Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-01-05
BOARD OF CONTROL
SYSTEM IS PRAISED
BY Captain Layne Of the Govern
ment Bureau of Insular
Affairs.

ncpOiIluS " Lie governor genera
of the Philippine Islands recently
Captain c. Fl. Layne, representing the
bureau of insular affairs, gave it as
his opinion that Minnesota had the
most ideal system of institution con.
troll and management that he had
found in a tour of Investigation Gov
ertng many states Of the Union. The
whole system, he declared, was a
standing monument to the wisdom
and efficiency of those concerned in
establishing it. e.,
Capt. Layne's visit to Minnesota,
which was made by authority of the
war department, was chiefly for the
purpose of inspecting the new Still
water prison, to secure information
looking to reforms contemplated in
connection with penal institutions in
the Philippine possessions. His in
quiry covered every phase Of institu.
ton management and control, and to
his superiors he summed up his find
ings in the following language:
.""The institutions of the state of
Minnesota are magnificent proofs of
the wisdom and efficiency of the state
board of control, and a monument to
the members of the same. In the
hands of proper men it is no doubt
the ideal method for creating and
maintaining good institutions, because
the latitude and powers are such that
lack of legislation cannot hamper"
A Model At.
- I0r1o Vi n 0f tho honVI 80 n1,,fro1 0of
a copy of which he carried away with
him, and which he declared in his re-
view of institution management in
Minnesota to be a model of its kind,
he said: -.
"There exists a state board o. CON
troll, which, because of its wide pow
ers, might be. termed a bureau Of
education and correction. The board
consists of three members, appointed
by the governor of the state, and
has the exclusive control of the state
prison, state reformatory, state train.
ing school, the school for the feeble
minded, the sanatorium for cOnsun1p-
tives and the asylums and hospitals
for the insane. The law gives this
board exclusive control and among
many other powers specifically men,
tons: Finances (private donations
excepted), religious instruction, edu-
cational policy, lands and buildings,
contracts and purchases, appolntm snt
of officers, providing rules, methods of
accounts, reports and records, inves-
LEGATIONS; transfers Of inmates be-
,141 institutions rna0r m An n in O
legislation, the labor of inmates, gifts
and gratuities, and many other pow
ers, including the authority to inves-
tigate any system of charities or cor
'rectionary institutions, infirmaries,
hospitals, jails, etc. The board may
also borrow funds if so disposed.
.""There exists a statute which dir.
etts the appointing power to remove
any officer or member who exerts
in anv manner whatsoever his politi-
cal influence, or is influenced by po-
litical considerations or contributions
to any political fund. This, apparent
~, is the only check on the state board
of control, unless the state board OF
visitors may be so considered, and in
view of the fact that the state board
of visitors serves without compensa-
ton, it was probably not created with
such object
The Penitentiary.
While Capt. Laynes' tour of inspec-
ton Of Minnesota's correctional and
charitable institutions was most thor
ough, his chief concern was with the
penal institutions. The new Still
water prison especially appealed to
him. and his report to the governor