material than stone. Quantities of
iron will be required in the near future,
and whether this work is pressed vigor.
Ously, and driven towards completion
with such speed as would be possible
and feasible with large force of hands,
or whether it fingers, and the energies of
the commissioners are hampcrcd by lin.
tied appropriations, the expense of su
perintendence will be about the same in
either case. We must necessarily have
an architect, a superintendent of con.
struction, board of building commits.
sioners, and a secretary of the board
These officers could just as well and just
as judiciously and wisely, spend $4O0,O0O
q year, and thus the sooner complete the |
wo'K and stop their salaries. as spend
$125,OOO. 1t therefore seems to me, in
view of the fact that our treasury is in a |
condition to afford it, that it will be true
to increase the appropriation |
for the work by at least 100000 year
Before leaving this subject would do |
to my own sense of fair dealing
if did not say that the gentlemen who
were chosen to serve as commissioners by |
the Fourteenth General Assembly have,