The Norfolk weekly news., 1900-10-25


paign promise. no matter at what sac.
rilice. Governor Poyntcr had on moro
than one occasion expressed confidence
and satisfaction In and with my man
agement of the Beatrice institution. so
there could have been absolutely no
reason for making change other than
to discharge a campaign pledge or pla.
cate certain politicians who were loud
ly demanding recognition.
THE affairs at the Beatrice inStitu-
tion are very much unsettled Only
few days ago one of the children from
Douglas county was taken away be-
cause its parents believed that II could
not be cared for properly with the
change and consequent inexpcricnce of
new employees The parents of another
child from Dakota county visited the
institute a few days ago and found
their child in such II condition that
they were constrained by parental inn
pulse to take 1t away.
"rhc people OF Nebraska can not nf-
ford to let such disgraceful conditions
continue. 1t is crying shame that
helpless and defenscless people should
be made to suffer simply that the de-
mands of politicians may be fulfilled.
1t certainly presents n spectacle to the
unbiased voter which should move
him to register an emphatic protest.
! have no concern in the matter other
than for the public good when | say
that Governor Poyntcr should be de-
feated. In the past he has been unable
to break away from the political wire
pullcrs and there is no reason to expect
anything different should he be re-
elected. In many of the institutions
at this very time the employees are
wondering what the future has in
store for them and are 'devoting more
time to their political cares than to
| their official duty.
"Thc custom of lcvying an assess
ment on officials and employees of these
various institutions has become quite
general under the Poynter administra-
| ton. and it is needless to say that it
has done much to take the authority
out of the hands of the Governor and
place it in the hands of the politicians
! thus greatly demoralizng the service
After an employ has been compelled to
divide up his salary with the politicians
| and having knowledge that the COVER
nor, who appointed him to his position.
knows that that division Of salary
was made, he feels as If he Is under no
further obligations and is at liberty to
perform his duties as he sees fit.
This has taken the authority to main
tain discipline and keep things in their
proper working order out of the hands
of the Superintendent, and the result
! is that each employe is authority unto
himself Nothing but Generalization
has, or ever can, result from such con-
ditions.
81 am thoroughly familiar with con-
dtions as they obtain in nearly all the
institutions of the state and I say,
without fear of contradiction, that
there never has been time when tho
public service was more severely Grip
pied than at present, and there never
has been a governor who has shown
less respect for the public welfare
than the present incumbent.
"Certainly under such condition of
affairs no progress can be made either
in improving the conditions of the in
mates of these institutions, reducing
expenses or in perfecting the public
service. think the figures will bear
me out when | say that Governor
Poynter's administration has been a
very expensive one to the tax payers.
Properly managed, the institutions
could be maintained at much less cost
and the benefits could be made much
greater 1t is folly to expect that you
can use positions in these institutions,
from superindent down, as legal tender
for the payment of political debts with
out incurrng much additional ex-
pense and at the same time destroy
ing efficiency.
"I base my statement on what
know of my own personal knowledge
while superintendent at Beatrice
when I say that there has been muc'
corruption prscticed under the present
state administration. remember al
one time that large amount of grocer
les and provisions were shipped to
the institute at Beatrice from Lincoln
without ever having been ordered by
any one in authority. The 6rst l knew
that such a shipment had been made
was when I received notice from the
railroad company that there was q
consignment of goods for the institute
at the depot. had placed no such
order, but upon investigating l found
that the shipment was instigated by
the governors agents. The goods re
mained at the station several weeks
and there was considerable waste
from destruction by rats and exposure
to the weather. When notified by th'
agent that a large amount of goods
had been shipped there. had nc
knowledge concerning where the goods
came from and was iAclined to rejec'
them, but after some correspondence
the steward was requested by certain
members of the state board to accsp