The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-01-12

o the 3. 20 as extraordinary.
slIO are for repainting the interior walls ola
large number Of wards which have become
mucn defaced. and $40 0 are for the erection
OF i greenhouse II the whole sum recon-
rnended should be appropriated. it would still
be $3.50 less than the last appropriation-the
result OF an excellent administration by those
in charge.
J. NEVADA AsYLUA-Appropriation for
1891:
ordinary
Recommended for 1856:
ordinary ---- 1890.
This asylum was established under an act OF
the general assembly approved March 10, 1875.
The main building Is one Of the finest Struc-
lures of its kind in the country. Unfortunate
ly. \ large amount of the stone used in the
building has proved to beutteriy worthless. l
an informed that this stone was subjected TO
all the ordinary tests whereby its quality
could be determined. but in spite Of the reports
o. experts time has demonstrated its utter
unttnesS. Large quantities used for water
tables. windo ~-sills. platforms etc. are dis
migrating and falling TO pieces. So rapidly
and to such an extent has this disintegration
proceeded, that the entire building Is
IN danger. Expert architects and builders
have recently examined the structure with q
view to determining what IL will cost to remove
the rotten stone and replace it with sound ma
terial. One architect reports that this work Of
repair Will cost ahuut $1,000: another places 1t
at under 5000; while the contractor who erect
ed the building. an experienced and careful
man. timat that these repairs can be made
fo- about 5000. The absolute necessity, how
syer. OF having the work done at once. and the
apparent wisdom of having it well done. has
induced me TO recommend an appropriation OF
Sl0.OO, or so much thereof as NAV be necessary.
l do this because OF the utter lack Of agreement
in the estimates made. II the whole amount IS
not needed IL will not be expended; but its ap-
preparation would prevent any possible delay,
which might be hazardous, for lack OF Suffi-
cient means. This asylum is also well con-
Quoted. but the fact that it is a new institution.
and that its sources Of income are less than
tlose of the other aSylums. makes 1t for the
present somewhat more expensive TO maintain
4 SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF y DUNLAP
preparations for 1881:
Orulhary =. -.----.....-.--- .- --sllS-9lO
Recommended for 1856:
Extraordinary. 1000
,sIr4.sOO
The amount Recommended as ordinary ex-
ceedS the ordinary appropriation made two
years ago by 81 ,OO. and = for the purpose Of
employing an additional teacher. The $1,000
recommended as extraordinary Is for the i'm
proyement of the grounds.
). SCHOOL FOR THE BLIND.-App-opria-
tionS for 1881.
Ordinary. support. 900
Ordinary. salaries. .-.. 80. 2i.OO0
400
Recommended tor 1856:
Ordinary. support. $500
Ordinary. salaries. ...-.........-.. 5000
Total .s59.OO
The amount asked by the board Of managers.
and which / recommend. is in the aggregate
the same as that appropriated by the last gen.
eral assembly. The board. however, for rea-
sons stated in Its report, which 1 approve. and
TO which l refer your honorable bodies. recon-
mend that $1,000 be taken from the support
fund and added to the salary fund.
l wish in this connection to call attention to
a claim amounting to 5000. presented by the
city OF st Louis to the beard OF managers for
improvements made on Morgan street in front
of this school. The improvements were made
under the law providing for u special tax for
street reconstruction. The work was well
done, and no doubt an appropriation should be
made to meet the special tax therefor.
l desire. also, especially to direct the atten-
tion of your honorable bodies 10 the
datiOn of the board of manager with reference
TO disposing OF the property now occupied by
this institution. with n view to removing the
school to 4 more eligible site
Both of these schools provided for the edu-
cation of the unfortunate children Of the state
are among our noblest. most benefcent and
useful charities, and l commend them to the
continued favor of the peoples repreSe lta-
8. REFORM SCHOOL o BoYs.-Appropria-
lions for 1881:
Ordinary. - 1000
Extraordinary $500
Total ss5 500
hecOInnneHueu LOT IoS0-O-
Orulhary
EAIEdOTuLAldLg e. i0.UJD
Total ~. OOO
Of the extraordinary appropriation recon-
mended 5000 are for a new cottage for boys:
&.6OO for the stOre-room and cold-storage: ST.
100 for carpenter and blacksmith machinery,
boiler and engine for Industrial building: $500
for cquipping laundry: 1000 to purchase a
brick machine and engine: 1000 TO purchase
twenty knitting machines, and 800 for heating
the shops. i know that all these improvements
are very much desired, and most of them are
necessary. The total amount m
exceeds the total OF the last appropriation by
$500.
This school was established under an act
passed in 1887. and is doing excellent work.
One hundred and seventy-two boys are now
confined there. 1t has been in operation only
a few years. During that time 1t has dis
charged a5 boys. A special effort is made by
the superintendent to keep track of those dis
charged. He has recently furnished me a re-
port In detail showing the record he has been
able to keep OF those released. OF the Us dis
missed from the school. IA are permanently
employed, and are doing well: IS are doing
moderately well; . are doing badly. although
still at liberty; II have been sent to prison,
and IS have disappeared. and nothing is known
OF their whereabouts or OF their conduct. These
results can not but commend this excellent in
s%titution 10 universal public favor.
BOYS.
In connection with this school. 1 desire to
NdLl LAC ACh1AO " lax CAt d>oChlDlN " u
matter which has already become an abuse. 1t
is contrary TO the statutes of the state to sem
tence q boy under is years of age to the
penitentiary- 4 boy under that age commit
ting q felony, ordinarily punishable by i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary. must be sent
to the reform school, or sentenced to the
county Jail. in the discretion Of the trial Judge.
In the case Of boys between the ages OF IS and
Is. it rests in the discretion OF the Judge
whether they shall be sentenced to the peni-
Tertiary. or sent to the reform school. OF one
thing 1 feel quite sure, namely, that il is a rare
case when any boy under IS, or even 2Oyears of
age. should be sent to the penitentiary. 1t may
be interesting in this connection to state that
there are now 33 boys in the ~peniten-
tiary under 20 years. Unless the crime
is unusually heinous, or the criminal
unusually hardened, 1 regard it as almost
inhuman and q disgrace to our civilization,
to sentence a child is or IL years Of age to q
long service in the penitentiary. where all his
surroundings will tend TO debase his nature
and to confirm him in criminal habits. 1 think
all our circuit judges will agree to this state
ment. and yet many of them are constantly
sentencing children OF this kind to the penf-
Tertiary. My attention has been called to sew
eral instances of children in the penitentiary
who claim to be under Is aud who were able to
satisfy me from evidence that they were
under that age. In all such cases have COM
muted the sentence to confinement in the re-
which l speak: II the trial judge in the first
instance orders the confinement OF boys
in the reform school, they are sent there at
the expense of the county OF their resi- |
dence: but il they are sent to the penitentiary
and the governor the sentence. then
they go to the reform school ut the expense Of
the state. for the reason that no other pro-