Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1898-01-26


the expense of a trustee shall not exceed
five cents per mile for the number OF
miles actually travelled. Five Of the COM
mittee and declared they did not UNDER
stand this limitation applied to them.
They have also incurred expenses in maxi
ing triys to other states, visiting other
institutions. attending conventions Of
They have also incurred expenses in max
ing trips to other states, visiting other
to buy supplies and equipment. Their ex-
penses for the year ending June 80, 1897.
aggregated $3,6S2S3 an increase of $500
over that of the year 1891.
J. r. Ratekin Was t con na MT when hen
state that no expenses wore paid for him
for trips outside the state. He attended
conventions and visited other homes at
his own expense. The committee says 1t
found considerable friction in the board
of commissioners, that former treas
urer, also a resident commissioners, re-
fused to turn over his books to his sue
cessor, and other manifestations of dis
cord were apparent.
Even since the home was established 1t
has been drawing illegally from the sup
port fund by computation based on the
number of inmates on the books, and not
the number actually domiciled. 1t has
drawn per capita for men who have
never received any support from the home
except few dollars worth of clothing.
The commissioners said had they known
of the, practice they would not have per-
tention of the state auditor to the prac-
ice. He secured an opinion Of the attor-
ney general and the home is now under
stood to be getting it's proper allowance.
1t is estimated that about $3S,570 was
drawn in excess of the legal amount DUR
ing the period covered by the investiga-
ton of the committee. The commandant.
who was formerly member of the board
of commissioners, said he simply fol-
lowed the method employed by his pred
ecessor and had no knowledge of 1t until
he became commandant.
There is no system of competitive bid
ding for the purchase Of supplies. Com
mandant Ratekin and Quartermaster
Longley inaugurated a system of requisi-
lions on the part of employees In the use
of supplies. which Is highly commended
as the most perfect found at any OF the
institutions, estimated by. the command
ant to make a saving of $4,000 per year.
The committee doubts this, but says the
reduction is unusual; The other books
In spite OF the penal offense for divert
ing an appropriation from the purposes
for which it was made 81 900 of the con-
tingent fund was transferred to salary
and wages account and never returned.
Other instances of the same violation are
cited. For instance. the Twenty-sixth
purchasing furniture. while the commits
sioners expended over 5000 for the same
purpose. drawing the sum of $1,000 from
the support fund.
The committee listened to certain
charges and complaints against the quar-
termaster, but after careful consideration
found no foundation for them holding
that his participation in securing a more
economical administrator of the pur-
chasing department Of the home is cred
table Finding that much litigation has
resulted from the action of the board of
commissioners in dealing with the PEN
sions received by the inmates-the courts
having decided that the commissioners
have the power to make the regulations
now in force-the committee is of the
opinion that vesting in the commandant
the power to determine who are depend
ent relatives and should receive all of the
pensions in excess of Sc per month, pro-
vokes discomfort on the part OF the in
mates and relatives. 1t says the legisla-
ture should definitely name the parties
The committee ascertained that the
great bulk of supplies is purchased in the
city of Marshalltown, and believes the
greatest economy is not effected, the res
ident trustees being subjected to great
influence from local dealers. The home is
charged with an extravagant drug bill
during the last year. Ii amounting to So
COO during some months WHISTLES being
purchased to the amount OF 800.
The committee believes the law should
be amended so that a member of the
board of commissioners should not be
eligible TO the position of commandant
during the term for which he is elected
and two years thereafter.
Institution for Feeble Minded.
At Glenwood the resident trustee is
charged with having. acted as treasurer,
which is against the law, and besides re-
ceiving a compensation as such has
drawn the largest per diem which any
ceived further compensation for making
the treasurer's biennial report. Suisse
quently when the state warrants were
al a premium he sold about S75 900 in war
rants. and appropriated premium and ac-
cumu.ated interest. The committee SAYS
that since then he has reimbursed the
state for the same.
Penitentiaries.
The most glaring. evil pointed out in
the two penitentiaries is the guard SER
vice. which involves a large outlay yearly
and is influenced wholly by politics. The
committee recommends that the selection
o ia warden be taken out of politics. when
that officer will be free in the appont-
ment of guards and be enabled to appoint
better men and reduce the number. At
Anamosa there is chance for improve
ment in prison discipline as shown by the
number of convicts that escape weary.
Here some of the guards have had finan-
cial transactions with the convicts. The
committee listened to complaints against
=. w. Madden. the now ex-warden at An
amosa. but found most of them unbound
ed, finding nothing in the records. finan-
cial MANAGEMENT, or In the accountings
for expenditures to reflect upon his integ-
rity.
School for the Deaf
The school for the deaf is in debt to
the amount of $lS05S.69. Before the revis-
ion of the code last year little attention
had been paid to its management. At
that time law was passed requiring that
the requisition for quarterly allowances
be based on the average attendance dur
ing the preceding quarter. Up to that
time the management had been in the
habit of basing it upon the largest single
attendance during the quarter. The state
auditor discovered the habit and refused
to honor the requisition. which resulted
in the new law. This it is believed will re-
duce the expenses of the institution from
four to seven thousand dollars annually
The committee recommends that the state
pay off the indebtedness of the institu-
ton and put 1t on it's feet again. Then
radically change its methods and practices
so that it can live within it's income,
which the committee says is now mad
equate.
The Orphans Home at Davenport is
commended as the most economically ad-
ministered government among the state
institutions. The educational institutions
many of the others, yet they have ways
that can be mended. For instance. one of
the schools employs teachers that are re-
lated to members of the board of trustees.
The Industrial schools have paid less in
mileage and per diem to their trustees
than any other of the institutions.
RecapitulatiOn and RecOmmenda-
ton.
In the recapitulation the committee
says: Entertaining the opinion, however,
that the major part of our criticisms re-
Ter 10 abuses inhering to the trustee syS-
TEN thorough measure of reform is the
only remedy. We attempted with some
care to prepare a list OF proposed stat
utory amendments, but on reelection it
was ascertained that the greater number