The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-28

A few weeks ago, at a national meeting
of men who are prominent in the work of
public charities. one of the speakers said
that Indiana has become the light on the
hill for other States to follow because of it's
intelligent adhesion to the theory of non
partisan control" He went on to declare
that the Reform School of Indiana had for
years been a model. while the work which
has been accomplished already in the In
diana Reformatory promises to make it a
model after which other States can pattern.
Not long ago Massachusetts, which leads in
expenditures for public charities had a COM
mittee visit the asylum for insane at Rich
mond to examine the cottage system, and
this committee carried home the plan which
has been adopted The board of another
State has duplicated the building and the
system of management of the deaf and
dumb asylum. All of the asylums for in
sane in Indiana are taking high rank for
the excellence of administration, which has
been greatly improved since the adoption
of the non-partisan plan and of the merit
system The Reform School and the Sol
diers' and Sailors Orphans Home at
hHJSHJSlOWH nave always DGe0 managed
upon a non-partisan basis. Since 1895 all of
the institutions have come to the non-par-
tisan basis required by the Legislature of
that year. The marked improvement in adj
ministration which has taken place all along
the line is noted by those who are interested
in charitable and penal institutions.
At the present time the plan of the sys-
teynatic care Of WAITS ord childreu in
county amshouses is being quietly but en-
erseticaly pushed under the direction of the
State Board of Charities. A great work
has already been accomplished, but, in COM
parison with what it is possible to do, it
has but begun. officers who are giving at
tention to the matter assert that a large
part of the feebleminded who are now a
public burden will be made self-sustaining.
The truancy law. which has been criticised
because of the expense involved, has. in lit
tie more than a year. taken several thou
sand children from that vagrancy which is
the primary grade of confirmed criminality.
This is not mere guesswork, for the rea-
son that the reports of school officers
throughout the State sustain the statement
that thousands have been put into the
schools who have been truants or habitual
absentees.
A few months ago the act of the last
Legislature, requiring townships to be taxed
TO support their own paupers instead of
maintaining them at the expense of the
county, went into effect The cost of MAIN
tanning paupers outside the poorhouses has
increased to an alarming extent in some
parts of the State. So long as the town
ship trustee could make expenditures for
out-of-door paupers. which county COM
missioners must put upon the county and
make no report to the charity authorities
of the State, many trustees, with no dis
honest intent, made large expenditures.
Now that property owners will be taxed by
direct township levy for such expenditure
and that expenditure must be reported to
the State Board of Charities, much more
care is manifested to keep the expense down.
The reform in this matter alone will save
taxpayers many thousands of dollars and
at the same time improve the condition of
perisn il not looked after.
The Journal calls attention to the fact
that the greater part of the progress made
in the management of public charities be-
gan with the Republican Legislature of 1895,
and has been continued by the Republican
successor and a Republican Governor in
1887