Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-10-15

an extent that the school work was little
less than nothing. The tower over the
main building, which was damaged by a
storm two years before the republicans
took charge, had to be repaired after -tle
fusionists had been Jared lose. The build
ings had not been painted for years to-
Rether with a general overhauling of the
! institution.
soldiers EE5me at Milford.
A thorn in the side ~ she fus{0nists is
the great care with which the republicans
have looked after the old soldier. Five
years ago Il was no uncommon sight to
see a load OF coal dumped out on the
ground in front OF the Milford home and
remain there until II was used. This little
incident might not be of much moment but
II just goes to show the slipshod way the
| fusionists had of doing things. a well
kept lawn with flowers in bloom was un-
known to the fusionists. The home has
been overhauled thoroughly since the re-
publcans have taken charge. Fences have
been rebuilt, the building has been plastered
and cleaned, new bedding has been bought,
flower beds have been set out, permanent
walks have ben laid and a modern, well
equipped hospital has been built. The loca-
ton OF the home is ideal and the buildings
have been made to conform to the location.
And what has been said Of the Milford home
is also true of the Grand Island home. At
both places the soldiers and sailors de-
pendent upon the state really have home.
Some New buildings.
The Hospital for Insane at Norfolk and
the state penitentiary at Lincoln, both Of
which were destroyed by fire because Of
the inadequate fire protection furnished by
the fusionists, have recently been dis
cussed in the public press. The new build
ings erected by the republicans are now
in use and neither institution, in its class.
has a superior. The penitentary is said
to be the best in the United States, as well
as the best managed. From ruins and
ashes has grown a most beautiful and sub
stantial structure surrounded by mag
nificent farm and beautiful grounds. The
warden has even gone so far that no longer
is the striped suit the rule, but the excep-
ton, a gray suit being given to the prison
ers for good behavior. The Norfolk hos
pital has just been rebuilt and is said to be
magnificent structure.
Lincoln Hospital for Insane.
Owing to the destruction of the Norfolk
hospital the Lincoln Hospital for the In
sane had been crowded to such an extent
during the last few years that it's improve
marvellous. So crowded has been the in
stitution that It has been necessary to put
the patients two and three In room and
even in the halls, so II is not surprising
that just when the pressure was about to
be relieved typhoid fever should break out
Notwithstanding the condition of affairs,
the superintendent has found time to make
of il one of the model institutions OF the
country, New trees have been set out,
new barn has been built, more ground has
been bought and the place has been over
hauled and renovated from basement to
turret. Fine herds of cattle now roam
over the broad acres and the store houses
are full to the brim from the magnificent
yield. This has been developed from q
rundown, dllapidated institution where
scandal was as prevalent as insanity.
The Girls Industrial School at Geneva
is now in frst-class condition and free
from scandal; the Home for the Friendless
at Lincoln has really become what 1t was
| intended to be, and is no longer a free
boarding house where parents could get
| rid of their children. Children who are
inmates and helpless are given the best
medical attention.
! Educational Extensions.
AS result of alleged extravaganza" a
new normal schol full of students is operat-
ing at Kearney and twelve junior normal
schools are in session in as many parts of
the state. something the fusionists never
dreamed OF. The university campus has
been dotted with new buildings to accom-
modate the students
OF course these improvements have all
| cost money and lots of II. Therefore the
question is, has 1t been worth the price?
Would it have been better to allow the
| institutions to decay and fall to the ground,
as the fusionists did, or has it been bet
ter to repair and keep them in shape and
furnish a home for the states unfortu-
| mates?
Under fusion rule. a stream of relatives
and friends were fed at the expense of the
state, while at one institution three rooms
were set aside free of charge for the use
of country newspaper.
The searchlight has been on the institu-
lions during the last four years and not g
single charge of corruption has been filed
| Tho fusion rraaa calls ranHa