Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-06-25
IH[ CONFERENCE IDEA
Suggested That Conferences Of
State Institution Superin-
tendents Expand.
Might Profitably Admit Other
State and County Officials
to Meetings.
Senator Allison as a Presiden.
tial Possibility.-Tom Way
in Warren.
ecial to Times Republican.

/
Des Moines, June 25.-it has been sug-
gested by one who has made consider
able study of the problem of care and
control of the state wards and help Of
1.-The unfortunates that the series of con-
fsrences. held quarterly, participated in
by the superintendent and principals OF
Iowa state institutions and members Of
the board of control ought to be ex-
/ panded 80 that the benefits of these con-
| ferences could reach out in the direction
| of the people. For instance, at the last
| meeting of the superintendents the dis
| cussion turned to a subject in which the
| people of the state as whole are much
more interested than the heads of the
/ institutions as specialists. The questions
discussed relate to education and train
| ing of the unfortunates and detectives
J to reform those who are morally de-
fective and to restraint OF dangerous
\ classes. 1t has been suggested that there
are many others who could participate
In these conferences-judges of the dis
trict and police courts. members of
boards of supervisors, leaders in char
| liable and reformatory work. state ofii-
Ices, county attorneys and others. The
conferences are entirely too good to be
confined to the narrow limits fixed by
1 the board of control. Public men are too
little Informed on what is being done
at the state institutions. There is mis-
information floating about as Well as
Hack of information. Contact with the
I heads of state institutions and the board
of control might dispel some erroneous
motions. Another suggestion along this
line is that the conferences be held in
different sections of the state. This
might not be 80 practical.
| The most interesting discussion at the
last conference was one In which the
public might easily be induced to take
great interest A paper had been read
by DIR. Powell On the question of legis-
llation to prevent the marriage of de-
generates. Dr. Powell did not appear.
| az an advocate or leader. but gave brief
| ly the views of those who hold to differ
ent plans for preventing the stream of
Idegeneracy which fills the alnls-houses
and prisons He presented the various
arguments commonly put forward but
expressed no definite or radical opinion
for himself. AS the discussion proceed
/ ed Professor Gass raised the all-impor-
ltant question as to who are the degen-
crates. If degenerates are to be pro-
4hibited from marrying. who ia to decide
who are degenerates and who are not
and apply the law? Are we not all de-
generates? Some of those present dis
cussed the deaf and blind as in the class
referred to. Others held that only de-
generates are those in the prisons Su-
iperintendent Rothert emphatically pro-
tested against considering the deaf per-
sons as degenerates or as DETECTIVES He
ialso insisted that deafness is not heredi-
EtaiS. He cited the fact that there had
been five families of teachers in the
ECouncil Bluffs school, both parents be-
ing deaf in each case. and none of their
many children being deaf. Judge Robin
son developed the real question before
the conference, and that was that be-
fore anything can be done. legislation
or other measures, to stop the increase
of the degenerate and defective classes.
the public must be Interested and
arousd TO the Importance of doing some
thing to protect society Until this is
done it is useless for specialists to dis
cuss methods and agree upon plans to-
suggest to legislators. This illustrates
the idea that the conferences ought TO
be expanded
The fact remains, whether 1t means
anything OF not. tha; the people of Iowa
refuse to consider Senator Allison en-
tirely beyond possibility as a presiden-
tial candidate and they do not take the
candidacy of Shaw seriously The Ida
Grove Era, which is published in
county adjoining the home county of
the governor, says that Allison may be
old according TO the calendar but he is
not old III fact and adds the following
which appears TO be in line with much
that is being said and written: Perhaps
Senator Allison 10 right, and he should
not he considered for the presidency.
but despite his deprecating use of his
name, il is likely that it will be more
and more used. The republican party
faces an anomalous situation At no
time since the war has 1t beer apparent
ly so firmly entrenched in power Yet.
with the exception of Vice President
Roosevelt. ii seems to have no avail
able candidate for the presidency. One
would think that there would be a dozen
eiigibles, but there is not. 1t ia gener-
any recognized tnat tnefe lS no eastern |
republican, except Mr.. Roosevelt that
would be acceptable to the western re-
pubicans Who now control the party
In Ohio there is Foraker: in Indiana
there is Fairbanks in Illinois there is
cullom. and in Wisconsin there is
Spooner, but none of these, altho the
names of all have been suggested. seems
to fill the bill. Our own Governor Shaw
has had little boomlet but it is doubt
ful if it will get beyond the state
borders. Look the senate over, the house |
over the cabinet over, the governors of |
the several states over, the great and |
puissant republican party seems nearly |
run out of timber of presidential size. |
Senator Allison is about the only man in
the west who is deemed of presidential |
magnitude Hence, despite disclaimer
and his reference to llis age it is certain
that his name will be more and more |
heard. Uuless his age is deemed an un-
superable obstacle-and 1t should not,
for actually younger than most men
born ten years later-talk of Allison will
more and more increase"