The Saint Paul globe., 1905-01-09
JACOBSON DEFENDS
BOARD OF CONTROL
Chairman Declares No Attempt
viii Be Made to Defeat Pro-
posed Amendments


from its jurisdiction the state univer-
sity and the normal schools. according
to J. f. Jacobson, chairman of the
board.
The position will be taken that the
university and the other educational
institutions have not suffered from the
supervision. of the board of control. and:
that no good purpose will be served by
again creating the separate board plan.
II VIII be contended by the board,
says Mr. Jacobson, that the board Of
control has greatly reduced the per
capita cost ofsthe state institutions and
hospitals, and that the practice of the
university and other educational insti-
Iutlons overdrawing their allowances
from the legislature has been stopped.
All OF which, he argues, will be shown
to the legislature.
Two years ago, because of the fric-
ton that then existed between the
board of control and the educational
boards,.s said Mr. Jacobson, the board
OF control favored the -estab blishment
OF Inc separate board system for the
educational institutions, but we will
now remain passive on the subject.
Ihere Will be no objection from us, nor
VIII We favor a change. The legisla-
do not believe that the effort will be
successful.
Held to Their Appropriation
TT will be shown by the report of
the board to the legislature that the
regents Of the state university have
during the past four years been COM
lowed by the legislature. This was not
done when the regents were inde--
pendent.
TO certain extent the same can
be said of the normal board. Over
drawn accounts are now unknown.
There are many arguments in favor
OF having the educational institutions
under. separate boards, but of all the
institutions in the state, judging from
past experiences, the state university
is the most in need of supervision.
Before the creation of the board of
control the university was compelled
TO ask every legislature to make up
deficit. This has not occurred since,
and 1t is my belief that the legislature
viii decide to leave the situation as
1t is.
The board Of control has come to
stay. While it is true that it would
be possible to make an immense and
effective political machine from the
1ieve that such a condition will ever
be confronted. 1t is certainly a fact
that it has never been done. The per
capita cost of maintenance has been
greatly reduced. Wastefulness has
been checked, and the employees from
superintendent or warden to the most
menlai, have become aware that the
only way in which they can be assured
of holding their positions is to do their
- HI 10 To- 1,fv
power of the board to prohibit the en-
ployes from taking part in politics,
we have stopped the practice of as
SeSS1ng them for pol itfeal purposes
Any person who solicits funds for pe-
litical purpOses;is well aware that dis
charge would follow his exposure.
Shield for Governor
In assuming charge of the state in
stitutions, the board of control has
taken from the governor a most em-
-barrassing and unsatisfactory duty
Gov. Lind spent the first six months
of his term choosing members of the
diHerent small boards, who In turn
We're to choose the 700 employees.
Think of it! Under the old system
with the Incoming Of a new governor,
particularly if there was change in
politics, he would be fairly flooded with
applications for positions. Now he can
say to applicants that the board Of
control is in entire charge. In turn
the board of control refers the appli-
5cants to the head of the institution
where they desire to secure work.
1T is a fact that during the four
years that the board has been in con-
troll it has enforced the plan of MAX
ing the superintendent and wardens
entirely responsible. We allow them
to choose their own assistants, chang
Ing whenever they choose without in
terference from US. The rule had be-
come so well established before came
into office that had but three or four
applications when I was appointed. In
every instance the men were referred
to the head of the Institution.
Making the superintendents entirely
and personally responsible has been Of
great benefit to the state. Made re-
sponslble for everything and given to
understand that their tenure of office
does not depend upon their political
activity, but rather the reverse, the
state has been given splendid service.
Instead of constantly recurring scan
dals, the state service has, during the
four years, been almost entirely free
from even insinuations. When it is
considered that there are in the ag-
gregate some 5000 persons in the state
institutions, this record is remarkable,
showing to my mind the positive fact
that the people generally will indorse
the board of control plan If they un-
derstand it. Inmates of institutions
no longer claim that they are being
starved.
'The strongest and most popular
criticism made against the board ap-
plies to its secretiveness. 1t has been
argued that the board should make
public all bids for supplies. If we did
this it would cost the state at least
$4,000 year. The state is now secur-
ing coal at much less than the city of
st. Paul pays. The city bids are pub
lie and are all at practically the same
figure. That would be the case if our
bids were public. AS to groceries and
supplies we are buying for much less
price than paid by small dealers. If
the bids were made public the whole
sale firms would decline to make Of
fers.
ut is this that saves the state a
great amount of money every year.
And in way it is wrong to say that
the bids are secret The public exam
iner, the governor, members of the
legislature, and others, are permitted
to examine our books and see the bids.
Our reason for not printing the bids is
that the wholesale firms say that If
their customers. should be made aware