The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-11
called to Des Moines TO assist in awarding the
contracts for supplies and making known their

various needs,
system. under the direct SUPERVISION Of the
board, The superintendent are required TO
three months. aud bids are asked for furnish.
ing these supplies. Samples are sent to the of.
Nee OF the board and the contracts arc awarded
by the board This hns reSulte in great saving
ia the, cost OF all the goods purchased. The
board buys directly OF the manufacturers aud
that can he quoted to any concern. for
the purchases are in very large quantities
ire boafd BUYS no sappes Gk Smd
divides among the institutions wherever IL can
Dc done , ady9ntaGSous;y nrcterr1nS to Ivy al,
the last Legislature reduced the per capita
surport allowance Of all the nstit utiOns from
products have since advanced. the board has
been able to furnish bcttcr fare. improve the
service in many ways and, at the same time ac-
senting saying Of about that amount as COM
pared with the trustee system: when every dol
lar was used and funds were often overdrawn
This has been done without any sacrifice of
comfort to the inmates Of the institutions, In
for they get better food and rs rule more of
i. Every institution is REQUIRED TO submit its
dietary to the board and 1t mus, be aN1ndant
the proper variety. This, question has
received TIN, most careful consideration
are at the head OF the institutions, and the pa
ttents and inmates have EXPRESSED their appre-
citation Of the imrtoyement made possible by
ducei in nearly ali the grades OF employ
meht, and numerous unnecessary employees
the Sl2 month allowed for the support Of the
insane into three funds of equal parts. for
The board has devised system OF book
keeping that makes i necessary, for all sup
person who handles supplies has to give re-
ceipt for what he gets, and has to show what
dnG D Tth The G %bn can tell by Its
has on hand or should have. Officers or en-
p,loyees are not allowed to take articles for
even by paying for them. unless they are OF tho
class listed as u part Of their compensation.
The inmates are TO have as good fare as the
pockets They used to take out the e'' ch 0E@
cuts OF meat for their own use. paying therefor
the cost of the whole carcass per Mound. leav-
ing the undesirable parts for the inmates All
No officer or employee OF the boa rd or of any in
stitutOn is allowed to receive gift in any way
ton, 1t used to be the custom for firms that got
good contracts from institutions to remcm Der
the officers In q, substantial way at Christmas
time, if not in other ways, and to send presents
for all the inmates. This IL no more.
Al the superint tI except the WHrdens
The Wardens are elected 10y the Legislature
The superintendents appoint all their as
sistants. officers am; employees aud the board
has nothing to say about II. aud It Is misde-
meanor for any member OF the hoard or OIL
Ger thereof to attempt to influence the super
plOyees or assistants. The salaries and num-
Der Of these employees and assistants are fixed
by the board.
Politics has not been permitted to enter the
Institutions The law makes 1t an offence
punishable by removal from office for any
member officer OF the Board of Control or
any othcer or employee OF an institution to
directly or indirectly attempt to influence 9TH
err officers or employees OF tho State to adopt
his political views or to favor any candidate
for Office, or who shall in any manner contrib
ute money or any other valuable thing for
~ hoa
entirely effective.
The reforms instituted by the Board of Con-
being begun: All the officers and employers
will be uniformed July |. 1892 The chief
introduction OF business methods in all tho in
stitutt CnS, the doing away with every form Of
invoritism. and ne general improvemcnt in
the enormous saving in cost OF management.
while VII the quality has been raised o.! around
the high standing OF the men composing tho
board, and the testimony Of tho supcrintend-
ents themselves as TO improvements over the
at first opposed the introduction ofthe system.
and it is firmly established in Iowa.
The care OF the insane is the prOblom that
will next he discussed in the state. and there
Is some danger that Iowa may have to pass
that of New York Several counties hnv" bailt
large asylums Tor the care Of their incurabo
Insane and are demanding their return iron,
for cheaper and just as wei IN the county
houses. the Board of Control has re-
fused to give up these insane persons to
county. cnrc without the approval OF the
Commissioners " Insanity. the relatives Of
tn" patient and the superintendent Of tn" hos
pttal where the ratent now is. Heretofore
counties have secured the return OF their in
sane upon the demand OF the county Board
OF Supervisors. regardless of the wishes Of
patients relatives and friends. or Of tho
opinion OF The superintendent of the State
hospitals. MANY OF these patients have not been
well cared for have received no treatment and
have been confined in v"ritahle Warehouses;
Tho board does not intend 10 allow this to
go any further. II SAYS that if the counties re
allowed to take this class Of patients from tho
state hospitals it will greatly increase tn" cost
OF operating them. because thcs" patients are
able to work require little care and hCip to re-
duco tho cost Of caring for tn" acute or violent
cases Tho state hospitals. II is shown. can
care for them much more chrapy and better
than the county asyulns. II the item of medical
attendance is not considered. This is what
constitutes thr diTcrcnc" between the State
hospitals and the county nsyums The prob
Ian M ID be llsrM sod by tho nnNi IegIslnturn