The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-03-04
oMN.PREsENT MEnpLERs.

Little by little we think that the peo-
pie of Minnesota will learn to appreci-
ate just what they did in constituting
a state beard of control with the pow
ers and privileges that now belong to
it, and become convinced of the neces-
sity Of either reversing or greatly mod
flying their action. If at the first pro-
posaI it had been understood that the
board of control was to take possession
down to the minutest detail of every
state institution, the bill would never
have some through. Yet those who
knew of the experience with similar
bodies in other states, and those who
could look little ahead to the in
evitable effects Of given causes, saw
into what state board of control must
develop.
This body has now decided that it
knows more about farming than the
authorities of the several state institu-
lions, and is about to take charge of
the tracts of land attached to them.
Several of our institutions have outly-
ing farms of considerable area which
serve double purpose. They can be
used to produce a large portion or the
whole of the farm supplies needed by
the institutions themselves, and they
are an invaluable adjunct in preserv-
ing health and improved discipline
among the inmates. Even the medi-
cal assistance SO generously given is
probably of less actual value than care
fully regulated work in the open air
upon these institution farms
But the board of control has views
about it, just as it has about every
thing else under the sun. A farm is
a farm in it's opinion, and ought to be
regarded accordingly So it is going
to dip into the business and show all
the institution authorities how to do
the agricultural stunt properly. The re-
suit will probably be that, while the
farms are no better managed than for
1nerly, their disciplinary and sentative
value will be largely impaired to say
nothing Of the annoyance and friction
which this intermeddling will cause.
1t is the same old story everywhere.
We defy anybody to point to single
good that has come out Of the creation
Of the board of control. The various
state institutions are not more econom-
ically managed than formerly. There
are rumors from more than one diree-
ton Of the gravest improprieties, in
some cases whisper of more than
that, in connection with contracts. The
board of control itself has been made
publicly and ostentatiousIy political
machine. That can have but one mean
ing, which is that all the employees in
all the institutions shall sooner or later
take their appointment from the hands
Of the state boss and find their sole
qualification in their readiness to do
his bidding. It means that every con-
involved shall be given to the parties
and on the terms most conducive to
the success of the party In power.
Worst of all, it means that the intelli-
gent, sympathetic and affectionate de-
votion of the boards which built UP
these institutions in the past and made
them credit to Minnesota and of re-
nown throughout the whole United
States shah be beaten down, demon
allied, disheartened and effaeed by the
omnipresent political finger stirring and
searching in every remote recess.
Nothing can be more important
than that the people, of Minnesota