Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-01-28
STATE KILLS CHARITY BOARD
Father REFUSING Says Legislature
Chloroformed the Law.
BEsPEAKs DEMAND FOR REVIVAL
'T Hope Publlc viii Awaken to
Know why statute 70 Dead let
ter" Says President of Char-
tiles at Conference.

That the Nebraska Board Of Charities
and Correction. created by law. has been
ehloroformed by the legislature and state
administration, was. the news brought to
the Monday session Of the eleventh annual
conference of Charities and Corrections,
which was held at the Rome hotel, by Rev.
Joseph REFUSING, president Of the confer
ence.
The attendance was not large at the
opening session. twenty-eight members be-
ing registered. but many visitors swelled
the audience 70 comfortable size. Heads
OF nearly all state institutions are now in
attendance. as we'll as chairmen and secre7
and womens' clubs.
II hope the public will awaken some day.
to demand why the law creating the
Board of Charities and Correction has
been allowed TO become a dead letter" "
said President REFUSING.
I'VE were responsible in a large measure
for the placing on the statute books the
law creating the board. year ago we
pointed out the defects in the law and we
hoped the material affairs OF the state in
stitutions would be the only business Of
the Board Of Public Lands and Buildings
while the advisory board would be enabled
because better fitted. to promote the
humanitarian interests of the wards of the
state.
Root Bill to Abolish.
"A bill remedying the defects and look
ing to such a plan was drafted by me and
was to be introduced in the legislature
when the news reached me that a bill had
been introduced by Senator Root of Cass
tiles and Correction. At the same time our
vice president introduced a bill. copied
largely after the Minnesota law, empower
ing boards of county commissioners to send
delegates to the annual conference OF
Charities and Correction at the expense of
the counties.
But our aggressive policv was stopped
at once. AS president of this conference,
as a member of the state board and as a
private citizen 1 was obliged to assume
the defensive and fight for our very exist
ence.
Finally l submitted brief to the gov
ernor and to each member of the COM
mittee showing the necessity and useful
ness of the State Board of Charities and
Correction. The discussion In the senate
created much interest but the bill was
defeated. The State Board of Charities and
Correction still exists, but it is inactive
and lifeless. No meeting was held during
the year of 1907. although the legal rules
and regulations adopted in 1901 demand at
least meeting in July as the annual meet
ing. II is evident that the legislature has
not obliterated the board. but the admin
stration has. saying in effect: Let IL rest
in peace"
Several other Speakers.
The session was occupied during the rest
of the morning by address by Alexander
johnson, general secretary OF the Ma
tional Conference of Charities and Correc-
tion and round table conferences led by
Warden A. D. Beemer of the pententiary
at Lincoln and Rev A w Clark Of the
Nebraska Child Saving institute
Rev. r. B. H. Bell of Omaha spoke dur
ing the afternoon on "The Child at Play"
in a conference on The Domestic and
Social Relationship of the Child" over
which Judge A. L. Sutton presided.
Among those prominent in the work
present at the Monday sessions were Mrs
Margaret J. earns of Lincoln. state chair
man of the civil service department of the
womens clubs; F. w. Simpson. secretary
of the Soldiers Relief commission: c. E.
Prevey. general secretary of the Charities
Organization society; II. Friedman of the
Jewish associated charities; Rev A. w
Clark, superintendent of the Child Saving
institute; Dr. F. z. Osborne, superintendent
of the Home for the Feeble Minded at
Beatrice; e. B. Sherman. superintendent
of the State Industrial School for Boys at
Kearney; r. %. Hayward OF Lincoln. for
mer superintendent of the State Industrial
School at Kearney. and others.