The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-08-09
MORT ALBAUGH
STATES IDEAS
Would Divorce Politics and
Charitable Institutions
SAYS HE NEVER DICTATES
To Superintendent Whom
They Shall Employ.
SAYS HE NEVER DICTATES

Topeka KAN Aug S.-Morton Albaugh,
chairman Of the Republican state COM
mittee, has taken a stand in favor OF
divorcing the state charitable instltu-
tions from politics. He was on the board
of charities for four years, and is, there
fore, in a position to discuss the needs
of the charitable institutions intelli-
gently.
1T may jar you" said he. when tell
you that as long as l have been chair
man of the state committee / have not
attempted IN the least to dictate TO the
superintendents OF the various chari-
table institutions whom they should en-
ploy The superintendents are held re-
sponsible for the management of the
institutions and they should be left free
to select their own help"
In his paper. the Kingman Leader. he
comments at length on the report of the
asylum investigating committee, and adds
a few words of advice. He says:
The investigating committee makes
some important ationS-recom-
mendations that ought to be followed by
the next legislature. The attendants on
the wards in these institutions. who in
reality are, or ought to be, nurses for the
patients, are now worked from twelve
to fourteen hours a day. The manage
ment is compelled to exact work from
twelve TO fourteen hours day from them
on account of the limited number of en-
ployes that the appropriation will per-
NIT them to have. They recommend
also that the pay of these employees be
increased. Those who have direct charge
af
to $50 a month. In these times people
with the temperament, education and
adaptability for such work cannot be
had and retained at any such price. AS
a result changes are continually occur
ring and new employees must necessarily
be taken without the knowledge OF
whether they possess peculiar fitness for
the ork in hand. Ofttimes they are
utterly unfamiliar with caring for people
in such condition, but this fact must be
determined after their employment. and
a times actual mistreatment or positive
neglect will occur upon their part be-
fore the mana cement can know of their
unfitness, or want of proper disposition.
and discharge them.
The committee recommends further
that the asylum management should be
removed from political control. This
should have been done years ago. Every
asylum superintendent for many years
past has recommended it and every board
of charities for a generation past has
made the same recommendation. There
is no reason whatever why these in
stitutions, which are, in fact, hospitals
for the most unfortunate class of peo-
pie we have should in any way or man.
ner be hampered by political consider
ations. The superintendents should be
selected on account Of their executive
avlnty and peculiar fitness for such work.
The medical stats should be made UP of
physicians who have made study OF
this particular branch of their profess
sion The attendants, as far as is possi-
BILE. should be persons possessed of that
peculiar temperament and disposition
which renders them helpful in sickness
and who will give to the care of those
in charge painstaking and conscientious
attention.
In appointing the committee to make
this investigation the legislature did
right The report should be valuable
for two reasons:
First-It will give to the friends and
relatives of all insane persons feeling
of security and a knowledge that those
unfortunates in whom they have par
ticular interest are. in fact, well cared
for. well housed. well clothed. well fed.
well treated. and that they have the
best obtainable medical attention.
Second-It should lead the next legisla-
ture, regardless of the cry for economy.
TO make such appropriations for help at
these institutions as will enable the su-
perintendents to give those in their
tharge even better attention than they
now have. And last, but not least, il
should lead the next legislature to elm
mate their management entirely from
the ups and downs and vicissitudes of
possible political changes. and divoCe
the employment of help in these institu-
tons entirely from political recommen-