Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-09-24
DUBUQUE COMMITTEE RECON-
mENps NEW LAW TO GOVERN
CARE OF PUBLIC CHARGES.
INQUIRY RESULTS IN
RADICAL RECOMMENDATION
Care of Insane, Poor, Neglected, De-
pendent, Sick, and All Other County
Charges Would Be Placed in Charge
Of Special Board Of Five to Be
Elected by People.
special 70 Times Republican


Dubuque, Sept. 24.-Recommenda-
tions suggesting that efforts be mace
tn change the Iowa statutes regarding
the care of county charges featured
lengthy report made public yesterday
NV the committee of business men re-
Gently selected by the Dubuque county
board of supervisors to investigate
conditions in private and pubic MONIES
Where the destitute and sick are cared
for, The membership of the committee
includes some Of the most prominent
and influential men Of the city and 1t
is believed that efforts along the lines
suggested will be made. The investi-
CATION came as a result of the recent
exposure of rotten conditions at the
county poor farm and which resulted
in the resignation Of the entire per-
sonnet of the county board OF super
visors. The committee was selected by
the new board appointed recently.
Drastic Changes Proposed.
That portion of the report regard
ing the drastic changes in the hanoling
of county charges follows:
Your committee has given consider
able thought and investigation to the
question of the proper care Of all coun-
ty charges and we have reached con-
clusion which can not be worked out
under existing laws. In the orsarii1si-
ton of county government the business
of county was, by legislature, vested
in a board of supervisors. Each year
has seen the duties and responsibilities
of boards of supervisors increase and
we now find that the duties imposed by
law upon q board Of supervisors in a
county as large and complex as Du-
buque county are so multitudinous and
varied that the board can not give the
correct attention and thought to all of
the questions arising that such ques-
tions should have.
Board Of Charities Urged.
your committee has reached the
conclusion that the care Of the insane,
the poor the neglected, the dependent,
the sick, those afflicted with contag-
ious diseases, and all other county
charges of kindred nature should be
vested in an independent board, and
for want of better name-say a coun-
ty board Of charities; this county
board Of charities to consist probably
Of five members, to be elected by the
people; non-partisan in it's character,
and to serve without pay; this board.
in it's nature to be similar to the school
board and supported in somewhat
similar manner; this board to be or
ganized with power to select a super
intendent who would be well versed in
sociological subjects. including their
cause, treatment and cure of poverty,
and dependency. That all the institu-
tons owned by the county, including
the tuberculous hospital, county home,
detention hospital and such other kim
dred institutions as may hereafter be
needed, be placed in charge OF such
county board of charities.
That all admissions to such institutions
be under such rules and regulations as
this county board of charities may
adopt. That said county board Of char
tiles have authority to place county
charges in homes and institutions I'M
der private control and in general ex-
ercise and supervise authority over
every county charge of a charitable
nature"