Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-01-14

] OF leufnlnR winch lncluue thlh ulOlutnou hu phu
one at Kansas City. Here, as ut tho latter
! place, are taught trades, 40 thrt the child,
when graduate, Il well equipped 20 20 out and
compete with those who have been more fortu-
nate Certain wants are spoken OF in the re-
! port which believe will bear your inVestiga-
tion, and any money appropriated for the neces-
stiles OF this institution will meet with my
hearty approval.
School for the Blind.
An erroneous idea appears TO prevail through
out the state IN regard TO this most worthy in
stitution BY many IL IL regarded rs u chnrlta-
bic institution This Is not true. It IL an edu-
catlonal institution similar to our university,
normal school or agricultural college Within
It's walls education is offered TO and life nude
brighter AMI happier for those who have been
bereft OF Ia >ir sight, Many OF the children
there IRE aS intelligent and bright rs those who
attend our other institutions, There Is nothing
that should appeal TO our sense Of humanity
more than ti131 children, AMI would recon-
mend that tnsir wants be duly investigated and
that the improvements demanded by the super
intendent roe i've careful consideration. Strange
as II may seam, many Of these children are self
supporting md, with iudicious Investment Of
the state Of II small amount Of additional cash
each year In order to increase Its facilities, 1t
will be not only credit TO our humanity and
citizenship, but will turn out class of citizens
fully equipped for tho battle of life in many of
It's aYocatlOnS
Kansas Penltentlary at Lansing.
The penitentiary contained S0l prisoners June
30, 1895 or these II were women, For the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1895, the expenditures
OF the institution were 1851 5000, the earnings
Si4a,9l65O The report of the warden, board Of
directors and officials contains an exhaustive
treatise on the expenditures and necessities Of
the institution But few realize the magnitude
Of this institution or the careful attention
which 1t should receive from the legislature In
order to keep 1t abreast Of institutions Of the
same kind In sister states AT times in our his
tory this has been sef-supporting institution
AT other times 1t has been considerable Of u
burden to the taxpayers Of the state. The OUT
put Of coal from the penitentihry has been its
principal source of revenue, yet there is
sentiment in portions of the state
against utilizing this coal except
for state institutions. In another
portion Of this message certain recommended
lions are made in regard TO the,surplusafter the
state institutions are supplied, This, in my
Judgment, at this time, Is rs far as we Gun go
on the line Of correcting the placing Of coal
mined by convict labor, in competition with
free labor If it could be so arranged that in
stead Of producing so much coal, other manu-
factories could be established which would not
compete with the free labor Of the state, it
would be better than our present system. To
place man in enforced idleness would in
crease his cost Of maintenance to the taxpayers
of the state, and while his efforts may in q
measure work hardship on men engaged in
that industry, yet the cost of maintaining him
in idleness would prove a grievous burden on
all who contribute to the support Of the state
by taxation,
There are certain recommendations made by
the board to which your attention is directed,
The principal necessities seem to be the COM
pletion of more cells for the use of prisoners
and additional clothing for convicts. The COM
pletion Of cells will neceSSitate the
placing of heating apparatus and q
few other necessities in these cells. would
recommend to your honorable body that the
efficiency Of this institution should not be i'm
paired by any lack Of substantial assistance on
your part. Economy that would make condi-
tions so that the guilty could escape from
prison cells and again be thrown loose upon
the communicated society would not be economy
in line with the best interests Of the state Your
committee from the two houses viii visit this
institution and no doubt will carefully nvest-
gate and report to you any improvements or
changes necessary to add to the efficiency Of
the institution.
Reform School at Topeka.
II there Is any institution in the state which
Ia open to criticism, in my judgment, the re-
form school for boys, situated in our capital
city, is that one. Not that would charge in
competence upon its management or employees,
but from the fact that it Is impossible to reform
boys in idleneSs / am informed that when
this school was established, the object sought
was to take the erring boys and lead them to
better and higher life In order to do this they
should be taught trades and made useful citi-
2ens. For some reason unknown to me, the
legislature has failed. to make appropriations
for buildings and mechanical apparatus for car
rying out this idea. | recommend to the legis-
lature that it is thought impracticable to fur
nish apparatus suitable for teaching them
trades, that additional appropriations be made
for the Hutchinson reformatory and that the
boys be removed there where they can have
the influence brought upon them that will lead
them in the right line In case you should see
fit and proper to do this, the reform school
building could be used for additional room for
the insane
State RefOEmatOry at Hutchinson,
The reformatory at Hutchinson established
by the legislature In 1885, was made ready for
occupancy in 1905, and opened with 30 of the
least hardened criminals from our state peni-
Tertiary, The report of the board and my
knowledge of the Institution lead me to believe
that it has proven success aud Is solving the
question of what to do with young criminals
who are started on a career Of crime. In con-
nection with the institution is a farm Of $40
acres, which, / am informed, has produced
about l2,C0J bushels Of corn this year, In addi7
ton to a large amount Of vegetables
for use In the institution, in return for the work
of the boys A tailoring department and a shoe
factory are condutte where the inmates
are taught trades, Schools are maintained at
night for those who labor during the day and
during the day for those whodo not labor The
board of directors is asking for an appropria-
ton to complete certain portions hf the building
so that it can be used to ACCOMMODATES other in
mates, and in my Judgment the requests should
be granted, to the end that the erring may be
reclaimed and our young boys who have taken
a step in the wrong direction be brought back
to the path Of rectitude anil right and made
honorable citizens
Industrial School for Girls ut Bel0it.
All that have said relative to the REFORM
atory for boys at Hutchinson, will apply to this
institution. While that teaches good citizen
ship and habits of industry to erring boys, this
does the same for hayward girls. The superin-
tendent and the state board Of chauitieS deem
1t essential that certain improvements be made.
! would commend to you these reports and that
this institution receive fair and Just treatment.
Board of Agriculture.
In its past in our history the board ofagricul-
ture has been matter of public derlSio1 but
in later years, in the hands Of competent men
and men who have taken deep interest in the
matter, IT has become matter Of state pride
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