Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-01-24

ward ana WasIefuI system



STATE CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS.
The biennial report of the Board
Trustees having charge OF atns Grrrs
Charitable institutions FURNISHES an ~ .
tailed information concerning tae-eond.
ton, expense Of unaint aining. ca6acitv
and requirements Of the "a svfuD1s aud
schools Tor the care and education Of
those unfortunate citizens who are men
tally or physically afflicted.
Some years ago the Legislature wisely
consolidated the management Of all our
charitable and re1ormatory institutions
under one Beard This change has. baan
attended with the best results. BuE me
system under which these institutions
are managed is IN many respects, im-
perfect, and the supervision of the Board
exercises over them Is Inadequate The
Trustees, receiving no salaries and buid-
Ing only occasional meetings, cannot de-
vote such time and attention to the
supervision Of the institutions in their
charge as IN my judgment, the import
anc6 of this trust should require Six
great public charities, the Insane Asy-
lums at OsaWatomie and Topeka, the
Institution at WyandOtte for the Edu-
cation Of the Blind, the Institution at
Olathe Tor the Education of the Deaf
and Dumb, the State Reform School
near Topeka, and the Asylum at Law
renee for IdiOtiC and Imbecile Youth.
are remote from each other, and even
the most occasional and superficial visi-
tatlon and inspection, by the members
Of the Board, is difficult and exacting,
and expensive to the State.
More than tWO-hfths of the total apprO-
prlatlOns made by the Legislature for
the support Of the State government
during the current fiscal year-$852, 9S4
OF total Of $3.50. 946-are expended for
the maintenance Of these charities. Yet
the expenditure of this vast sum Of
money, as well as the still more vital
question Of properly supervising the
management Of these institutions, is
committed entirely to the charge Of a
small body Of citizens who hold only
occasional meetings, make few and
hasty visits of inspection, and, having
their own private concerns to engrOss
THEN time and interest, cannot fairly be
expected To. do more than this.
In my judgment the Executive, IN
nominating the members of the Board,
should designate one of them as Secre-
tary, and the Secretary should be q sal
aried officer, and should devote his en-
tire time and energy to the work which
properly comes under the supervision Of
the Board. He should have an Office at
the State Capitol, in which all the rec
Ords, accounts and papers Of the Board
should be kept; he should be required TO
frequently visit and carefully inspect all
the charitable institutions; and he should
gather and compile, for the information
of the Legislature, facts and statistics
concerning the management of the tails
ana aims houses OF the State, and the
local expenditures on account Of the de
pendent classes.
believe that the change thus recon-
mended would not only result in effect
i'll
the management Of the State charitable
institutions, but would be a measure of
economy.
TIE PENETENTIARY.
me reports OF the Directors. Warden,
and other officers of the State Peniten-
t1ary show, IN detail, the operations Of
that Institution during the last two fis-
cal years. The Penitentiary not only
continues selt-sustaining, but the profits
Of the ccs3 mine have made it a source
or revenue to the State. Its surplus
earnings for the yeaF. ended June 3Oth,
1854, were $50, 717O9 and the Directors
express the opinion that the institution
will, hereafter, not only continue self
sustaining, but that its earnings will be
sufficient to carry on and complete the
IEn prCVements rendered necessary by
the Increasing prison population.
The output Of the coal mine is steadily
increasing; For the year ended June
Both, 1888, 1t was 73S, 4S3 bushels, and for
The year ended June S0th, 1884, itreached
BIZ, 857 bushels.
The Directors and Warden report that
another cell house is necessary; advise
the Introduction of electric lights in the
prison; recommend q number of addi-
tions and improvements; and call atten-
ton to several defects or omissions in
the laws regulating the management of
the Institution. These suggestions are
commended to your attention.
Since the biennial reports of the Off
GERS Of the penltentlary were prepared,
1t has been discovered that the Chief
Clerk Of the prison, }. g. Pussy, has stolen
its funds to q considerable amount, by
means of forged vouchers and other Grim
inal practices. Pusey disappeared, sim
nltaneOusly with the detection of his
crimes, and has not yet been apprehend-
ed
The Warden, Col. Jones, asks that the
Legislature make a searching and impair
tial investigation Of this embezzlement,
and Ofthe management of the prison gen
orally. This request should be complied
with, not only that the guilt or fault of
the crime may be fastened on the prop
er person, and the innocent may be
shielded from unjust suspicion, but in
order that measures may be suggested for
preventing, or Instantly detecting, at
tempts to commit frauds or crimes with
in the very walls Of the States prison.
TIE INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Superintendent Of
Insurance furnishes a detailed exhibit Of
the transactions of his office, and your
attention is directed TO its statements
and recommendation.
An immense sum Of money is annually
paid, by the people Of Kansas, as premi-
ums for insurance, and It Is an impera-
tive duty Of the Legislature to provide
adequate laws for the protection Of those
thus insured.
Most Of the nolicies issued hv inel1r-