The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-11

the settled policy or this state. Tree
ommend that this act be amended sc
as to provide for q bipartisan board
and l further recommend that one OF
the stenographers in the governors
ONCE be required to act as the clerk
and stenographer of the state board
of pardons without additional compen
sation.
The number of boards and commits
sions in this state is startling. In
stead Of increasing the number OF
commissions. in my judgment they
should be curtailed. The state board
OF health has not had that support
from the state of Indiana which its ,
laudable efforts in behalf of the public
health and the dissemination of the
knowledge of preventive medicine
among the people Of this state de
serve. nor have the local boards OF
health been always selected with ar
eve single TO the public welfare. The
powers of these boards of health
should be enlarged so as to give them
jurisdiction over the pollution OF
streams. the sources OF water supply,
ventilation. lighting and plumbing OF
tenement houses. and a general dis
erection as to health requirements
subject only to the right of appeal in
the event OF unnecessary and obnox'
fous requirements. Appointments
should be made not exclusively for
polIucal services rendered. but upon
the ground OF competency and fidelity
to duty. The study OF the cause and
cure OF tuberculosis is laudable one
The same may be said of epilepsy. Nc
better management in my judgment
can be obtained than that of the state
board Of health. II will not dc. how
ever. to turn these two institutions
into free sanitoria. For many years
the people of this state have beer
paying all the expenses Of insane
wards aside from clothing. Wherever
charity demanded this to be done, il
was right. but there are many inmates
of our insane asylums who have funds
amply sufficient to provide for the
wants of those dependent upon them
at home, and still have sufficient prop
erty left. either in whole or in part, &c
support themselves All such insane
epileptic or consumptive patients
should be compelled to support them
selves. either in whole or in part, and
the burden ought not to rest upon
the people of this state. Let us deal
generously with the unfortunate of the
state but let not the state support
those who are able to support them
selves.
Charges Of . Grave Character.
The erection OF what is known as
the Indiana School OF the Deaf and
Dumb was, during the recent cam
paign. attended with charges Of such
a grave character. involving not only
the amount of money expended, but
also the manner of its expenditure and
the stability Of the buildings wheT
completed, and the erection of the
Southeastern Indiana Hospital for the
Insane near Madison having also beer
mend either a nonpartisan or biparti
san investigation of these two institu
tons which shall involve a report from
thoroughly competent architects di
vorced from any political significance
whatever. to the end that We ma!
know whether when these building
are completed they will be safe ant
durable. There is a crying demand TO
/ the erection of an asylum for the Grim
| inal insane. The problem is. how Il
| meet this demand without additiona
expenditure of money. 1t is possible
that sale of the real estate occupied
J., by the School for the Blind and thu
woman's prison would furnish sufi
cient money to erect at different places
a modern school for the blind, a WON
ans prison and a hospital for tn
criminal insane.
The state geologist has done a val
liable work for Indiana, but that worl
is probably completed except the max
ing of a soil survey for this state
That survey has already been under
| taken by the national government. ant
several Of the counties of this stat
have been surveyed accordingly. Be
! fore continuing this ONCE be sure tina
| it is worth $500 a year to the peopl
| of Indiana.
Conservation Of Timber.
! The conservation of timber in Ind
ana. which will always remain an agri
cultural state. is to be obtained by lee
lures delivered to the farmers in tn
various counties of the state by edU
Gated men who know the soil cond
tons and the grade Of timber whic
will grow in such soil. The object les
son which We have in Clark county