The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-03
STATE. BOARDS OF coNTRo1.

The establishment of a. state .boafd Sof'
control, having Jurisdiction over instIlu-
lions of charity and reform in the tiff-
ferent localities is one of the most i'm
portant of the questions of state policy
which will be acted on during the present
session of the legislature in this state.
The recommendation of the message of
Gov Van SAINT, and the weIl-defned
trend of thought on subjects of humane
consideration, point toward the estab-
lishment of central state administra-
tive body having supervision or control
over state, county and local penal, cor
receive and charitable institutions
At the present time there are only
some seven out Of the thirty states which
have secured complete Capitalization and
concentration of power in the manage
ment of such public institutions. The
movement is now, however, advancing
apace, and Minnesota must decide to take
its place among the advanced communities
in this regard or lag in tie rear. If the
state is true to itself, it will not only
Call into existence a state body Which
will have large responsibility, but it will
If it engages itself at all in the task, go
about it so that business principles, rath-
er than the loose. irresponsible and ex-
travagant methods of control which now
prevail, shall be put in operation
powers of state bodies of this character
have thus far been laid out. One of
these gives the state boards of control
powers of supervision, inspection and
recommendation, but leaves the business
management of each institution to a To-
cal board of trustees. The other invests
in them a positive control over the state
institutions and places the responsibility
squarely on the shoulders of their men,
bers, and also gives them control over
the local establishments in certain
phases of the work done by them. Either
of these two principles must be adopted
in any line of legislation put. In force
this winter. 1t will be followed by. I'm
portant consequences whichever of the
two principles is made to obtain, should
We decide upon the establishment of a
state board of control.
AS our state and local reformatory and
charitable institutions involving public
expenditure are now conducted, those at
the head or them are usually citizens
drafted from their private vocations, and
conserving to serve without compen-
sation or at such compensation as is
purely nominal. Each board manages it's
own concerns in its own way 1t takes
the statements of it's hired officials most
ly as gospel; and many an efficient cabal
exists today throughout the state among
those in control of our public institutions
of this character of which the public
never hears, which are quite effective
for the purposes, political and financial,
Of their members, and of which in many
cases even those who have the RESPONSE
bility from the people know nothing
whatever In the usual procedure, there
is a meeting held of one OF such bodies
in Some available city, not always the
city in which the institution is maintain-
ed. bills are presented and passed upon.
Auditors or changes in the admtnistra-
live staff are decided upon, and all is
done. either as dictated by party, political