The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-06-08
Board Of State Charities!
AN EXPENSIVE PIECE OF MACHIN-
ERY OF LITTLE VALUE.
Columbus Capital.

FROM tlUe 10 tiHe, ID Tue puoilo ptihlS
will be noticed paragraphs reading some
thing like this: "Dr A. G. Bgera, sec
retsry oi he Board OF State Cherilies
aecompanled hY bis daughter has gore
10 Philadelphia TO attend meeliDg o
the NationaI Prison Association" OIL
some other equally Impractical gether'
ing of reform ctanks, and The State O
Ohio pays the bills FOR the lravel and
necessary acc0mmodations without s
murmur.
The Board OF State Charities is {
grand liece ofhumbuggery, sni 10 SHOW
the truth 0! this proposition iq tie pleas
ing ask of tba Capital this beautfu
Sabbath morning. The law under which
ii acls, moves aad has it's being provides
among ether things that they "shai
investigate the whole system o. pubic
charities and correctional institutions. o.
the S,ate, examiue into Tie condition
and management thereof, especi4liY lht
prisons, jails. intlrmsTies, public hospi.
tails and nsVlums, and shall recommene
suca changes lle s&sliiioDal provisions
sc It mag.tieega necessary for tbsir eco
ncmicsl and efieieht eamiui5iralioi.. /
shall constitute an advisory board, tc
whom al plans OF pnsiic buildings may
be referred fot suggestions OF approvsl
Ii will be seen from this section OF The
Law, defining the duties nf the Board
that it hes pa power TO do anything be
yoaa iunkeiiDg areura the State, feed
ing Of the penal and benevolent inztitu-
lions ana making a few suggestions and
Recommendations which no one ever
heeas 10 thiak al carving INTO effect
Tie Board 81 Sta'e Charities is a. nse.
less as ',,ainiod chip on painted sea
Yet it eonfunessaa nnaEg great sums o.
the people, money. aud lhrcngh its sec.
Ietary, poses as one OF the great reform.
atory inStluments OF the age. None ot
i,s powers are mandatory or obligatory
and IS a consequence none are respected
and none observed. The fault is not sc
much in the men wbo compofe the Bosrd
as in the Law Which elo.hfd them with
The highly impoftant poser OF sitting
as .san adu!eorv hoard, To whom ell plsn'
OF public luiidifss mag he reieired fol
suggestion or approval" This is 9
farce ON the face of it. and there is nc
building committee in the State go en-
tirely losi TO ils duties 80 to ever think
OF submitting any Of its plans 10 tht
Beard Of State Charities for approval
or for seggestion Suppose such thing
wss done, and tie board refused to ap.
prove the plsns, what woui be The re.
suit? The board has nc power 10 eDiarce
its views on sny oDe, end the result is
thst the Board Of Sla.e Chariiias is 8
thire 10 he laughed at and made sport
OF. whenever it is mentioned in connect
ion with tie erection cf any puhlichoild
irg. In al The other things in which
the hoaId is supporad 10 take o part il
is equally rs important, ss in the matter
Of sitting 81 an advisory hoard 90 he
plans Of public buildings. and is Of no
more practical value to tue State OF Ohio
than map OF the polar Iegions gould
be TO a Hatteptnt
1t is moi, boweycr, IN tie ina9iii,y Of
The Road, under the law, 10 accomplish,
Of prreiicsl value, where Tue
grea, objection Of this purely ornamental
psft ~ tho State machinery exists. bpt
in sfp msnner ard methods Which is
Secretary takes to make The public hc-
heve that tie world rsvoioes aronnA the
man who does the Eri'in' ard eyphcfin'
fer this aggregation q stupidity and in
hccilily
TIE iew under vb9ch ihis Secretary
derives bis powers aud opportunities for
himself reals as follows, and
givee bin about as rauph ls'iinde as the
srclion prescribing wBa he Boafd nav
10:
,I'he said Board nav sppnint Sec
retary who shall be iiaia Or his eefvlces,
in addition to his trsvriine ezpen.es an
ennual salary ef rot 10 excetl. twelge
anpdr d dollara. So rse hc agreed upon
IL the Board; Gil acci cn bnd eypen
ditures shall be certified as may he pro-
vided for By the Board, and stall be
paid by the Treasurer upon an order
from the Auditor OF the State"
Under the Law it will be aeen lie Sec
relsry is mpowered 10 do great deal
of travelling at the States expense, and
that he does not neglect bis opportuni-
lies will be shown further along In This
and thrilling narrative.
From the annual repor. OF the Beard
tho information is gathered that the ex-
prnses OF the Secretary for the wear, in
dependent Of his salaay, was S643.7l
all Of rhieh vas presumably spent for
ralroed travel. This is over $50 q
month ard 2hout 82o0a day The law
does not contemplate hat the State shall
pay living expenses Of The Secretary Of