Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-01-07
TWO STATE IMPLEMENT MEN
IN SESSION AT OMAHA

IN SESSION AT OMAHA
Omaha, Neb., Jan. 7.-The annual
meeting of the Nebraska and Iowa
Implement Dealers association began
this morning with a debate on thresh-
ing machines, harvesting machines
and a closer union of retail dealers
and success of the organization. The
discussion was participated in by rep
resentatives of the trade generally.
sists of two ships crews of four divis-
ions each. The first ships crew, as well
as the captains headquarters, is To-
Gated in Chicago; the armory is at %
Michigan avenue. The headquarters
of the second ships crew, and one
division. is at Moline, one division at
Rock Island. one at Alton and one at
Quincy.
Board of Pardons.
The wisdom of the establishment of
the board of pardons has passed be-
yond the experimental stage. The
careful investigation of every applica-
ton for pardon or commutation which
is made by the board. has added great
strength to the administration of the
criminal laws cf the state. The board
OF pardons has ample time to give
a most thorough investigation to all
applications for pardon, and by con-
Quoting its work in accordance with
judicial rules and practice. is enabled
to arrive at conclusions which are just
to the public. which furnish protec-
ton to society, and which give to the
friends of the prisoner the assurance
that his petition has been fairly and
impartially considered. For years it
was an impOssibility for the executive
to give to these matters that care and
attention which their Importance de-
served, and it is creditable to the board
that its decisions have been so gener-
ally commended.
Penal Institutions.
The condition of the penal reforma-
tory institutions of this state is such
as may well be the source of great
satisfaction and pride to any admins
tration.
Notwithstanding the fact that since
the appropriations We're made by the
last general assembly, everything in
the line of provision and produce has
increased in cost at least % per cent;
these institutions have been able to
maintain the record made by Governor
Tanners administration, and will, at
the end of the fiscal year, have sur
plus in the treasury.
An epitomized statement shows that
the daily average number of prisoners
confined in the penal and reformatory
institutions of this state is 3,454.47,
and that the average cost per day per
capita of prisoners confined there is
A cents.
State Board of Health.
Unlike the boards of health in nearly
all states of the Union, the state board
of health of Illinois is a health or
ganization, and a medical examining
and licensing body also. One of its
most important duties is to ascertain
and certify to the qualification of prac-
ticing physicians and surgeons and to
detect quacks. In forty states and
territories this duty devolves upon
separate board of medical examiners.
AS a health organization the board,
under the provisions of an act, now
over q quarter of a century old, is
charged with the general supervision
of the health and lives of the people
of the state, and is given authority in
all matters pertaining to quarintine
and sanitary Investigations, and, in ac-
cordance with an amended law, enact
ed in 1899, has jurisdiction over all
lodging houses, boarding houses, tav
erns. inns and hotels in cities of 1OO,-
600 inhabitants and more. AS medi-
cal examining board and licensing
body. organized under the act of 1899,
it becomes the duty of the board to
determine the standing of medical col
Ieges throughout the world, to examine
all persons desiring to practice in this
state. and to issue certificates to those
found proficient, to investigate COM
plants of Illegal practice, and TO insti-
tute suits against ersons violating
any of the provisions of the medical
law.
Within recent years the jurisdiction,
duties and responsibilities of the state
board of health have been vastly in
creased. Conditions have arisen which.
in my judgment, require some new leg
islation in order that the board may
maintain the high standard of useful
ness which the present board has en-
deavored to establish. The state board
of health act of 1877 contains defects
which tends frequently to handicap the
board in its efforts TO protect the pub