Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-06-19
a special purpose upon my assurance

special purpose upon my assurance
that it was all right.
so intimate is our connection with
the institutions that We can tell ex-
actly what any inmate had for dinner
on any day since the board was or
ganized. Before the board took
charge the superintendent had se-'
cret meeting and all agreed to resign
at once if the board should prove ty-
rannical or detrimental to the best
conduct of the institutions. Today
not one of them would go back to the
old trustee system"
Mrs Kate Brownlee Sherwood, Of
Toledo, Ohio, made fun of Mr.. Cow
MES claims for the Iowa board II
wish we had one man like Mr.. Cownie
in each of the forty-seven states," she
said. "Then there would be no need
of legislature to appropriate the
states money. But charity workers
must beware the one-man power. The
board of control system destroys the
personal initiative and individual
character of charitable work"
| Was there ever such egotism, and
was there ever such an insult offered
to the legislature? The child has be-
come greater than the parent and
kicked it out of doors. Mr.. Cownie
has shown that the board has become
an arrogant dictator just as the Eagle
lit it's inception said that it would.
| The mountain must go to Mahomet
and that was the reason the college
for the blind was closed last year at
ter seven months session. The boaru
blamed it on the legislature and why?
Because the legislature did not go to
! it and ask it what it wanted. The
board claims it's appointment comes
from the governor and it is under no
obligation to the legislature. 1t would
close every institution in Iowa before
| it would go to the legislature. We
humbly take issue with Mr.. Cownie
that the board has saved above a mil
lion dollars in the four years of it's ex-
istence or any part of it. The records
show that it is demanding and receiv-
ing more money than the single boards
ever dared to ask or were allowed.
Not only that but it secured law pro-
Ehibiting the treasurer of state from
striking off any balances.
/ We agree with Mr. Cownie that he
can tell exactly what any inmate had
for dinner on any day since the board
i a "bill of fare" and it is as inflexible
as the laws of the Modes and Per-
SLAMS, and any matron of one of these
institutions can tell you what children
lin some of these institutions actually
suffer for delicacies when sick be-
cause of this inflexible and arbitrary
law of the board. That is great
feat sure to be able to tell what any
inmate had for dinner when the poor
inmate couldn't have any other thing
for dinner other than that decreed by
the board.
| Mr.. Cownie's speech is true to ma
Iture. 1t is true to human nature. A
long continuance in position of that
character would warp the best nature
that God ever gave. It is necessary
to make a record-it is necessary to
show that million dollars was
saved; in order to do this it is neces.
sary to resist the many demands of
the Institutions inmates. 1t is neces.
sary to put the inmates on just such
an arbitrary "bilf of fare" as Mr.. Cow.
ME reports to the Detroit meeting.
The facts of the matter are that II
was necessary for this board to act
economically to keep within the rec.
ords made by the individual boards
when there was no one to blow 'tin
horns" or throw 'boquets." This was
proven last winter when this board
made it's appeal to have the support
fund raised at the college for the
blind and other institutions on the
plea that the cost of living was in.
creased, although it was matter OF
record that the old boards did not
draw the full amount allowed them
and that there has been years when
the cost of living was higher
1t is well for Mr. Cownie to do his
duty and do it well, but it is matter
: of bad taste to slur the legislature OF
make odious comparisons with the
: old board system.