The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-31
Board Of Health BuIletin)

Board Of Health Bulletin)
What would a State Commission of
Charities and Reforms accomplish for
Florida?
1t is believed that possibly such a
commission exists to limited degree.
in the constituency of the present
board of State Institutions. which 1t is
understood is composed of the Gov
ernor. the Comptroller. the State
Treasurer. the Attorney General, and
the Commissioner of Agriculture. but
have these gentlemen with the special
duties of their several offices devolv-
ing upon them by the constitution of
the state. time to devote any exhaus-
tive study to he comprehensiveness of
work of investigation of commission
such as has been mentioned.
There is no disputing the fact that
they are all capable. intelligent and
probably intensel INTERESTED in the
subject of properly dispensing the
charities of the state, and the neces-
sary reforms of administration, but
have they the time with their other
duties to do this effectively and eff
GENTLY. so that results can follow in
tensive studies along these lines?
That there is need for such an or
ganization has been on the minds of
hn .,,.a
Florida in their hearts. for it is an
idea that has been embodied in con-
crete form in other states and splen-
did results have been the outcome.
Such a commission in Florida, as
elsewhere, to do effective work. must
be utterly divorced from politics, and
as its membership would perform
their duties without large salaries. and
would select their own paid executive
agents. the positions might not Xcite
the cupidity of persistent and habitual
Office seekers.
The commission would have execu-
tive authority over all state institu-
tons supported in part or in whole
by legislative appropriations, such as
the State Asylum for the Insane, the
School for the Deaf and Blind and
other similar charities, and over the
state prison system, reform schools for
both sexes already in existence and
that may be created later. 1t would
also have advisory supervision over
the punitive systems of the various
counties in the state, with authority to
probe and investigate whenevr condi
ions might suggest or require
The supervision of conditions sur
rounding these wards of the state OF
the counties would be comprehensive
They would cover not only The physic
al wellbeing, the health, proper hous
ing. clothing and feeding, but they
would include an oversight of the NOR
al influences to secure the best final
results such as should prevail in in
situations under the authority of q
Christian commonwealth.
In every community and state Ger
tain responsibilities are forced upno
the body polite by the frailties of hu
man nature. OF every thousand Of
population the law of averages will
produce a certain number of feeble
minded, a certain number of persons
who cannot earn livelihood because
of lacking mentality, of sickness OF
crippled conditions, certain proper
ton of petty law breakers and con
firmed criminals, and fixed number
of paupers entirely dependent and
helpless.
1t is an economic neces<sic, thai
these classes must be taken care o.
at public expense. Human sympathy
and human nature will not allow the
crippled and pauper to perish BY
starvation or exposure, even though
such persons may have no legal CLAIM
upon the individual taxpayer, ant
though they may have reached thei
state of degradation directly through
their own fault.
Society might be protected from tn
lawless classes, from the murdere