, 1876-12-24
PUBLIC CHARITIES.
What. the State Board Did at
Their Meeting Yesterday.
An Interesting Resume Of Their Work
Since Their Organization.
Some Interesting Figures for the In
struction Of Sheriff Kern.


<
The State Board OF Charities concluded its
labors at noon Yesterday at the Grand Pacific
Hotel. and all the members excepting Secretary
Fred &. Wines departed for home, the latter
being bus;ly engaged in getting up the annual
report. The amounts asked for by the various
State charitable institutions were given In detail
in yesterdays TRIBUNE, anl from the total
amount, aggrcgating s1,3s7, ,5o1, total redue~
ton Ct $134, 900 was made. :
The following is tbs aepfopriation for the
Northern Insane Asylum to be recommended to
the Legislature Tor the next two years:
General expenses, s19C, 600; amount asked,
sec, 900; general repairs, 5000; $4,000 for
changing heating and ycntilating apparatus, IS
s0,sg8 for boiler-house; $1,000 per year TOR
grading and shrubbery; s1,6So for new Straw
barn, partially allowed. -
The Eye and Ear Intrmary was allowed $751;
900 for general expenses, Instead of slo,0o US
complete furnishing. Thls appropriation
vas regarded as most just, and the
Board thought that there should be
no question about it when the matter comes
before the General Assembly. The report CT
Secretary Wines, which will be quite Vo1um-
iuous, will be very interesting to the taxpayers
OF the STATE, and will give in detail everything
done By the various institutions during the past
year.
The Board originated in an investigation made
BY joint Committee Of the House aud Senate
in regard to the mlsmanagement q the
jacksonville Hospital for the Insane
some eight years ago This Committee visited
all the various Institutions in the State, and
discovered that they needed great deal OF
looking after, and that there were some frregu-
laritics aud defects in their management which
urgently needed correction.
n 1869 the General Assembly created the
State Board Of Commissioners OF Public Chari-
ties, consisting OF live r members appointed
to visit the State institutions twice
3 year, and county almshouses and
other places where insane might be confined
once year, and to serve without compensation.
For several years tue Board visited the ]alls and
suggestions produced good results, though IN
some places they fell like seeds upon barren
1ocks,-and especially in CooA unty,-though
in others they took root and bore
VALUABLE FRUIT.
Perhaps a fourth or n third Of all
the counties in the State have built new
iails and almshouses since the Board
commenced It's travels. But for two years past
1t has been impossible for the Commission
ers to visit all the counties In the State in con-
By the last Assemhly,-only 4,50o per year for
all expenses.
The organization aud management of the
State institutions have improved steadily and !.
rapidly under the influence exerted BY the
Board. The institutions have been made ar
Quainted with each others mode Of doing
business, and have been thoroughly impressed
with their responsibility to tue Legislature and
the people OF the State IN respect both to the
expenditure of money and the accomplishment
haps in the history of the State, they arc able
to report that ut the close OF the fiscal year
there is not dollar Of outstanding indebted
ness in one Of them, and several have large bal
h 4 s5 atasa asny Gsasa Aip ip
lum, l3,60o; Northern Insane Asylum, St, ,00;
Soldiers Orphans Home, $1,000; Deaf and
Dumb Asylum, SG,50o.
This is largely due to the operation OF q law
passed BY the last General Assembly regulating
State institutions. At each quarterly meeting
of the Board Of Trustees, the Superintendent
and Treasurer are required to make full and
exhibit Of each institution. These
are sent to the Commissioners Of
the vouchers for the quarter, and no further In
stallment Of appropriation can be paid to the in
stitutions until the accounts and vouch- !
ers have been examined by the Com
misslouers and found correct. An ingenious !
system Of books III their Office cuables them to
keep track Of all expenditures, and these books !
together wit ~ original vouchers, are SO kept |
as to enable - General Assembly to make a ]
thorough investigation Of the financial manage |
ment in al it's details. Nodeiciency can spring !
up without being instantly detected and report |
cd to the Governor, and steps taken to compel !
the institution in which it may arise to reduce
its expenses and hive within its income. When !
tile Legislature meets, one of tue first acts Of |
on tas session e bills is mg ays tae nfEGdas
lor State institutions. As a rule these institel,
lions are not afraid to ask ali they want and /
the applications are often III excess Of the
actual needs. Committees are appointed to I
7lsit them, and to make report to the Legisla-
any committee making hurried, casual trip
around the State, to know much more about the
Institutions than they would be able to learn
about the management and condition OF either
he Palmer House Or Grand Pacific by spending
one night uuder its roof. They can make
NO EXAMINATION OF BOOKS,
md they form but very imperfect
Judgment with respect to the prupriety !.
II making the appropriations asked. The re-
through BY d combination Of interests, and tue
ongest pole generally knocks down the most
1ersl!nInuns
At this point the Bosrdof Charities comes to
.he aid ot the Legislature. Their reports con-
.espectpg the expenditure Of the past two
fears, with t1bulatcd statements, by the aid OF
which the financial management il the different
Institutions can be compared, criticised, and
Their estimates are Impartial as they have
10 direct responsibility for the management Of
my institution, and they do not handle pr con-
rol the expenditure Of any funds. They medi-
.te, SO to speak, between the institutions and
,he Legislature, and protect the taxpayer OF
,le State against imposition, and, at the samc
ime, defend the institutions against misappre-
tension and injustice
Their recommendations form q Trustworthy
y11ide of information for Intelligent judgment,
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