The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-01-06
The separate board plan contemplates a

not forgetful of the great burden that
those classes are upon society; willing to
and SO situated that they can give their
best efforts and time to the service of the
state in connection with the institution to
which they are appointed, without COM
pensation.
The single board plan presumes small
body of men possessed of excellent bust
ness ability and who have become by
training and experience experts in the
conduct of institutions, and in the treat
mt.nt of the unfortunate of the several
classes, devoting their whole time and
energy to their duties and receiving ade-
quate compensation. They are better
competent to judge of the qualifications
needed for superintendent, stewards, and
other subordinates and employees. They
are also competent to act upon all requisi-
tions and to decide finally what expense
ought to be incurred and pass upon &C
counts. They are free from local inau-
ences and politics, and political considera-
tions do not enter into the discharge of
their duties. These are the highest ideals
for either plan, and it is needless for me
to add that the actual results fall far
short of the ideal in both.
The dangers to which the separate board
plan is liable are that men with the quail
ifications indicated, and who have the
means so that they can afford to devote
the requisite time to the work required
without compensation, are difficult to
find, and that in practice political consid-
erations frequently control appointments
to these positions. That as result, the
resident member becomes, to all intents
and purposes, the board for the institu-
ton, and that it's management will be
given turn beneficial to local business
and political interests; that each institu-
ton thus becomes a separate factor, and
the local member or board becomes an adj
vocate, and frequently lobbyist, for it's
special advancement without reference to
the needs of the other institutions, or of
the best interests of the state as whole.
This latter is probably the most repre-
hensible feature of our present system in
this state.
Dangers of the Central Board.
The dangers to which the central board
of control is exposed, it seems to me, may
be summarized as follows: That the APP
pointments to them are as likely to take
the political complexion as in the make
up of the separate boards. If inefficiency
or lack of probity find place, the resulting
power. There is also greater danger of
stagnation, and that demoralizing and
beaurocratic spirit may gain ascendancy
in the long run. The single board plan
possesses advantages over the other in
point OF economy, Notwithstanding the
fact that it's officers ara salaried-- The ak.
penses of the separate board, which In this
state amount to. considerably over Sc, 900
per annum, with small per diem allowed
in some instances, would go far toward
paying salaries
Aside from this great gain would re-
suit from the buying of supplies for all
the institutions by one board.
Governor Lind strongly recommends,
in the event that the ''single board" plan
is not adopted, the system known as
'analyzed accounts" Instead of the
steward reporting to the board of trustees
a long list of items purchased during the
month or quarter, as the case may be, and
having the bill passed upon in gross as is
now the practice in our institutions, the
aggregate sum only being reported to the
board of corrections and charities, the en-
tire account should be transmitted in de-
tail to this board and the items analysed
and grouped under the proper headings.
By that means, it would be possible for
the board of corrections and charities at
their meetings to determine at a glance,
not only the aggregate expenditures I'M
der given head in each institution, but
the different items under that head with
the prices paid. If great discrepancies
were apparent, they would promptly be
called to the attention of the boards and
stewards at fault.
Benefits of This System.
By the introduction of this system, any
member of your body, or myself, could
step into the Office of the secretary of the
board of corrections and charities in this
building, and ascertain instantly the ex-
penses, say for butter. vegetables, flour,
clothing house furnishings or fuel, or any
other item in any of our institutions in
any preceding month, and this not only
as to quantity purchased, but as to prices
paid. This we cannot do now. The re-
ports now required and kept only deal in
lump sums.
The secretary of the board of corrections
and charities has at my request furnished
an estimate of the additional expenses in
cident to the introduction of this system.
He is of the opinion that an assistant
clerk at a salary of ST. 900 or 81 200 per an
WOulu D0 dD10 To no UQ0 WOrk. An
appropriation of 81, 500 for clerk hire and
other expenditures incident to the intro
duction of this system is earnestly recon-
mended This, of course, in the event
that you do not adopt the plan of a CEN
trail board of control.
Other State Institutions.
Under the head of state institutions the
governor also calls attention of the legis-
lature to the reports submitted. He sug-
gests that the binding Irvine output of
the state prison might well be increased,
and that the st. Cloud reformatory in
mates might well be put to work at rails
ing sugar beets.
In the matter of education Governor
Lind makes the suggestion that the pre-
paratory departments of state normal
schools might well be abolished, because
the work done therein is such as is done
in the high schools of the state, and that
their maintenance is practically superfiu-
GUS. He recommends liberal appropria-
lions for the state university, to whose
work he calls special attention Another
recommendation is that publishing of
free text books in use in the schools of
the state should be done on state account.
This is already done in several states.
AGRICULTURE.