ARBITRATION OF LABOR TROUBLES.

The appointment of a State Board of Arbitration is another of the reform measures of the legislature in the winter of 1897. The board consists of three members, two of whom are appointed by the governor; and the third is, in each case of arbitration, the judge of the Circuit Court in the district in which the labor difficulties have arisen. The two appointed members of the board must be from different political parties; and one must have been for ten years an employer of labor, and the other for the same length of time an employee. The findings of the Arbitration Board are to have the weight of the findings of a court of justice to a restricted degree.

INMATES OF INSTITUTIONS, ETC., APRIL 30, 1897.

A. GROUP OF DELINQUENTS.

All

Class 1. Criminals. In State prison, 962, in Reformatory, 811. All convicts thirty years of age or over are in State prison, also incorrigibles under thirty and all persons convicted of murder. convicts under thirty, except those convicted of murder, are in the Reformatory. In county jails on April 30 were 582 (estimated) prisoners. Of these, a majority were awaiting trial, many for misdemeanors. A large per cent. was composed of those serving short jail sentences on conviction of misdemeanors.

Class 2.-The Vicious. The County Workhouse in Indianapolis is the only workhouse in the State. Population, 114. Jail sentences are rare in Indianapolis.

Class 3.- Insubordinates. The Boys' Reform School had enrolled 580 inmates, and the Girls' Reform School 260, April 30. Of these numbers, 57 girls and 44 boys were absent on probation, leaving 536 boys and 203 girls actually present in the schools.

Class 1.The Indoor Poor. Population of the county poor asylums or almshouses, 2,976. In homes for the aged, supported by private or sectarian beneficence, there were estimated 80 inmates at the date given. The destitute poor do not board in families in Indiana.

Class 2.- The Sick and Injured Poor. Estimates reasonably accurate indicate that on April 30 there were in public hospitals in the different cities of the State 125 sick and injured patients, and in private hospitals supported at public expense about 100 patients, -225 in all.

Class 3.- Destitute Children not Insubordinate. In the Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home on April 30 were 610 children, in the county orphan asylums were 1,395 children, making a total of 2,005 children, sixteen or under, in the State and county orphanages, supported wholly or chiefly at public expense. In county poor asylums at the same time were 266 children, sixteen or under. The new law, mentioned above, prohibits the keeping of children in county poor asylums after this year. In orphanages supported by private or church beneficence there were 800 (estimated) children. This gives a total of 3,071 children charged upon public or private charity at the date mentioned.

Class 1.- The Blind. In the State institution, 124 pupils. In the county poorhouses, 149 adult blind inmates.

Class 2.The Deaf. In the State School for the Deaf, 312 pupils. In county poor asylums were 53 deaf persons, all adults with possibly a rare exception.

Class 3.- The Feeble-minded. In the State School for Feebleminded Youth, 554 inmates. Children sent to this institution remain permanently, unless capable of sufficient education to enable them to support themselves. None are admitted over sixteen. Under the operation of the law this institution necessarily becomes an asylum for the custodial care of many adult feeble-minded. county poor asylums 822 persons are classed as feeble-minded. Many in this number are senile through age or infirmity.

In

Class 4.-The Insane. In the four hospitals for the insane in the State were enrolled 3,189 patients; in the county poor asylums, 378 insane persons, some awaiting transfer to the hospitals, while others. have been discharged therefrom as harmless or incurable. The insane in the county poor asylums are chiefly chronic. In county jails, awaiting transfer to hospitals, there were estimated to be 35 insane persons. Indiana long ago adopted the policy of State care for its insane, but its appropriations to build hospitals have never

been sufficient to carry out this policy in full. Appropriations in recent years have been large, and the State is now nearer the accomplishment of its purpose to bring all its insane citizens within the care of the State than at any previous time.

IOWA.

BY W. S. R. BURNETTE, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

No legislation was enacted during the year. The cities of Dubuque, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines each secured, through Abraham Shimmel, a home for the aged and infirm. The State is building an additional insane asylum at Cherokee. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is building an orphanage at Jefferson. It is impracticable to give correct figures as to the population of institutions, etc.

KANSAS.

BY C. E. FAULKNER, FOR THE CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

:

The State Penitentiary at Lansing and the State Industrial Reformatory at Hutchinson were this year placed under one board. The following appropriations were made for a ward building at the Topeka Insane Asylum, $60,000; for additions to the School for Feeble-minded Youth at Winfield, $30,000; to start manual training at the Boys' Reform School in Topeka, $3,000.

The Soldiers' Orphans' Home was put into commission as a State public school for dependent and neglected children (name not changed); but a State agent for the home placing of children was denied on the ground that a clerk was allowed the superintendent, who ought to have time to look after the placing of children.

A bill to regulate the work of Children's Aid Societies, and bring them under State supervision, failed.

A bill to extend the work of the Trustees of the State Charitable Institutions so as to make them substantially a State Board of Charities and Correction, in addition to their present executive character, passed the Senate and failed in the House.

A bill of the Kansas Children's Aid Society, auxiliary to the

National Children's Aid Society, was introduced to give said society power to take children from State institutions and place them in homes, receiving $50 for each child so placed; but this died a natural and proper death in the Committee Room. An allowance of $700 per year was given to each of the Children's Homes in the State operated by church or private charity, and the same amount to the Kansas Children's Home Society, to encourage it in doing its proper work.

LOUISIANA.

BY MICHEL HEYMANN, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

Our legislature was not in session this year.

The last year was the beginning of a new era in the field of charity and correction in the city of New Orleans.

Our Charity Organization Society has been put on a firm basis; and, though the progress of the work is slow, we are encouraged by the co-operation of the most important charitable societies of all denominations, and success will surely crown our efforts in the near

future.

A free kindergarten association has been established; and already two fine free kindergartens are doing excellent work, not only in redeeming children of the slums, but in training kindergartners.

A prison association has been formed, and some of our best men and women are encouraging this work, so much needed, not only in our city, but in the whole South. Our city authorities and prison officials are friendly, and will help us to introduce the needed reforms.

So far nothing has been done in the State, outside of New Orleans; but I am confident that public opinion will be strongly in favor of laws for the amelioration of our penal institutions, which our legislature of next year will enact. Twice we have tried to get a law passed for the creation of a State Board of Charities, without success. Let us hope that we shall succeed the third time.

The special meeting of the National Conference of Charities and Correction held in New Orleans, March 4-7, was a great success. It was not attended by a large number, but those present are surely among the best of the land; and their excellent work has already had fine results in the whole South.

Besides the creation of the local Charity Organization Society, the Free Kindergarten Association, and the Prison Association, a Southern conference has been formed to meet in Nashville next fall; and a bright future in the noble work is anticipated through the whole South.

It is impossible for me to find words strong enough to thank my friends, who made the sacrifice of their time and money to assist us in our work. May God bless them!

DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CLASSES.

A. GROUP OF DELINQUENTS.

State convicts, as per last report, serving sentence in the State Penitentiary, 1,046; petty convicts serving sentence in workhouse and jails, monthly average, 796; total, 1,842.

Juvenile delinquents in the Boys' House of Refuge during last fiscal year, 300; house of the Good Shepherd (girls), 221; total number of juvenile delinquents during year, 521.

B. GROUP OF DESTITUTEs.

Class 1.- The Aged Poor. Inmates of Shakespeare's Almshouse and of the Little Sisters of the Poor, approximate number, 500.

Class 2.— Destitute Children. In private asylums, 2,000.

Class 3. The Sick Poor. Kept in the Charity Hospital; daily average, 715 patients. Total number of patients during the year (indoor), 9,528. Total mortality, 12 per cent. Outdoor clinics rendered medical and surgical attention to 20,248 patients, to whom 64,745 consultations were additionally given.

C. GROUP OF DEFECTIVES.

Pupils in School for the Blind, 36; pupils in School for the Deaf and Dumb, 93; insane patients under treatment in State asylum, 1,019.