The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-11-20
81. Louisan Charges That Politics
Enters Too Largely Into
State Institutions.
CALLS IT VIOLATION OF TRUST
Makes a Plea for Scientific Spc
cialists to BE Placed in
Charge of the States
Wards.

ErPUEIlC SPECIAL.
Columbia. No. Nov. 19.-At this morning
Conference of Charities and Corrections
which represents the entire State. the audi
ence of 1500 was startled by the strong
words of James l.. Blair of st. Louis. He
was delivering an address on Politics in
State Institutions" and in this address he
severely criticised Governor Dockery. ex-
Governor Stephens and Governor Yates OF
Illinois
The first part of his address was opposed
to the assumption that to the victor belongs
the spoils He contended that this carried
with it other assumptions that were danger
GUS to good government. Among these. he
said, is the one that the victor is the best
fitted man to serve the people He held
that partisan was all right for any scien-
tific office position just so long as parti-
sanship was not made title thereto. This
iniquity of American politics was started by
Jackson. who was the first TO announce
that to the victor belongs the spoils,' re-
gardless of honor. merit or integrity" Mr..
Blair then gave a brief resume of the rela-
tion of politics and charities In England
and in America, and the rise of corruption
together with the idea OF partisanship. He
quoted from the act Of the Indiana Legisla-
ture In 1897. removing prisons from the
hands OF spoilsmen, and commended the
same.
Criticises Governor Yates.
In the case OF the funds of the University
OF Illinois Mr.. Blair charged that
the Republicans had looted and stolen them.
He said that the first act of Governor Yates
was to remove from Office one who was well
fitted for the same and to substitute an
other who had no claims other than that he
was the son OF former Governor. He COM
mended the action OF both Rabbi Hirsh and
Miss Lathrop. denominating it as splen-
did protest against 'the most Infamous
prostitution OF public service ever seen in
America"
Concerning conditions in the State of Mis-
souri, he said that this State had been COM
paratively free from abuse of this nature.
while this is true. almost every Governor
had made appointments in charitable insti-
tutions on a partisan basis" As an In
stance of this he said: THE appointment of
Doctor Combs as Superintendent Of the Full
ton Asylum by Ex-Governor Lon V. S;eph-
ems. if technical knowledge and treatment
of the insane be qualification for that Of
flee. was wholly without justice, and is an
of one of the very worst abuses
of appointive power. Its subsequent use in
the political campaign was the necessary
outcome OF such an appointment"
About a MissOurian.
'The recent change in the secretary Of the
State Board of Charities and Corrections"
he said. sis another illustration exactly in
lire. The former secretary. the choice Of
all his duties. and was of unquestioned ca
pacity and character. The present secre-
tary Is utterly lacking in that special skill
which should ever be an essential qualifi-
cation for the office: he Is not and does not
pretend to be. an expert in philanthropies.
Nh ,r he tal
to his usefulness While 1 do not wish to
be understood as rejecting in the least
upon his personal character. ! have yet to
learn. after diligent inquiry. any reason why
he should have been selected for this Office
except that of devotion to the Democratic
party and his active service in the last
State campaign. Such acts on the part of
Dur chief magistrates indicate an indiffer-
ence not only to their obligations to the
State, but to the sacred cause of humanity
to which these institutions are devoted"
Following his criticism of these matters.
Mr.. Blair said that he spoke plainly be-
cause he felt that to deal otherwise with
them would be to temporize with violations
Of public trust.
Pleads for the States Wards.
TT should be the high mission of this
conference to prevent the ward heeler from
supplanting the scientific specialist: the
of party conventions from be-
rg rewarded al the expense of those
stricken in mind and body, deprived of rea-
son, kept prisoners from the light of day:
whose piteous. dumb appeal would melt the
heart OF any but the stolid hessian OF the
party machine"
He urged students of the Missouri State
and citizens generally to vote
Of all. being guided by their
conscience.
Owing to the Conference on Charities and
Corrections, the convocation Of the uni
versity this morning was devoted to that
interest. In addition to the large number of
students present, there were many from the