Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-05-23


Preston, Judge Young, Minneapolis, Hon.
W. M. Campbell, Litchfeld, and DR.. Dano,
| st. Paul.
The Office of permanent secretary was
rendered Rev. b. II. Hart, of Worthing-
ton.
DR.. Dana's report herewith given was
ordered spread on the records of the board
and furnished to the press for publication.
The board, after transactlng other bust
ness, adjourned to meet July 10 at 10
q. N.
THE sEcRETARY's REPORT.
Our state now wheels into line and
makes the tenth state adopting a public
central board for the inspection and su-
pervision of the charitable, penal reforma-
tory institutions. It is the opinion of
those who have given the subject careful
study, that it is the wisest, most efficient,
most economical, method of supervising
and improving the state institutions of the
kind referred to. There are only two
forms which these boards have assumed in
the various states. In some they are ex-
ecutive and administrative. In others
they occupy a position purely advisory.
Their business being to inspect, get at all
the facts which affect the operations and
management of the various public institu-
lions of the state; also to learn what
other states are doing in their institutions
what the expenses are on the average in
running them; what newer methods are in
vogue in dealing with the criminal and
unfortunate classes. The weight of testi-
mony is in favor of boards of this kind,
and as one of the most effective in exist
ence is the state board of Ohio, and ours
was modelled after that one, it explains
why our board is advisory rather than ad-
ministrative.
THEIR UTILITY
no one at all conversant with the subject
longer questions. Local boards of control
and management are not sufficient. They
need the unbiased supervision and impair
tial advice of some non-partisan and indie
pendent central board, and there is no
doubt that all our state institutions will
welcome the inspection of this board, seek
its counsel, and respect its suggestions and
criticisms. And as the result, his excel
lency, the governor, and the legislature,
through the reports of this board, will be
reliably informed concerning the actual
and comparative condition of our insti-
buttons; whether they are economically
administered; whether as a state we are IN
our methods on par with other states, and
whether our jails and poor houses are
what they should be. Only state board,
composed as this one is, non-political and
unpaid, and animated by the broadcast and
purest purpose to inform itself as to all
these grave points, can secure and then i'm
part the information that the chief execu-
tive and legislature of our state should
possess. Of course this is going to involve
on the part of the members of the board,
and pre-eminently of its secretary, the
study of correctional and penal institutions,
their proper aim and best systems; the
thorough inspection of all our state and
county institutions; correspondence with
boards similarly constituted in other states,
and conversance with the newest theories
and most effective systems of management
which may have been introduced in older
commemorative and other countries.
In course of time this board
will become authoritative on all such
questions; and its opinion and counsel will
be regarded as of supreme Importance to
the state on the one hand, and to those in
charge of its Institutions on the other. Its
knowledge in the nature of things,will soon
become an expert knowledge, and precise
ly this kind, so all important when we
consider the number of of institutions sup
ported by the state, and the increase of
criminal and dependent classes, is what is
imperatively demanded, and is what will
make this board such a potent factor for
good in all that relates to our charitable
and correctional institutions.
ABUSES EXPOSED.
To an extent we may not anticipate will
careful and thorough inspection reveal
abuses existing, particularly in city jails
and county poor houses. 1t is in the coun-
ty poor houses mismanagement and abuses
are most likely to exist, because of insult
fcient appropriations, or because county
boards are frequently constituted
without reference to the duties
they have to perform. Hence
it comes to pass that the insane have been
found so often mingled with the inmates
of the poor houses, that young children
have been found growing up therein in idle
ness, and learning habits of vice, that in
county jails the sexes are not separated
properly, land that the cells are over crowd
ed; that offenders committed for the first
time are often imprisoned with hardened
criminals while awaiting trial, and are by
the latter initiated into ways of crime, and
our city prisons thus converted into schools
of vice and crime.
ECONOMY.
No absolutely just judgment can be ar
rived at respecting the administration of
our state institutions, unless we know, not
only the cost of the maintenance of each
inmate, but how that compares with the
cost in other states. That information the
institutional reports and the reports of local
boards of visitors do not, and cannot give
the state authorities. Yet that is after all
the best test as to whether the manage
ment of our institutions is relatively eco
nomical or not. Only a board studying
into the matter, and personally investigat-
ing, can tell what is the condition of our
county institutions; how our prison expend-
iture compares with that of other COM
monwealtns; whether there are children
neglected and in improper places. All this
field, only this board can or will survey,
and its opportunities of humane and eco
nomical service is limited only by the time
and attention it can devote to these great
duties.
The great questions now interesting So
L