Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-04-21
MITcHELLVILLE SCANDAL WILL
BE SHOWN UP BY NEXT LEG
STATURE.
INVESTIGATION CERTAIN
UNLESS SITUATION CLEARS
Governor Carroll, Superintendent Of
School and Board of Control to Be
Brought Under the Legislative M iero-
soope-Too Much Shifting of Blame
at Present Time.
Special to imes-Republican.

\
Des Motnes, April PA complete
and thorough investigation of the ex.
tent to which political considerations
have affected injuriously the manage
as that the next legislature will meet
within nine months.
Unless the situation is cleared
promptly and satisfactorily the legis-
a shaking of dry bones as has not been
known for long time.
Representative John b Sullivan
member of the house from this county
who is almost certain to be nominated
for the senate and be elected, in an
interview says:
LAS l see the matter now. I shall ask
of the legislature, if I am elected, that
a joint committee make a thorough
land unbiased investigation of the state
industrial school for girls and every
thing connected Herewith. Such an
iinvestigati should not stop short of
an inquiry into the management, the
change of policy and abandonment Of
the reformatory methods. the industri-
al work and the modes and extent of
punishment, the cause of the recen t
series of troubles. and the extent to
which political considerations have
entered into the membership of the
board of control
THE legislature alone Is competent
to make this investigation. The super
| intendent of the school, the governor
of the state and the board of control,
are all Interested parties. They have
apparently all become so involved in
the scandal that each one is trying to
shift to others the blame which the
publ feels should be placed some
where. They ouhgt not to expected
to make the investigation that the
situation demands.
Several months time has been CIV
en- for explanation and no report has
yet been made that is satisfactory A
committee of our good people, earn
estly seeking the truth but laboring
under the handicap of having no legal
right to compel anybody to testify and
perhaps denied access to those who
are best able to throw light on the
situation, has given us just glimpse
of the deplorable condition Of affairs
at the Mitchellville institution. In
fairness to all the legislature should
assume responsibility for giving pub
licity to all that concerns the public
in regard to this school.
at is evident that there has been
studied effort to conceal the facts. 1t
is TOO much to expect that now we are
in the midst of political campaign
the parties most interested should give
us an uncolored account of the whole
trouble But the legislature will, am
sure, act promptly unless the matter is
entirely cleared up and all suspicion
removed"
1t is recalled that in the last legis-
lature there was talk of investigations.
One, it is now well known, was in
spired for the chief purpose Of so dis
crediting the previous state admins
tration as to make excuse for COM
plete change on the board Of control
and a. general change in institution
management The real fight com menced
more than year ago before the legis-
lature. The political purposes We're 80
completely exposed that the last gener-
al assembly refused TO help out in the
political game.
But an investigation by the next leg
islature will go to the bottom of the
whole thing and include the moves
made at the last session of the political
chessboard and having relation to the
board Of control personnel
The things which will receive great
est attention will be the matter of
change of policy by which the school
has been converted into a penal insti-
tuition with cells built in the old attic
and the use Of paddle for punish
ment and perhaps worse.
Tt is pointed out that inevitably Gov.
Carroll and his associates will now
try to shift the blame for everything
at the school upon the broad should ers
of John Cownie, now private citi-
zen. The necessities Of a strenuous
political campaign would suggest this
course. The administration will try
to escape responsibility and probably
further statements and reports and as
sertions will be made public. But Mr..
Sullivan intends TO have the investi-
CATION made by the only competent
body. and that will include an investi
CATION Of the governor as well as the
sch DOL.
The state executive council will soon
call upon the railroads for completer
reports on the free passes issued to
residents of Iowa other than the wage
earners. Some of the companies nave
reported all their free passes includ-
ing not only wage earners, but salaried
officials and their lawyers and doctors,
who under the law are strictly for
hidden to receive passes. Others have
reported only the passes issued to the
railroad commission and to outsiders
not reporting any Of those deemed by
the mana cement to be outside the law.
But the state executive council on the
advice of the attorney general, will
insist upon complete reports OF free
passes issued The state law is very
strict and it is believed that some per-
sons in the state are guilty OF gross
violation of the law in that they have
accepted free passes when not entitled
to the same. II there are any such OF
course the governor or council will
authorize prosecution of the pass hold
ers.
The people OF the state were startled
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