Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-10-13
THE INDUSTRIAL HOME MATTER.

The Board OF Control for the proposed
Industrial Home will hold meeting this
evening for the purpose of considering
the proposition of allowing a portion of
the fund appropriated by Congress to the
Society, of which Mrs. Newman is the
head, which designs the establishment
OF an institution of that kind within the
limits of this city. The following is the
section in the Appropriation bill author
izing the establishment of the Home:
SECTION 221.-Industrial Home in Utah
Territory: To aid in the establishment of
an industrial Home in the Territory of
Utah, to provide employment and means of
self-support for the dependent women who
renounce polygamy, and the children of such
women OF tender age, In said Territory with
a view to aid IN the suppression of polygamy
therein, forty thousand dollars; said sum to
pe expended upon the requisition of and un-
DER the management of a Board of Control
to consist of the Governor and Justices of
the Supreme Court and the District Attorney
OF SAID Territory, and said Board shall duly
and properly expend said sum, or so much
thereof as may be necessary for the DUR
poses herein indicated, and shall from time
to time report to the President their acts and
dolngs and expenditures hereunder, for
transmission to Congress.
The DEMOCRAT understands that it was
originally intended to establish Home
for all needy and dependent women and
children, without any restriction in re-
gard to sect or previous condition in life.
That, in our opinion, would have been
the proper thing, and it is to be regretted
that Congress should have made such
discrimination as will render the insti-
tuition exclusively for the benefit of a
class, very small portion, if any, of
which will be apt to avail itself of the
provision of the law, but which would not |
have been excluded under a general
clause. Congress evidently was impressed
with the idea that the Edmunds law
would work a hardship to many women
and children in this Territory, who would
avail themselves of the benefits of such
an institution as is provided for in the
bill. In this we believe it was mistaken.
and that the experiment will prove fail
ure, unless the law is modified at the
next session of Congress. We believe
that the society founded by Mrs. New
man desires that the fund should be
turned over to its managers for the
purpose of building and conducting
Home such as is designated in the sec
ion above qnoted. While there is no
loubt but the money would be judiciously {
md honestly expended under such man.
1t seems to us quite plain that
cannot be done under the law as il
eads. The members of the Board of a
control could scarcely delegate to another Q
'ody duties and power which are ex- t
'ressly restricted to themselves. In a s
rief conversation with Governor West C
esterdav, that gentleman expressed to II
ne writer his conviction that the Board n
ould not so delegate its authority, but v
minated his desire to do all that the law ii
ermltted for the furtherance of the be- n
evolent object of Mrs. Newman and her 81
ociety. From what the DEMOCRAT can
arm, the Board will probably make an =.
lowance for the renting and furnishing W W
a building of moderate dimensions, and u
there are any applications from eligible v, W
rsons for admission, for providing -
their maintenance as directed by =.
law. This to be under the superyis- ~
of the Society above referred ~
but subject of course to the III
ntrol of the Board. 1t is hard to con-
i've what else can be done. If the ex- nj
rlment proves reasonably successful. -
easures can be taken for the permanent 90
of larger institution. It .
IS doubtless owing to Mrs. Newman's ye
orts that the appropriation was made
Congress, and it is only to be regretted -,
1t it is subject to such restrictions as IL
imposed in the bill, and which are
ely to defeat its purpose.