The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-17
Board of Controls Report.

the experimental stage in Minnesota.
The board has just transmitted it's first
report, covering full biennial period,
and the showing made is calculated to
disarm criticism. It is plain that the
board has. kept the per capita cost Of
running the state institutions down to
the old level in the face Of increasing
prices, while wages Of employees have
been increased and the inmates have
been we'll cared for. The humanita-
rian side Of the question can no longer
be used as an effective argument
against the board, and appears to have
been dropped by it's critics.
The recommendations of the board
have more interest than the former sep
arate boards ever could command. The
local boards spoke as attorneys making
special pleas for their clients. The
board Of control is obliged to, be i'm
partial and to keep requests for new
buildings and improvements down to
a figure that will be economical. It's
estimates for the several institutions
naturally forecast the appropriation bill
adopted later by the legislature.
From a local standpoint the univer-
sity has not Jared as we'll as it's friends
would like. The amount named for the
new main building will not construct
such building as the institution needs.
The report contains some meritorious
suggestions, and others that are plainly
open to question. The board takes
issue with Governor johnson, who, in
his message, favored increasing the ca
pacity of the prison Irvine plant so as
to occupy all the prison labor. The
report of the board says the present
| capacity should be the maximum on
account of the danger that exists of
I getting squeezed" in the fiber mar
ket. 1t seems that the interests of
Minnesota farmers should be considered
| to the extent of taking the risk, and
if necessary, insuring against it by a
reserve fund. ...
The plan Of county support for the
insane is an old one, heretofore given
scant consideration in the legislature.
It works successfully in many states,
and seems practical proposition. It's
real intent is to charge one-ha1f the
cost of caring for inmates to their rela.
tives, if there are any in condition to
contribute. Otherwise the half will be
paid by the counties, the remaining
half being paid by the state. ;.
The board recommends abolishing
all special levies and standing appro.
priations for the institutions. This
would require them all to 20 before
the legislature at each session for every
cent to be expended. The danger of
this lies in the "logrolling' which is
likely to shut some institutions out of
needed funds. The special levy fol
the university, which last year produced
$16S, 259.72 Of the $481, 1850 received
by the institution, is a splendid bull
wark of protection.
Two years ago the board asked to
be relieved of it's supervision over the
university and normal schools. This
time the board refrains from any rec.
ommendation, and apparently, its atti.
tude has somewhat changed. It coin.
cides with Governor Van SAINT in ur.
ging the abolition of the local boards
at Faribault and Owatonna.
Several improvements. in equipment
are urged that, carry their own recon.
mendation. This includes the request
for nurses dormitories at the insane
hospitals, for. special department to
care for tuberculous patients, and for a
quarantine hospital to save an entire
institution from quarantine in case of
an outbreak. On the separate training
school for girls the board is warranted
in taking it's strong ground, urging that
the new school be created or the pres
ent one adjacent to the boys school be
abolished. The board should also be
needed in, its request for a law pro.
hibiting the sale Of liquors to paroled
prisoners. In most cases where paroled
men fall from grace, their. acts are
traced to a convivial spree with old
comrades. ~'.