The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1903-01-15

szcpTr5e f1,,s very r,esf adm-nrsrra1-on IN re
discharge of all the multiplied duties and
cares. and guarding expenditures without
narrow restrictions, but within iSes OF
prudence and economy Inere are no ueI-
let's to be considered by this general as
sembly.
The proper care of the insane convicts
has, | believe. been satisfactorily solved.
There had been an embarrassing condition
at the Indiana prison because of the mum
Der of insane inmates. with no place for
detention except In the prison cells. The
board of managers ana Warden fela OF
ton. provided for their care In ward con-
nected with the hospital which has proven
satisfactory, and I do not believe any leg
islation is necessary at this time
MEMBERS OF STATE BOARDS.
The various boards ia control of the state
institutions are. by law. composed lof mem
beers varying in number. Most of these
boards have three members, but some have
| four five, eight and nine members. The
members of one-half of the boards receive
as compensation $500 per annum. and ex-
penses not exceeding 500. Three of them
receive $500 per annum by law and one
the amount by appropfia tion. al
| though the law provides but Si60 per an
mum. One receives 50 per diem and actual
expenses, while one receives same pay
provided for members Of the legislature
| Another receives mileage and per diem. I
| recommend that ths re be uniformity in the
number of members composing the boards
and also as to the compensation.
| CHILD WARDS OF THE STATE.
J The great value to the state derived from
| the existing law which authorizes the APP
pointment of agents to look after the wards
| IF the state who are released from public
| institutions, Is universally recognized, as
shown In the supervision of dependent chill
dren, of the from the RefOrmatory.
and the boys from the Reform School. Or
| phan asylums of Indiana, both public and
| private. have seen the results OF this work
| and 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 constant supervision over those
taken from the Soldiers and Sailors Or
pnans' Home and also from the Industrial
| School for Girls. This WILL without doubt.
increase the number of those who will sue
cessfuly go into life. and decrease. as a
consequence the cost Of maintaining the
institutions What these children need is
! the Influences of good home. Home life
| is better than institutional life, and rec
| ommend that such institutions he author
! lied 70 employ an agent or agents. with
| proper duties and powers OF selecting
| places for and exercising watchful care
| over children from the Soldiers and Sail
ors' Orphans Home and 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 $4,000 an.
/ nualy TO be ut the disposition of the chief
executive for emergency uses as are incvi-
table in connection with the state institu-
| lions. Ii Is prudent precaution because
| of the liability of fires cyclones aBt HIS
| sions from the regular appropriation act.
] and / heartily endorse the continuation of
this item. There was a balance reverted
to the treasury from this fund for the fiscal
year 1901, of So. HOB. and for the past
fiscal year. S3O.59S.69.
|. SURVEY OF KANKAKEE LANDS.
BY the gradual lowering of the water Of
the Kankakee basin AID the narrowing of
the Kankakee river. large amount of
land has been redeemed from overflow.
Much Of this land has never been surveyed,
and at the last session of the general as
| semhly provision was inserted in the
| appropriation act authorizing me 10 ap-
point competent surveyor to run the lev
els along the Kankakee river from the
Illinois state lipe to the crossing of the
| Kankakee river by the Pittsburg, Fort
| Wayne & Chicago railroad. Also TO survey
| the swamp lands belonging to the state and
located In the counties lying in the basin
Of the Kankakee river. In accordance with
such authority. l appointed Mr.. George w.
| Parks of Lafayette, who has made an ex-
cellent survey with plats, proies and blue
| prints. The work to be done was much
| more extensive than at first supposed and
the 1000 appropriated was not sufficient
TO pay for the entire work. ! took the re-
sponsibility Of directing the surveyor to
proceed with the survey and have paid
Mr.. Parks $500 ont Of the civil contingent
fund. 1t will require about $1,000 more to
pay all expenses necessarily incurred and
to be incurred in carrying out the purpose
Of the law. From the report Of the sur
veyor 1t appears that there are about nine
thousand 1900, acres of land within the
the state, some of which certainly does,
and has become valuable.
CONVICT LABOR.
Some time ago ! invited representatives
of organized labor to consider with me the
subject of convict labor. We visited the
State Prison and the Indena Reformatory
In order that the representatives of labor
might for themselves see and investigate
our system of dealing with the subject. i
also interested gentlemen engaged in manu-
featuring, and further selected one member
of the board of managers of the State Pris-
on and Of the Reformatory, requesting
them all to give the subject thought, gath
err information and offer suggestions as how
best to solve the problem. A few weeks
ago the matter was discussed in conference
with me by all the said representatives.
system was decided upon 1t is question
of large proportions, and many elements en-
ter into Ii.
MUNICIPAL AND SCHOOL CORPORA
TIONS.
There is a continuing friction between
municipal and school corporations so fan
as the constitutional limit of bonded debt
is concerned. Under the operations of the
| present law the nunlclpal government caD
, | cover the full statutory limit of debt and
| so can the school corporation. The line OF
distinction is not as clear In the statute as
IL should be. and / earnestly recommend
that the general assembly amend the law
by making definite provision that there car
not be incurred by municipal and school
corporations combined any debt beyond the
present constitutional limit. In this con
, nection would suggest that hereafter
bond issues by county. municipal or schoo
boards. by the state. only be made
with provision for optional payment aftel
a period of ten years from date of issue
! FIRE LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
, One of the utilities most intimately asso
, ciated with our citizenship is that of insur
: ance- l am pleased TO say to you that the
stigma of Indiana's being the home o.
wildcat insurance has been substantial!
, should be repealed and statutes plain ant
direct enacted that will prevent life insur
ance by shares or bearing the faint o.
graveyard" insurance. Assessment insur
ance, other than fraternal. has been thu
: source of inestimable loss. deception ant
[ disappointment, and the time must sooI
5 come. IL II has not already arrived. for thu
Z state to add greater safeguards. l recon
! mend the enactment Of fre marshal law
modelled after that of the state OF Massa
' chusetts- The fire loss is directly respon
sible for excessive premiums. There Is JUS
ules. but with daily con1agration loss o
100000 Ii can be readly seen that rate
! to maintain solvent indemnity must be OF
. a parity The law In relation to specia
charter companies should be amended {
! require state supervision and examination
y 1t should be penal offense to solicit insur
n ance for an unauthorized company. TIL
: evil OF placing irresponsible insurance b.
2 statute. but congressional legislation bear
| ing on frauds will, 1t Is hoped soon dt
: prive these worthless corporations of tn
b use OF the mails. 1 suggest the laws be $