The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-27
nNjRT IS FAVORABLE
SPECIAL COMMISSION ENDORSES
THE BOARD OF CONTROL
IDEA.
GOVERNOR RECOMMENDS IT
Is More Economical and Gives Bet
ter Results for the Money Spent
Than the Separate Board
System.

GOV. van SAINT yesterday transmitted
to the legislature the report of the spe-
cial commission appointed by himself TO
investigate board of control systems for
public institutions in neighboring states.
The commission having visited Michigan.
Illinois, Iowa and Wisconsin are favor
ably impressed With the adVisability of
Minnesota adopting the board of control
plan The governor, in pre2e ntng the
report of the commission, says:
In my judgment there viii be no more
important measure presented to this reg
islatUre than the proposed law creating a
Doaru OF control TOR the management OF
oUr correctional ana charitable inSti1u-
uCnS. it is generally conceded that the
proposed plan would result in a large
saVInS to the state. The main objection
urged against the bill by the public press
anu those opposed to il, was that, while
IL might be beneficial in a peciniarI
way, IL would diminish the efficiency and
lessen the comforts Of the inmates, and
would not be so progressive along hd-
manitarlan lines and that the wards of
the state would not receive the same care
as under the former system. If this were
true, the measure ought not to pass.
After receiving the commissioners re-
port l am more thoroughly convinced
than ever that the law creating board
OF control should pass / agree With the
recommendations of the commission In
closing their report, and especially urge
that q section be added TO the Dill, as
suggested prohibiting political lnterfe7.
ence with the management OF the state
institutions for any political purpose, ana
providing punishment therefor. Every
care should be exercised so that the man
"a ement Of these institutions should be
free from political influences. and all en-
ployes should be selected for their eff
cheney and should be discharged for
cause only
The commission made the following re-
port:
In view of the arguments which have
Il CT Ip n
troll and its prospective management or
the state installations Of Minnesota, your
commissioners made particular Study
of the institutions themselves. as &c tnelf
comparative condition and operation unIer
the present plan, and we find that the
buildings. furniture, food, clo.-inS, mum
Der and character CT attendants, sanitary
arrangements medical and surgical ap-
planes, and every other necessity or
convenience affecting the health. sur
rOundingS and improved condition of the
inmates under the board OF control III
both of these states have been I'M
proved and now receive the largest share
of their attention and consideration. In
no case did VIC find con1lton. either
general or particular, less conducive 10
the comfort convenience or reformaton
of the inmates. than under the cid syS-
ten: nor did we find that economy, or
the saving Of money, had received, at the
hands of the board, any paramount Goa
SideGatiOn as against these other { le-
mCnts CT the problem before them. WITH
out execution, the superintendcnts stated
that under the board OF control they mao
been given larger latitude for lnd!Vldu-
atty Of opinion, and for sIch partlculi.f
continent in any of the directions lndl-
Gated as to them seemed necessary.
than they had ever enjoyed under 10
cal board system.
ticular attention to the improved bathing
and surgical appliances recently intro
AuCcd at Oshkosh by DR.. Gordon, TO the
men bedroom doors Of Tearly all inmates
n-1,1 och nd at
ual training and cooking school at Coun-
FL Bluffs, and to the general cleanliness
and order of every institution we saw.
The several superintendent also united
IN saving that Under the present system
Ihev aie entirely relieved from the FORMER
burden of looking after and procuring
adequate support, and from the m@ci;thi-
ral duties connected with the purchase
of and payment for supplies. That they
nre no longer expected or required 10 go
before legislative committees to set 1Ortn
the needs of their institutions, hut are
left free to pursue their legitimate func-
ticnS connected with the needs Oh thelr
institutions That the local organization
and influence of each locality for new
buildings and additional support IS no
longer a care and q burden to them but
that having expressed their opinion and
Judgment to the board of control, they
and the community in which each mstl.
1ut:nn is located. are wholly relieved of
further responsibility and duty along this
line They further state that their quar-
tetly conferences, and the publication Of
q quarterly bulletin, have enabled them
to exchange ideas and to cooperate much
more fully than ever before.
One other subject was of great interest
to your commissioners and was made
matter of special investigation. We were
Informed, both in Wisconsin and Iowa
that the board of control itself was
wholly free from political influence and
from Interference on the part of pOliti-
clans We were also informed by the
governors of both states. and by every
other state official whom we consulted,
that no suggestion having for its basis
a political advantage would for mo-
mcnt be consider ed by the board or any
enc under its control or supervision. Mem
beTs Of the legislature and private cti-
EenS corobOrated these statements. The
Iowa law contains provision making any
such interference penal OtfenSe. And
while Wisconsin does lot have this pro-
vision, the same results seem to have
been attained, and their system is at
present wholly free from any political
interference.
III view Of the above statements and
from al that we saw, we have reached
the following conclusions:
First-That Iowa and Wisconsin have
succeeded in decreasing the cost of MAIN
tenance in all institutions placed under
the management Of their boards of con-
troll.
Second-That they have practically
succeeded in eliminating politics from
the management of state institutions.
directly in charge of state institutions a
wider latitude in which TO maintain their
personality and efficiency.
FOurth-That they have eliminated To-
cal controversy from the question of
dividing the states bounty. and prevented
legislative combinations for that pur-
pose.
Fifth-That they have not only pre-
served, but extended, the humane, educa-
tional and reformatory purposes for
which the institutions were established
n study of the bill now pending before
the Minnesota legislature. in connection
with our investigation, leads US to also
recommend:
First-That the bill be so amended that
the provision for the payment Of money
through local treasurers be eliminated
ments be made directly by the state
treasurer.
SecOnd-That a section be added pro
hihiting political interference with the
management of state institutions in any
way, and soliciting contributions for any
political purpose, and providing punish
ment thereof.
Third-That the board employ only
superintendents, wardens and matronS.
and thar superintendent and matrons he
authorized to both employ and discharge
ali other employees without interference
on the part of the beard of control if
holding them responsible for the success
ful administration Of the institutions.
Fourth-That for the present. educa-
cational institutions be excepted. and tha
provisions referring to them stricken
from the bill.
Once tried, always used. The Mime
apolis & st. Louis road to Omaha.