The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-02-22

I
.Tenth-Because Of the location Of a
reform school for boys and girls in ore
building, as provided in this bin. would
6e a gros outrage against public and
private morality. a reflection on the in
teIngence and character Of the legislative
body, and would result in the complete
destruction Of all reformatory methods
or influences among the boys and girls
Of such an institution.
Because the contracts au-
| thorzed by the bill are not properly
guarded. ana the expenditure Of the ap-
| propriations would be subject to the
! greed OF contractors. directors, superin-
| tendents and agents.
'4Twelfth-Because, in founding the PEN
al and charitable institutions Of what is
! destined to be a great state. the general
interests Of the great body Of the people
should be paramount TO petty local inter-
ests and legislative schemes to provide
the same.
"AIr. President: The passage Of this
bin will inhict an unparalleled outrage
upon the people Of Oklahoma. The path
way its promoters and supporters have
marked out for themselves viii be strewn
with political wrecks and dead mems
bones. The men who pay the taxes, the
men who are careful Of the financial rep
utation and character OF our beloved
Oklahoma, the men who live on the farms
and are out Of debt because OF the gener-
osty Of the government Of the United
States, IN enacting the free homes bill;
the men who live in the cabins and the
dug-outs, struggling in their manhood to
support their wives and fami -, with
the hope Of a brighter future, viii hear
and read Of the great wrong you are
about to perpetrate. They win condemn
1t in their homes and they viii exercise
the right of Independent freemen IN re-
buking It in no uncertain terms.
For the reasons stated herein, and for
a multitude Of other reasons not set forth
in this protest, I vote no on the passage /
Of this bin"
Senator Todd voiced his objections to
the bill in the following explanation Of
his vote:
This measure when weighted in the /
balance is found wanting The one idea (
uppermost IN all its various and sundry /
chapters and sections is a raid on the /
treasury. It POUNDS the pentitendary at, /
or near, a city where neither building 1
stone CT other necessary material exists, /
and can only be had by freighting the .
same long distances at great and unneces-
sary cost The same objections attach TO
the asylum proposed to be founded at
Enid.
a portion Of its unholy cargo Is the {
founding of a reform school for boys and
girls. I kno wof no state in this Union
wherein the experiment Of reforming re-
formatory and incorugable youths of both
sexes under the same roof has been at
tempted Certainly no such experiment
has proved successful. In my opinion
the provisions of this act would found a
house Of prostitution, instead Of a reform
atory.
These summary objections go mainly
to the loosely drawn features of this
which opens every avenue
of the public purse, invites and makes
possible the expenditure Of stupenduous
sums Of money with no thought or re-
gard for the building ard government Of
the institutions it seeks to found. accord
ing to any known modern principles.
TT POUNDS a penitentiary with as little I
thought of the purpose It serves as the
rural architect would give pig-pen i
ct erects an asylum with no thought
Of its inmates. 4
1T erects a so-called reform school for s
boys, ana n sa portion Of the proposed re-
attaches a he nhouse depart J
ment for vile and licentous girls ,
Should this measure ever be placed in 7
practical operation, I venture the guess T
that its result viii be the erection of ?
at least two criminal factories. from r
whose unholy doris will emerge more ready !
made and up-to-date criminals than all 6
other agencies combined. f
Il further utter a solemn protest q
against the passage OF this measure be- 4
,aues Of the fact that the ermins Of our +
institutions have united for :
,es with these ubiquitous dens Of doubt =
'ul character to plumber the treasury and r
divide the swag.
This measure was Matched in darkness, 4
wears a mask as It fits past US without
lowing its compliments or leaving its 6
ard Is
Believing. therefore. that this measure r
$ a cinection Of evil, The like Of which 4
las never been seen before, and being 4
'owerIess to stay its progress. utter my +
protest and vote no. 4
Besides tne public building bill the coun- +
fl this morning passed House Bill No. 81. @
~ Reid an act 70 punish frauds upon q
lotel and boarding house keepers; coun- is
IL Bill 49, by Woolsey, an act to author n
re the establishment and maintenance OF r.
ounty high schools: House Bin So. by :
Alexander an act relating TO liens on do ii
nestle animals
The following bills were introduced IN
he council this moning: =
~ ar rnrr