Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-09
PRAISES THE REFORM SCHOOL
Attorney General 0lney on the Attempt 20
Change Its Control.
A Strong Enforcement Of the Pres
ent Management-NO Excuse
for Experimenting.

| III was with much surprise that II wa,
learned that an attempt was made to trans
Ter the control Of the reform school of tin,
Dlsp1ct of Columbia from the Attorney Gen.
erai and the board of trustees to the Com.
missioners OF the District of Columbia. es
peclaiiy as there never has been the slight.
est complaint or fault found with its pres.
ent management, and the Commissioners
themselves were surprised when IL was
brought to their attention by the trustees
and promptly disclaimed all knowledge of
such thing being done, and stated that il
vas done without their knowledge, wish or
ccEsent, they being perfectly satisfied with
the present management. Some irresponsi-
BILE party or parties endeavored doubtless to
impose upon Congress and get through
legislation neither necessary nor desirable,
~h,sh nsli,v,oD MOULD H serve We n9 gOOd Purpos
more carefully and judiciously managed,
and with better and greater results. The
board Of trustees is composed of we'll
Known gentlemen of the District, who with
out reward or compensation Of any kind.
except that they are doing a noble work in
the cause OF humanity, give their time, in
teiligence and attention to the school, and
have brought il TO a state OF efficiency sec
ind to none OF its character in this country,
and II Is the peer of any similar institution
in the world. When the facts were fully
presented TO the committee the amendment
to the District Of Columbia appropriation
bill making the transfer was promptly elm
mated.
The Attorney General under whose con-
troll the school is placed by law, and to
whom the board of trustees report wrote
TO Senator German, who had charge of the
bill; and, as showing his high appreciation
ot the work Of the board and the great i'm
propriety Of making any change in the
management of the school, his letter is
given in full.
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
WASHINGTON, ID. C, July IA, 1894.
Hon. Arthur p. German, Chairman sub
committee on appropriations for the Dis
trict of Columbia, United States Senate.
Washington, ID. c.
copy of letter to me from the board OF
trustees of the reform school of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
The letter seems to me to present con-
v. rcing reasons why that portion of the
Dist, let OF Columbia appropriation bin re-
ferred - page Az. lines Is TO 23) should not
be allowe,. to become a law. What is at
tempted is L. practically eliminate from
supervision and su,.. stltute that of the Dis
trict Commissioners On what grounds
this is desired or asked Tor am unable,
after considerable investigs ion. to ascer-
tain. 1t carnot be on the gf> una Oh pc
cuniary interest because the prope.ty OF the
tributed by the United States and not oy
the District of Columbia 1t cannot be Oh
the ground of any expected Improvement in
the administration of the institution. On
the contrary, az / understand, not only is
no fault found with the existing manage
ment, but II u universally commended for
the efficiency. economy and good judgment
with which the affairs of the institution are
conducted Under these circumstances, the
chief interest In the institution being in
the United states, and its present manage
ment being all that could be desired to
transfer the title to the District Commits
sioners is an experiment which seems TO
lack any res sonable justification, and which.
considering the great extent and variety of
the Commissioners present iuties and func-
tions, is wholly unlikely to prove a sue
cess. II / sm rightly informed the Com
missioners are not responsible for the pro-
posed legislation end believe II would oper-
ate only to make an entirely unnecessary
addition to the labors OF a board that is
already overburdened. Very respectfully,
RICHARD OLNEf, Attorney General