The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-09


or bureaus, especially in cases where the
of evidence indicates that
private gain is the motive rather than
righteous regard for the public veal.
Legislative Committee.
The work of the legislative committee.
while being a new departure, is one of the
most valuable reforms authorized by stat
ute. Its labors are very arduous and COM
prehend in scope every feature of institu-
tional necessity and management The per-
sonal inspection of buildings and grounds.
examination of books and needs. is en-
bodied in recommendations to the General
Assembly. In accordance with the statute,
L appointed as the committee to make re-
port to the Legislature Senator Fremont
Goodwine, Representatives Henry w. Mar
shall and Joseph NJ. Cravens, and 1 COM
mend their work and conclusions.
NOnpartisan boards.
Under the law all of the boards of the
penal. correctional and benevolent institu-
tions are nonpartisan, excepting that of the
Indiana State Prison. Recently, in filling a
vacancy on this board. created by resigna-
ton, made this board also nonpartisan.
The states Institutions.
The public institutions of Indiana. for the
support of which the State makes such
liberal provision, are to be commended for
their conditions of general excellence. The
boards of management are carrying into
effect the admirable provisions of law
and business detail are enforced. thus
curing the very best administration in the
discharge of all the multiplied duties and
cares, and guarding expenditures without
narrow restrictions. but within lines, of
prudence and economy. There are no def
cts to be considered by this General AS
sembly.
Insane Convicts.
The proper care of the insane convicts
has. 1 believe, been satisfactorily solved.
There lad been an embarrassing condition
at the Indiana Prison because of the num-
Der of insane inmates. with no place for
detention except in the prison cells. The
board of managers and Warden Reid of
that institution, after careful investigation
provided for their care in a ward connected
with the hospital, which has proven salts
ton is necessary at this time.
The Number and Pay of Members Of
State Boards.
The various boards in control Of the state
institutions are, by law, composed of MEM
bers varying in number. Most of these
boards have three members, but some have
four, five, eight and nine members. The
members of one-balf of the boards receive
as compensation $500 per annum. and ex-
penses not exceeding $780, Three of them
receive $500 per annum by law and one the
same amount by appropriation, although
the law provides but S160 per annum. One
receives So per diem and actual expenses,
while enc receives same pay as provided
for members of the Legislature. Another
receives mileage and per diem. / recon-
mend that there be a uniformity in the
number of members composing the boards
and also as to the compensation.
Homes for the Children Wards Of the
The great value to the State derived
from the existing law which authorizes
the appointment of agents to look after
State aSpI
from public institutions is universally rec
ognized, as shown in the supervision of
dependent children. Of the men from the
Reformatory and the boys from the Re-
form School Orphan asylums of Indiana.
both public and private, have seen the
results of this work and are now turning
their attention to the finding of homes for
the children under their care.
Provision should be made for such agents
to secure places for and to exercise con-
the Soldiers and Sailors Orphans Home,
and also from the Industrial School for
Girls. This will, without doubt, increase
the number of those who will successfully
go into life, and decrease, as consequence,
the cost Of maintaining the institutions.
What these children need is the influences
of a good home Home life is better than
institutional life. and l recommend that
such institutions be authorized to employ
an agent or agents, with proper duties and
powers of selecting places for and exercis-
ing watchful care over children from the
the Industrial School for Girls, and that
proper additional appropriation be made
therefor.
Institutional Emergency Fund.
The Governors Institutional Emergency
Fund carries an appropriation of 10000 an.
nually to be at the disposal of the chief ex
ecutive for emergency uses as are inevitable
in connection with the State institutions
1t is a prudent precaution because of the
liability or fires, cyclones and omission:
from the regular appropriation act, and
heartily indorse the continuation of thi.
item. There was a balance reverted to the
treasury from this fund, for the fiscal yeal
1901. of s27,4470S, and for the past fisca
pended $3,lOS.67 was for the Indiana Re
formatory. The new dollhouse had beer
completed before the regular appropriation
was available, and, to expedite furnish
ings, advanced the above amount from
this fund. The regular appropriation wa.
not used and lapsed into the treasury. Be
cause of a cyclone last spring, the grounds
and buildings of the Soldiers Orphans
Home at Knightstown were damaged, and
paid on this account $26S.51. The appropria
ton for new building at the Eastern Hos
pital for the Insane was found to be made
quate. The Board of Trustees and superin
tendent, before contract was let. conferred
with the chief executive, and rather thar
delay the building, 1 paid $3,259.SO from th
fund, believing. with the Board of Trustees
that it was wise business judgment to d.
this rather than delay erection, awaiting
a specific appropriation from this Legisla
| ture.
/ discovered, after the adjournment of tn
| Legislature of 1901, that in reporting the de
fciencies to that Legislature by the super
| intendent of the Feeble Minded Institute a
Fort Wayne, that there had been purposel.
| omitted $5,317.s7 for materials furnished il
| the building known as Colonia. Accompan
| led by the attorney general and auditor o
| State, / made an exhaustive investigation
| of the causes for this deficiency and foun
| that 1t was being nursed by the Superin
| tendent, without the knowledge of tn
board, with the intent of being reimburse
| from an appropriation made by the las
! General Assembly for other specific pur
| poses. The Investigations developed tina
| this deficiency was being carried in tn
shape OF notes and due bills with the guar
antee of the superintendent that paymen
| would be made with interest from the sal
| appropriation. The law would not admi
of any such payment. There was no ques
| ton of loss to the State on account of tn
| materials furnished but the principle tina
would carry an unauthorized indebtedness
| with the expectation of payment from a
| appropriation that did not contemplate thi
| expenditure was in every way pernicious
| fund this amount less interest and carryin
| charges.
Survey of kankakee Lands.
| BY the gradual lowering of the water O
| the Kankakee basin and the narrowing o
| the Kankakee river a large amount o
| land has been redeemed from overflow
| Much of this land has never been surveyed
| and at the last session of the General AS
| sembly provision was inserted in the ap
| preparation act authorizing me to appoin
| a competent surveyor TO run the level
| along the Kankakee river from the Illinoi
State line TO the crossing of the kankake
ri.yar hx-f a rShf nrt Vow a. ~