The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-24
Charities Workers Discuss Their
State Institutions.
Advantages of Eliminating Poll
tics From Management.
JUDGE KLINE TALKS.
Methods Employed by Iowa
Board of Charities.
Jas. f. Jackson Discusses Con-
ditiOns in Minnesota.

O0C I'll lit IuOSI interesting pdPSIS |
presented to the conference Of correc-
ton and charities was read by Judge
L. G. Kline, ~ex-justice of the supreme
court of Iowa, at present a member
and chairman of the non-partisan board
of control recently created for the con-
troll and management of the charitable
institutions of that state. MS plan
is a new one in the west, but it a
met with much success in Iowa The
features Of the law outside of the pro-
visions for the management of the in
stitutionS, which Kansas might imi-
tate with good results, are the follow
ing:
Providing for the interchange of
products Of the various institution
farms.
To prevent the levying of political
assessment Upon members of the board
or officers and employees of the varie1s
Institutions.
Making it a misdemeanor for any per-
son to demand or solicit from any mem
Der of the board or from any employee
a contribution of money OF other thing
of value for election urpos or the
payment of any expenses whatsoever
of a political nature.
The board of control consists of three
and confirmed by two-thirds Of the sen
ate. The term of office is six years
and the salary $4,000 per annum and ex-
penses.
The law makes it a crime for any
member OF the board to accept gifts
from any one dealing with the institu-
tons. In Kansas this would do away
with the commissions which are paid
by business houses for the purchase of
their goods by the officers of these in
StitutiOnS. If a or officer Of
any institution contributes none to a
political purpose he forfeits his posi-
ton. It is also made a crime for any
member of the board to suggest the
appointment of an official or employe Of
the various institutions.
Were the Kansas governors punished
for this where would the majority Of
them be now?
The chief executive officer of the
Iowa institutions appoints and removes
all SubOrdinates. The board appoints
and removes all chief executive Off
GERS. Attention to duty, efficiency"
said Judge Kline. ARE the tests ap-
piled to employees"
This board is required to make a BIZ
ennial eport to the governor; to ex-
hibit the cost of managing the institu-
TONS; to visit all institutions once in
six months; that a member or the sec
rotary of the board shall visit each of
the hospitals at least once a month; to
meet the superintendent of all the in
suitutions in a quarterly conference; to
provide fire protection and fire escapes;
to require all employees handling money
to give bond; to require specific and
regular inventories of all property; to
annually fix the salaries of all officers
and employees except the chief executive
officers, whose salary is fixed by law.
Before the board of control took
charge of the Iowa institutions the
legislature the appropriations
800, 900. At the end of the first year
the board had $119, coo of the ~appropria-
lions u-nexpended. This saving was
made and many improvements were
made at the same time. Some of the
salaries Of the subordinates were raised,
too, but at the same time some of the
high-priced officers were cut down.
The officers of the institutions are
permitted to draw for all members of
their family under q years of g sup
plies from the institution stock, and
such officers are prohibited from buy
ing with state money anything to eat
which the institution stock does not
furnish and which does not find its
way to the tables for the inmates.
Each institution has regularly organ
lied and drilled fire companies among
the inmates. All officers and employee.
are uniformed. This feature, Judge
Kline says, has done more to increase
the efficiency of the discipline thar
would twice the humble of men prowl-
ing around in disguise watching for in
fractions of the rules and regulations
MR.. JACKSON'S PAPER.
The paper entitled THE Management
l of Jails," presented by Mr.. Jas. F.Jack
son Of Minnesota, is along the same lint
, DuI SHOWS more especially now 1dll
are conducted in Minnesota:
The prominent idea of Jail manage
ment has been that of retaining tn
= prisoners body. The management o
l the Jail as regards influence on tn
l prisoners character is practically un
. Known.
, We are so interested in locking VI
; our man to produce him at the prope
= time that we lose sight of the by-pro
= ducts of the jail, the conserving and i'm
4 provement of the morals of h prisoner
An analysis of the kinds of population
is the basis of classification for con
, struction- Construction must provid
j for all classes who are under ~thesherin'
-; control, men and women, the innocent
/; the insane. the youth, the Academia
n criminal, the morally depraved and tn
desperate criminal. A statement O
these various classes is itself suficien
n argument for classification.
: The value of separate confinement
may be illustrated by the following in
cident: Three men were committed t
Y a Jail for a petty theft; each was direct
ed to a separate cell, whereupon tn
t leader turned to the jailor and said
do we have to stay each in his ow
ceTs2" Being Informed that they di,
he replied: well, if I had know'd tha
I would never have come; didn't use
to be this way"
For three years or more no iails hav
been constructed in Minnesota exceI
upon plans approved by the state boar
of corrections and charities. The ger
eral rule in the smaller counties is I
build a two story brick Jail and sheriff
residence. On Zach floor of the Jail al
four cells, two on either side of a CON
mon corridor. and a solid door frol
e this common corridor is the only opeI
ing to each cell.
Separate confinement is humane an
it is an to the individual
l, the principles of classification.
= The separate system of confnemel
in county jails has been unanimous
u advocated by careful observers. Firs
to secure the salutary effect of a fir
le arrest upon inexperienced offender
often dissipated by association; secon
to prevent the c~ontagion of crime. Viii
results. according to The testimony