Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1915-01-30
WOULD ABOLISH
HOME FOR GIRLS
Legislators Think Institution
Too Expensive For the
Good II Does

by unanimous vote, upon lne motion
of Representative Wesley o. Smith, of
Klamath county, the joint committee on
ways and means last night decided to
cut the wayward girls home out Of
every cent Of appropriation asked for
in the budget for the biennium 1916
l7l6, amounting to $4,000, including
$4,000 for another new building and
$4,000 for salaries and maintenance
and will turn the new $4,000 building
which has been erected for the use Of
the wayward girls home over to the
state board of control to make such use
of it as the occasion demands within
the next two years.
Two years ago the legislature made
an appropriation of $4,000 for the
establishment and maintenance of a
home for wayward and incorrigible
girls, $4,000 of which was to be ex-
pended in the construction Of new
building southeast of the city. During
the two years the institution has been in
existence, according to the information
in the hands Of the ways and means
committee, an average of about eigh-
teen girls has been cared for in the
school and all of the appropriation for
salaries and maintenance has been ex-
hausted. The new budget is based up.
on an estimate of fifty inmates and
ten employees for the next two years
and the committee saw where this was
another advantage that was being
seized by persons prominently identi-
fled with the work to build up another
expensive institution to be foisted up
on the taxpayers and they concluded
that the best way to cope with a situ-
alton Of that nature was to nip it in
the bud and before it assumed such
proportions that would make its
abolishment waste Of state money.
While all of the committee was in
favor Of cutting the infant institution
out entirely none seemed to have the
nerve to take the initiative and it re-
mained for Representative Smith to
tape the lead in the matter which be
| did without moments hesitation and
the motion was carried without dis
senting vote. OF course, it is the in
tention of the committee to make some
provision for taking care of the way
ward girls and will Recommend some
appropriation but il is diametrcally
opposed to giving it any encourage
ment for building up an institution
such as has been planned upon. The
new building, which has not been oc,
cupied, will accommodate about ~
girls, and the records show that there
never has been more than 20 in the
institution at any time and the aver
aye has been about Is with full corps
Of Officers and employees. 1t is eX.
pected that the confiscatory action OF
the committee will bring horde OF
supporters of the institution up from
Portland Monday morning to lobby
against its action,
Az the conclusion Of last nights
work the ways and means comm ttee
had passed upon other claims and in
stWtions, appropriation bills Which
will be introduced either today or
Monday, in which reductions amount
ing 70 an aggregate Of S2l1i3I9, BRING
inc the total amount eliminated from
the budget by the committee to date
of Si9S,000, or nearly a half million
dollars. The institutions passed upon
since yesterday, when a total OF q
quarter million had been clipped from
the budget for contemplated improve
ments, repairs, etc., were the state
fair board fund, from which a total OF
Sl5O,OOO was eliminated including
$l23,OOO for n new livestock coliseum
the deaf school, tuberculosis institute
supreme court building and grounds
capitol building and grounds and the
Hecudve, administrative and edu
cational departments, in all of which
latter no reductions were made,
The ways and means committee has
not passed definitely upon the reform
school budget and viii not DO so until
the institution has been visited VIII
Governor Withycombe who has worked
ont n plan which he intends trying oul
at the institution The total estimates
which have been passed upon by th'
committee TO date, amount to $l,766,
l0l3. OF these the state fair board gets
$35.l0 deaf school, $ji,05; tuber'
culosis institute, $6l 400; supreme
court, $4,000; executive department
S23. 700; education department, Sj9,
0ss; special agents $1,000; state de-
partment, $Gl 900; treasury department
sac. 800; capitol and supreme cour'
t.lt1tn,, tRT QIE