The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-02
STATE CONTROL II nNA.
SHOWING or COZ.
Duct OF PCDLsC sSsTITUTIOxs.

New Teslk-Roaatseal HsvesitasD.
Abolished. Better Essa fes Is-
mates. saA Large Savin9s MADE.
Iowa II now enjoying the successful cper-
Alton OF New York law enlarged ana
made applicable 20 Iowa conditions 1t -
the board Of control law. which was pass
ed by the legislature in 1855 and went into
eject july /, lspe. IL Is the result Of long
agitation. Iowa has three large state hos
pitfalls for the insane, and the fourth Is
nearly completed. two penitentiaries. two
industrial or reform schools. an institusion
for feebie-minded children, = school for the
deaf and one TOR the blind. = soldiers or
phane home. and an Industrial home tor
the blind. soldiers home ana q home fer
fallen women. State university, normal
school and an agricultural collage. Each
one OF these was Under the management
Of separate board until last July. when
all but the educa tionai institutions and the
home for fallen women were placed under
the absolute control Of beard composed
OF three men.
The Iowa law ix more comprehensive
than tie New York Law. because il covers
more institutions and Of more varied
character. but It ia the same system in the
main. End to this fact is attributed the
~
determined ptnhrity developed In the SEN
ate when the bill was first brought up.
and IL Was under discussion there for more
than three weeks. Every section. eve-g
line. was subjected to the most searching
criticism, and when the bill finally energ-
ed. with a good majority, II was shorn Of
all that could be shown to be objection
able or not applicable 10 the conditions in
this state. Yet 30 carefully had IL been
prepared by It's author that Ii was but
little changed from the f1rst draft. The
house attached . provision for the partial
supervision Of the educational institutions
and passed the bill In less than an hour.
Gov. Shaw. though doubling the expedt-
ency OF the new system In many ways.
approved the bill. and BY publication It
became law at once. 20 the board could
be appointed and begin ito preparations for
the work.
The governor appoints the three men,
beers Of the board for terms Of xix years
each. the Arst appointments being for two.
four and six YEAR,. and each receives $500
year salary. His FIRST appointments were
William Larrabee, former governor. chair
man. l.. G. Kfnne. Democrat. former judge
OF the supreme court. four years. and John
Cown.e, one OF the most prominent farm
ers In the state, for six years. The nom-
nations were confirmed promptly by the
senate and the board began Immediately
to prepare Its system Of control and rec
ords. assuming charge OF all the instita-
tons under its jurisdiction July I, 1895.
The board Is required to visit ali the
institutions In body once In six months
and examine into their financial condition
and management and hear complaints and
for this purpose has the power TO summon
witnesses A member Of the board or Its
secretary is required 10 Wis.,; each Of the
hespitats for the insane once a month.
~ ~ ~ No
board Is required to naks estimates. and
plans By the state architect mus. be pre-
senfed for ali buildings OF improvements
asked from the legislature. which are APP
proved by the board. The board Is to
make all such Recommendations and fur
nish the legislature with the Necessary
information regarding them. The board Is
also directed 10 recommend such iegisla-
tion az may be beneicial to the institu-
tons, II was supposed that after years
trial numerous changes would probably
have TO be made In the law, but Chair
man Larrabee says that very few changes
win be necessary and these not important.
The men who made the law builded bet
ter than they knew he said. They fol-
lowed the New York law 80 closely. and
that has been so well tried. that they made
very few mistakes"
Gov. Larrabee WAS one Of those who
doubted the pracucsbility Of the board OF
control system. and he has been convinced
by Its operation that II is a good thing.
as long As IL is in the hands OF the right
kind OF men. who will no. abuse its pow
ers.
The law requires the board to hold quar-
terry conferences with the superintendents
of all the institutions. for the exchange Of
IDEAS IN regard to institution management
and the suggestion Of improvements. as
we'll as the discussion OF scientific Ques-
tons OF mutual interest. Two OF these
conferences have been held and reports
OF the papers and discussions published.
They have been very profitable for ali con-
cerned. The saperinteneenis are also
called 10 Dies Mo.nes 10 assist In awarding
the contracts for supplies and making
known their various needs.
The buying is all on the competitive con-
tract system under the direct supervision
Of the board The superintendent are
required TO furnish estimates of what they
will require for three months. and b,as
are asked for furnishing these supplies
Samples are sent TO the office of the board
and the contracts are awarded by the
board. This has resulted In a grea, saw
ing in the cost es ali the goods purchased
The board buys directly og the nianufac-
gsirers and for cash. aud gets the very
lowest prices that can be quoted 10 any
concern. for the purchases are In very
In bulk and divides among the institutions
whenever 1t can be done advansaEeousiy
preserrsng to buy all of one kind at goods
% one concern Though the last iegssla-
ture reduced the per capita support allow
ance Of all the institutions from 10 10 IS
per cent ana prices OF many food pro-
duets have since advanced. the board has
been aole 10 furnish better fare. improve
the service In many ways. and at the same
time accumulate a surplus OF aoout silB.-
lsa representing q saving OF about tnat
amount as compared with the trustee
system when every dollar was used and
funds were often oyer1rawn-
This has nacn done without any sacrs-
Ace % comfort 10 the inmates 90 the tnsii-
buttons. In fact. they are better cared
for than ever before, for they get Better
fsai and a. a rsile. more ~ II. Every
institution IL required 90 submit its dietary
IL the board. and ii must he abundant.
Wholesome az the best quality ami Of ibe
proper variety. THIS question has received
the usost careful consideration 81 The
board and the asaio specialists wno are at
sae head of the institutions. and the pa
TENTS ard inmates have expressed tassr