The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1901-01-12

N'AAN - ~ StAA4S StAI WI z
Ing at ~ cents. A large biennial deficit
had been the rule at the school every
year during his eleven years misnlan-
July 4. 1888, to July. I, 1899 CAinsworth's
last Year,, the total expense for main
tenance wa 20,6sS.s an average per
Of sl5:sl. From July i, 1899, to July j.
1900 tTonpkins' period, the cost of ma!n-
tenance was sil,O55.7, an average Of
Sssn.sl p per .1n month % and a per cap!ta esr
capita cost Of maintenance of 1914 in ia
vor of the Tompkins period. MIR. Tomp-
klns returned 81. 2d2. 80 to the state treas
Ing. his first year he saved $22,l50 from his
maintenance n cash funds. Aside from
this he has made many needed improve
years & by judicious use of money at
hand and without an additional dollar Of
appropriations.
During the last five years of his stay
IN the institution MIR. Ainsworth was not
under bond, a neglect of the board Of
charities and corrections which may ac-
handled public funds. / do not believe
the institution can ever attain the fun
measure OF its possibilities while located
a. nKinton While III a good country
to raise the varied crops adapted
to the work OF hoys of the age OF the
inmates. The boys under instruction
there are human beings with hopes and
growth of the crops and to be continually
~isappoint Is we'll calculated to sour
ailzinE. If this institution had been To-
Gated in n section OF our state adapted
TO all sorts of agriculture, where failures
are unusual, and provided with two sec
tons of land. II, could rave been made
almost self-sustaining. For confirmation
OF this statement | refer YOU to The re-
although on a much smaller scale. If
the Plankinton institution could be con-
verted TO some other state purpose and
the reform school properly located a
tanning itself, could easily be built up.
To agricultural training should be added
the trades or harness, shoe. broom and
other suitable industries.
fcnitcntiary Affairs.
An Investigation of the affairs of the
penttentiary just prior to a change of :id-
mtnlstration showed better hagen
as q whole than was found to exist in the
other Institutions, but disclosed the same
lack of civic virtue. 1t was found on In
~stigati that a fund known as the
hide fund" derived from the sale OF
beeves butchered for the institution and
used by the Warden in the purchase
of cigars for the members of the board
OF charities and corrections and for Wis
TORS; also that large quantities OF iron
pipe belonging TO the institution had been
appropriated by certain members Of the
board. The salary of the warden was
his wife, $500 per Yea y N Owe ntarr9 q,
1855, the salary of the warden was made
ssVp per annum. On that,day there was
tse0 w pS enc n Maf 3. Ph i s. s. p i,hMliP tho to
back salary grab having been dated from
April 3, 1888, and running to December 3,
ISIS, five years and eight months. or 500
per year. Henry PeteGson, deputy war
den. was paid $500 March 4, 1889. back sal
airy from July ], 1883, to July !, 1897, four
years, at sloo per year, For four years
drew 500 per year as, superintendent of
quarries'' from the fund derived from
the sale of firm products. During the
sceived $40 per year In addition to his
regular salary as assistant gatekeep-
err These are a few Of the disclosures
they give an approximate Idea OF the free
and easy method of handling public
money which has been going on for so
many years IN u public institutions.
scrutiny by the public examiner, and that
a neW and better standard of official
these matters have been reformed under
the present management. The salary OF
the officers has been reduced to the old
level, which was high enough. A heavy
quarry during the last year for the cree
ton of public Institutions, o43 cars OF
stone of a value of sl5,l47 having been
produced. Ih1S has weakened the guard
able escapes of prisoners, none OF when
have 50 far voluntarily returned to dis
most of whom have been captured and
returned to the pen'tentiary.
Ono Institution Without Scandal,
The school for deaf mutes is an instl-
tuition which seems always to have been
functions as well as for the rules OF com
mon honesty. No scandals have ever been
attached TO II. No gross business mis-
present attendance is tifty-two, and the
progress made by the students is of the
most tlattering character. Professor
Simpson earnestly urges The necessity Of
OF the children would be greatly
benefited by such instruction as some
nave not entirely lost the owe OF artic-
appropriations for the next two wears ae-
gregating s5S,9go. of which s3,50o is asked
for a site and hospital and si5,eoo for the
erection of Il main building.
me asylum for the blind at Gary is n
ialr Illustration of the ease with which
institutions may be created if no regard
Is had for the continually increasing de-
mands for money which those institutions
entail. Since 1893 the state has had n.
contract with the owa college for the
Nint4n, Ia, under the terms of which
our blind have been educated at a per
capita cost OF s162 per year, the total cost
p per Yea :, b Sa as fo slss 1872, appro-
priation $1,000, used s5s2.69; 1885, appro-
priation- 81, 296. used s655,GS 1895. apDro-
pIriation 8, 2as, used s53l; 1857. a%ppropria-
ton 81, 2s6, used SI4s,S0. Under this con-
tract we could nave educated an of the
present South Dakota population Of the
cent; interest on the money now asked
for buildings and maintenance. AT the
price charged for the maintenance of our
bilnd under the Iowa contract we could
educate Ill students with the money now
asked for maintenance alone at the Gary
institution. This, is a greater number OF
have.
Whatever difference of opinion there
be regarding the policy of establish
Ing these public institutions Mt a time
SO far IN d of the real necessity
for them, once established they should
be properly provided for.
Miss Donald estimates the necessary
s44, 900.
State Finances.
Despite heavy appropriations made by
the last legislature and the neglect of
that body to pass measures to produce
revenue equal to increased expenses, the
state Is In good condition financially.
The receipts Of the treasurer for the last
Two years have exceeded 81, 900, 600 per
June SO. 1899, he had a cash bal
ance of 1851, l1o.44 and June 80, 1900. he
had a cash balance of .S5a5, 70l. 81. State
:, - ~ haNG DSGli req SltIGE SINCE June
90, 1883, owing to the depletion of hi
FUND by appropriations in excess OF cur
rent revenues. An interest charge Of
$a,s9l.2S has been paid or these warrants
at the rate of I per cent. per annum.
The registration of warrants has not re-
suited in their depreciation: they have
been cnshed at par at all times and
would he eagerly sought for as an In
Vestment at q lower rate of interest than
that now fixed by law.
1t seems absurd that a state should
tie Its hands by the creation of separate
funds and be forced to pay interest on
Its own money or suffer depreciation Of
Its paper. For two years the banks in
which the treasurer deposits his funds
held nearly half q million dollars
belonging to the different state funds.
still the state has paid the banks inter,
est to keep its general fund warrants at
par, We have paid the bank cashiers Il
per cent to transfer our money from one
state fund to another. What would Be
thought of the intelligence OF a business
who helplessly paid interest to some
third party to transfer his money from
pocket to another? Some method
should be devised to allow a safe trans-
fer of funds and avert the further reg
of general fund warrants.
1t would seem that some legislative
measure sufficiently flexible can be en-
acted by which the school fund, now
large and rapidly growing, could be In
more readily in our state obliga-
/ see no good objection to the com
missioner of schooi and public lands buy
registered geucTli fund warrants