South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-24
SHOW CONDITION
Of STATE HOMES
Financial Status OF State
Charitable and Other In
StitutionS Described.


I'm Indiana, lays bare the complete
breakdown OF the financial policy
OF the Goodrich administration. for
which the party alone Is respon-
sibie. The star. with amazing
frankness, goes on 20 tell OF the
deplorabie condition Of the state In
stitutions and shows that under the
circumstances a special session Of
the legislature is unavoidable. The
Star says:
"Ind.ana's state-maintained insti-
tutions. in not a few instances. are
not only 'broke'-they are thread
bare.
institution heads are no longer
trying TO keep up a front on an
empty purse They are now freely
admitting that they have practiced
every economy possible in the way
OF urbing maintenance costs, and
as a result the Is benevolent. cor
receive and penal institutions are
so run down at the heel that it will
take huge sum TO rehabilitate
them.
Calls Special Session.
n
the sad impOverishment OF the state
institutions have been known for
some time TO officials at the state
house. IL was this knowledge that
actuated Gov Goodrich in deciding
nearly four weeks ago TO call spe-
cial session OF the legislature TO ap-
propriate money for the rapidly
growing deficits.
Names OF institutions in which
the shortage OF funds has been
acutely felt we're withheld yester-
day. owing TO a desire not to EN-
barrass the directing heads with in
quiries from the relatives Of wards,
but il was admitted that at several
OF the institutions the enforced
economy has reached even 10 table
fare"
Criticisc Predecessors
Ii is easy to imagine what the re-
publican press and the Goodrich
Hays machine would be saying IL
these conditions had existed dur
ing the administrations Of Gov
Marshall or Gov. Ralston, both Of
which were severely criticised by
Gov. Goodrich during the cam
paign OF 1916.
The star has aroused the ire Of
the republican machine by boldly
printing the facts
Continuing its article regarding
them. it says:
As an illustration OF the drastic
economies that are practiced In an
effort TO defeat the high cost OF liv-
ing. one OF the institutions, whose
inmates are children, has been
forced 10 manufacture an impro-
vised breakfast food. To take the
place OF rolled oats it has been
found necessary at this institution
to crush wheat in a cattle feed
grinding machine in order 10 OBJ
tain food for the morning meals.
Even butterine has virtually dis
appeared from the menus for the
inmates OF state institutions. But
ter was on the prohibited list long
ago. In some OF the institutions.
however. where the inmates are
suffering from physical or mental
ills. the superintendent have
steadfastly RETAINED from substi-
tuting coarse foods for the more
nturishing articles"
Conditions of Homes.
The conditions 10 which the un-
fortunate inmates must submit are
referred TO as follows by the star:
The food problem is not the
most serious one that is facing the
institutions Stores OF bedding.
furniture and clothing for inmates
have not been replenished as they
should have been. for the last year
or more. In one OF the institu-
tions il is known that all the blan-
kets are on the verge of being rele-
gated 10 the rag bag. New supplies
cannot be purchased because the
maintenance" revenue is so sCant
that e must be used for the bare
necessities Everything that can be
patched or repaired is being used.
In this way the institutions are
managing TO get by" The super
intendents see clearly that the day
Of reckoning must come and that
the institutions viii have TO be re-
habiitated at a tremendous cost be-
cause or the present forced re-
trenChmentS
Money Was Available.
Il is conceded that these wretch
ed conditions might have been
avoided II the republicans under
Goodrich and his organization had
followed the busineSs-like policies
OF Cows Marshall and Ralston. who
insisted on adequate appropriations
FOR the institutions When the dem
ocrats went out OF office there was
plenty OF money IL the state treas
ury
There IS plenty OF money now
but the desire OF the republicans %
live up 10 their false representations
OF the campaign OF 1915 led chem
into making the mistakes which
now will result in a special session
OF the legislature at a heavy and
needless cost for the people
rur ~