The county courts were given powers of removing children from immoral, inhuman, and intemperate parents, and placing them with reliable individuals or in institutions. The age of protection was raised to twenty-one years.

A parole law was passed, authorizing circuit and criminal courts and the Court of Criminal Correction in St. Louis to parole any person convicted of any offence punishable by fine or a jail sentence; also to parole persons under twenty-five years of age who may have been convicted of any felony, except murder, rape, arson, or robbery. The act confers the same power on courts having appeal jurisdiction from justices' courts; and in such cases the parole power may be exercised by the appellate court before the convicted is tried in that court, or where he is serving the sentence of the justices'

court.

The act authorizes two paroles in cases of misdemeanor, permits absolute discharge after at least six months of parole, and requires final disposition of such cases after two years of parole; that is, the court must either grant absolute discharge or issue execution of sentence. In felony cases the parole may continue ten years, but the convicted person must give bond for appearance in court at the beginning of each regular term. In such cases no absolute discharge can be granted under two years; and, if after the expiration of ten years of parole no action is taken by the court, the convicted person is absolutely discharged by failure of the court to act, and citizenship is restored.

The court can at any time cancel parole, and issue executing sentence. This law does not go into effect until June 20. Its constitutionality has been questioned by some prominent lawyers, on the ground that it attempts to confer powers upon the judiciary which the constitution of Missouri delegates to the executive.

Most of our institutions are inherited from 1876, the time of the adoption of the Scheme and Charter. They are now inadequate to meet the demands of our institutional people; and the question is being agitated of erecting a number of new ones, for which ways and means are being devised. The Missouri School for the Blind received an appropriation of $20,000 for a new site, and propose to sell their old building for $150,000. The school closed with 160 pupils out of a population of 2,000 blind. The State cares for 348 deaf children, and has a population of 1,600 thus afflicted. The Indus

The Boys'

trial School for Girls at Chillicothe has 78 inmates. Reform School at Boonville numbers 358. The House of Refuge in St. Louis has 72 girls and 253 boys. The warden of our one State Penitentiary is now required to classify the 2,200 convicts, in their work and sleeping apartments, according to their reformation and reputation as made known to him.

The Bertillon system of identifying criminals has been put in operation in our St. Louis police department. The insane cared for in our State asylums number about 3,300. The Insane Asylum No. 1, at Fulton, has been converted into a homœopathic institution. Our jail population is about 3,000. The workhouse in St. Louis has 517 degenerates; the poor farms in the State, about 3,000. These include aged poor, feeble-minded, and insane, deaf, and blind. Our orphan asylums and homes care for about 1,000 children, not including 500 placed by the Missouri Home Society.

The Confederate Home at Higginsville has become a State eleemosynary institution. An appropriation was made for the support and maintenance of a Federal Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at St. James.

It goes without emphasis that our women's clubs are broad in their work, and animated with the desire to produce the best results under existing conditions. They have assisted the civic authorities in cleaning our streets, have placed works of art in our public schools, and are establishing travelling libraries throughout the State.

Our State Board of Charities and Correction is establishing a bureau of statistics.

There is an awakening in our State to the wants and needs of the unfortunate people among us, and many of our representative men and women are earnestly studying the perplexing question of how best to deal with them. Missouri held its first conference of charities and correction in December, 1896.

ΜΟΝΤΑΝΑ.

BY MRS. M. S. CUMMINS, SECRETARY OF STATE BOARD OF CHARITIES AND REFORM.

The State Board of Charities and Reform has visited the various State institutions during the past year with a view to making a report to the next legislature as to plans and changes.

The institutions of Montana are excellent, considering their short existence and the small amount of money at their disposal. This board is hampered in its work by a lack of funds to carry it on. There is no printed report of the board since its organization.

NEBRASKA.

BY A. W. CLARK, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

Three of our State institutions were affected by acts of the legislature. The Home for the Friendless and the Milford Industrial Home were both removed from the control of private charitable organizations, and placed under the control of the State Board of Public Lands and Buildings. It was further provided that the governor shall appoint superintendents and such other officers as may be needed, and also a visiting and advisory board of five for each institution, whose travelling expenses for a visit each quarter shall be paid by the State.

By act of the legislature it was determined that the prisoners of the State Penitentiary should be under the direct control of the State, and that all contracts for prison labor should be done away with as soon as possible. It was further provided that the warden should furnish employment to all prisoners who are able to work, and that the prison should be made as nearly self-supporting as possible. It was a matter of deep regret that our last legislature favored this policy, and expressed the belief that in all probability the Penitentiary would become self-supporting the coming year, and the State be relieved of every dollar of expense for its maintenance. This policy precludes the possibility of accomplishing much in the way of reformation for the prisoners.

An attempt was made to do away with the Soldiers' Home at Milford because the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home at Grand Island is abundantly sufficient to provide for all the old soldiers. This attempt failed for political reasons.

An effort was made to secure passage of a bill creating a State Board of Charities. This also failed. We believe, however, this can be accomplished at the next session of the legislature.

A State Conference of Charities was organized at the State Capitol Feb. 10, 1897. The attendance was larger and the interest in

the movement greater than was expected. We were honored by the presence of H. H. Hart, General Secretary National Conference of Charities and Correction, whose advice and instruction in methods of organization were greatly appreciated, and whose able address in Representative Hall of the State Capitol before members of the legislature and others resulted, as we believe, in much good. No other new organization has been effected the past year, and no new movements in charitable work have been inaugurated.

A. GROUP OF DELINQUENTS.

Class 1.Criminals. We have but one prison, the State Penitentiary at Lincoln. The average number of inmates for the past year has been 305. It thus appears that in our population of nearly 1,250,000 we have a small number of prisoners. The largest number of inmates at any time was 326.

Class 2.- The Vicious. It is impossible in Nebraska to secure definite information concerning this class. Provision has recently been made that the bureau of labor statistics shall send out blanks to the county officials of each county for the purpose of securing accurate information concerning this class. One year from this time we shall be able to give the information desired.

Class 3.- Insubordinates. We have three State institutions for insubordinates: one State Industrial School for Boys at Kearney, the average number of inmates being 211; one Girls' Industrial School at Geneva, average number of inmates 89; the Milford Industrial Home, for girls between the ages of eighteen and thirty, average number of inmates 36 adults and 23 infants.

B. GROUP OF DESTITUTES.

Class 1. The Aged Poor. Are partly provided for in one of our State institutions, the Home for the Friendless. While this institution is designed especially for destitute children, a limited number of old people are admitted. Many of this class are taken care of in county poorhouses. The Women's Christian Association of Omaha supports an Old Ladies' Home, where about 20 are cared for. Only one other such institution exists in the State, and less than a dozen are cared for in that one.

These small homes are not under denominational control, neither do they receive any help from the State treasury.

Class 2. Destitute Children. The Home for the Friendless at Lincoln, supported by the State, has about 162 inmates on the average. This institution has accomplished a great deal in placing children in private homes, sending out some single years as many as 130. It is like a temporary shelter for children. A few of the inmates, however, are permanent charges. The Tabitha Home at Lincoln is under the direction of the Lutheran Church. The Mothers' Jewels Home at York is under the control of the Methodist denomination, and with their new buildings and large farm the managers are well equipped for the work. The primary thought in the institution is temporary care for the children, and then to place them in Christian homes. The character of each child is carefully studied in outdoor life and work on the farm, in some cases for several months; and the child is then placed in a private home. There is one Catholic Orphanage in Omaha. Temporary care for children is also furnished by the Women's Christian Association of Omaha, and a few children are taken care of in poorhouses. The rest of the work on behalf of destitute children in the State is accomplished by the Children's Home Society and the Children's Aid Society.

Classes 3 and 4.- The Sick and Injured Poor. Have no provision made for them by the State. Whatever is done for these classes is largely by private hospitals under denominational control. The Lutherans support one at Lincoln. At Omaha the St. Joseph Catholic, the Presbyterian, the Methodist, the Lutheran, and the Episcopalian Hospitals are performing grand services. The county officials in many of the counties assist these classes at the poorhouses. At Omaha a large county hospital is maintained. While the city of Omaha refuses to grant any assistance to the destitute poor, some assistance is given to the sick and injured poor. No other city government in the State renders any assistance to these classes.

The Associated Charities of Omaha and the Charity Organization Society of Lincoln have commended themselves to the sympathy of the public, and are well known throughout the State for the good services performed by them. The charity organization sentiment has been steadily growing; and, had it not been for the stringency