South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-09-29
Republican Orators Are Called
off on Their Attacks on the
Boys School at Plaintield

fOrF lie was certainly not $1,000
man. Even at that ne got $500
! instead OF 81 500 and his wife drew
/ $500. making the salary $40 and
| giving. nothing TO the people and
nothing 20 the boys in return.
As cattle barns and hog pens in
a winterless country the place would
/ have been a disgrace in the shape
/ i'm which it was turned over to the
: democrats. To preserve the record
hundreds of photographs were
made. Interior pictures show the
( dwellings barns. and all the build
/ ings actually falling TO pieces. Holes
in the walls through which men
/ could walk or crawl.
Boys herded in their sleeping
quarters in most outrageous and
immoral fashion, and in any OF the
/ buildings they could lie in their beds
4 and see the clear sky through large
I holes in the roofs. Not a single
! suit of clothes or one garment in
the place that would cover naked
ness. To appear on the public
I highway as they dressed about the
, farm at Plainfield would have meant
arrest for indecent exposure. II
I was a school for crime and the max
! ing - criminals. as the official rec
ords prove.
Money the First Care.
The managers of the state repub-
lican machine cared nothing for
these boys or their futures. so long
as the machine had plenty Of the
taxpayers money TO keep the road
/ roller well oiled and the party man
ayers well supplied with cash.
The statements made here are in
! the greatest moderation. The photo
graphs tell a story that is almost
beyond belief. The first step Of the
democrats was To secure a sCperin-
4 tendent with ability as we'll as hu>
manitarian instinct. That job was
well done. The first contract let was
for laying $4,000 shingles to keep
the rain off the beds. This is an
/ item of expense which repU blican
orators condemn. It was necessary
TO repair buildings TO the extent of
almost rebuilding 10 make the place
at all habitable for human beings.
/ This is more extravaganza as the
, republican candidates see il.
New clothing was necessary to
cover the republican nakedness of
every boy the "schoOP-God
save the name. Today every boy
in the school has three full suits.
/ He is compelled to keep clean.
Among other things he is taught to
/ take care Of his clothes. Good
sleeping quarters are provided.
There are enough guards at night
and attendants by day TO properly
protect and regulate habits and be-
havior. There are enough com
petent teachers to instruct and pre-
pare these boys for lives as useful
men. Home training which has
been denied them is here supplied.
! The place has more the appearance
today of a military schoo! for boys
than a school where criminals used
/ to be made.
Republicans Lift Debt.
Yet republican orators and can
didates present as one qualification
the promise that they would return
| to the old management and re-estab-
I hsh the republican school Of crime.
/ And with il all. democrats reduced
I the state general salary and expense
fund 10 seven cents, while repub-
I licans had collected and spent Is
cents every year and left behind
1 them debt OF several millions.
which. by the way. the democrats
have paid in full.
All these things have been shown
! in public reports Of investigation
made by state and national boards.
/ These show that with no food fit
/ TO eat and no clothing TO wear. the
republicans spent $29, S39.54 for food
and clothing the last year they
were in charge. In 1915, with the
| higher cost of living and with three
/ fall suits from the skin out for each
( boy, and first class food. the demo-
Gratis spent S16,971.S6 for the same
items. For sundries the democrats
/ in 1915 spent $26.13460 and the re-
publicans in their last year spent
( $46.766.22
i The total expenditures in the last
republican year were $11.3284.74
and in 1915 under the democratic
state administration the amount was
J $10S,O52.26. The superintendent
draws $4,000 because he is worth it.
and his wife does not draw any sal
airy on the side.
Records Favor Democrats.
/ Far more important TO the bows
and TO the communities in which
/ they are 10 spend their adult years
is making of them useful citizens.
| From 1902 TO 1911 under the repub-
licans. parOled boys were sent back
to the number of from 100 to us
year. They were being made into
/ confirmed criminals. From 1912
through 1915 the number who were
/ returne in each Of the four years
was 20. 6S, so and 81 respectively.
! The number is gradually reducing
/ TO none The boys are being train
ed TO be useful and respected cit
I liens It is no longer a school for
crime
Indiana benevolent institutions are
/ out OF politics and should STAY out
Of politics. but the democratic party
has the right 10 claim credit for
doing the things, appropriatins the
money and appointing officials who
/ have brought order out Of chaos.