The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-01-14

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state Institutions.
The State institutions. taken as a
whole. have been most efficiently admin
istered. They have been kept out of
politics absolutely. Character. ability
and fitness alone have determined every
appointment made either by the execu-
! tive, by the several boards. or by the sew
eral superintendent. In the four years
no recommendation has gone from the
executive to the members of any board
or to the superintendent of any institu-
ton for the appointment of any person.
The executive has selected the boards and
has charged them with the responsibility
OF selecting the superintendent and of
supervising their respective institutions.
and the superintendent have been left
free to select their own SubordinateS.
The act of the late General Assembly
relative to the government and admins
tration of the penal. correctional and
benevolent institutions of the State and
providing for bipartisan boards of trus-
tees has confirmed and established their
| non-partiSan administration. The present
system | believe to be the best found in
any of the many States which l have
visited and whose institutions f~slave in
spected. 1t ought not to be departed
from.
Maintenance of state Institutions.
The funds appropriated for the mainte-.
nance of the Boys School, the Girls
School and the Women's Prison have been
greatly inadequate for each of the last
two fiscal Years. For the year ending
Sept. 80. 1907, l was compelled to pay
out of the Governors emergency cOntin-
gent fund for the maintenance of the
Boys School S2.256.21. for the mainte-
nance of the Girls School $3.3sS.S7. and
for the maintenance of the Women's Pris-
on S6,226..j5. an aggregate expenditure
cut of this fund for maintenance of these
three institutions of 81, 81. 63.
For the year ending Sept. 80. 1907,
| was compelled to pay out of this fund
on account of maintenance of the Boys
School 50, 1913. for the Girls School
SS.944.9J and for the Women's Prison
S3,539.22, an expenditure from this fund
for the maintenance of these three insti
tutions aggregating S15,221.90. In addi-
ton TO this appropriations were made at
the special session of the General Assem-
bly, in September on account of the main
tenance of these same institutions. as fol-
lows: Boys School, $1,000: Girls School,
$1,000. and Women's Prison. $1,000, an
aggregate of $4,000.
The deficit in the maintenance fund of
the Girls School for the last fiscal year
was. therefore, S16,94i.95, in the mainte-
nance fund of the Boys School 50, 743. 73
and in the maintenance fund of the Won
ems Prison $4.53922. an aggregate deficit
in the maintenance fund of the three in
stitutions of SCI. 221.90.
1t is the Imperative duty of the State
TO provide a sufficient maintenance fund
fo- these institutions, Appropriations
made therefor should not be SD deficient
in amount as to compel the Governor to
invade the emergency contingent fund for
the purpose of their maintenance. The
Governors emergency contingent fund
should be kept intact to meet such emer-
gencies as may be occasioned to the
buildings and equipment of the State in
situations by fire or other accident. and
for other emergency demands that may be
made thereon.
State Educational Institutions.
Long before any of Us became in any
degree responsible for policies of State,
the people of Indiana. through their
chosen representatives, entered upon the
policy of higher education for her young
men and women. through the establish
ment of the State Normal School. Pur-
due University and the State University.
We have now reached a point in the de-
velopment of all three of these institu-
tons where we must decide either to
abandon them or to give them such sup
port in equipment and maintenance as
will maintain their dignity and efficiency.
The first alternative is not TO be thought
of In 1888 Indiana University had an
enrolment of 30. now 2,OJ1. Ten years
ago Purdue University had an enrolment
of 702, now 1,S05. Then she granted
15S degrees, last year 32S.
More support Necessary.
This increased enrolment makes abso-
lutely necessary increased room and
equipment and increased maintenance.
BY devotion to right ideals. by sacrifices
innumerable and by long and invaluable
service they have earned the right to
such support and maintenance as will, pre-
serve their prestige and insure their fur
Their efficiency. The equipment and build
ings at the State University are greatly
insufficient and those at Purdue Univer-
sity are pitifully so. Provision for build
ing and equipment for the engineering de-
partment at the latter institution is abso-
lutely essential. But greater. if possible,
than the lack of buildings and equipment,
~ 10 IS I'll
necessities Indiana is far behind sur
rounding States in the per capita expendi-
ture made for such institutions.
Southeastern Hospital for Insane.
The needs of each of the hospitals for
the insane are clearly and ably set forth
in the several reports made by the trus-
tees of the respective hospitals to the
Governor and to the legislative institu-
tional committee, copies of all of which
will be referred to you for your examina-
ton and consideration. While all of the
demands made can not be met, many of
the most essential and urgent ones can
and ought to be provided for. The crowd
ed condition of the Central hospital for
the insane, and the fact that there are
more than LOO insane persons in the
State now without hospital care, in coun-
ty jails and poorhouses. or dependent
upon the ineffective care of friends,
makes the completion of the new South
eastern hospital for the insane at the
earliest possible moment an absolute and
imperative necessity.
school for the Deaf.
Under the preceding administration the
School for the Deaf. lands and buildings,
was sold with view of relocating the
same. During the present adminstra-
ton new site was purchased. consisting
of 7693 acres. advantageously situated
in Forty-second street, at a cost 70 The
State of $3O,772, and of present value
of $76,93O.
New Penal Institution.
/ submit for your consideration the
propriety Of an act authorizing the pur-
chase of q site for the location of an
additional penal institution, and the APP
pointment of a commission to purchase
the same, and make a report to the next
~ .of r,lapC for tho rom