III.

Reports from States.

REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON REPORTS FROM STATES.

Reports have been received from all of the states and territories, except Georgia, Indian Territory, Nevada, and Tennessee.

The committee has not asked the state corresponding secretaries for any statistics this year. We believe that it would be exceedingly desirable to secure each year reliable statistics of the work in the several states, and to print it in tabular form; but this would involve an amount of labor and expense which the committee has been unable to undertake.

CONFERENCES OF CHARITIES.

The National Conference of Charities and Correction produced a marked effect in the state of Kansas. The legislature of 1901 passed a comprehensive bill relating to charities and charitable and reformatory institutions, revising the whole system of management of institutions. Sections 35 and 36 of this bill read as follows:

"A committee of said board of trustees of charities and corrections is hereby authorized to attend the annual national conference of charities and correction, and to tax up the actual necessary expenses to said trip as a part of the expenses of their office; provided that such expenses shall not exceed four hundred dollars, to be paid by the state treasurer out of funds not otherwise appropriated.

"The said board may subscribe for copies of the Proceedings of the National Conference of Charities and Correction not exceeding two hundred dollars in any one year, and may purchase books or periodicals for their libraries to cost not to exceed twenty dollars in

any one year, and may further expend not to exceed five hundred dollars for papers and reading matter for the institutions."

State conferences of charities have been organized in New York, California, Nebraska, Missouri, and Virginia during the past year.

STATE BOARDS OF CHARITIES.

The abolition of the state boards of charities and the substitution of state boards of control was proposed in Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado. In Illinois the change was recommended by the State Board of Public Charities. In New York it was proposed to substitute for the State Board of Charities a board to consist of one salaried official and two state officers, ex officio, without remuneration. The proposed legislation was rejected in each state except Minnesota, which has established a State Board of Control similar to that of Iowa. The Nebraska legislature established an advisory State Board of Charities.

CHILDREN.

In 1899, Illinois enacted a law similar to the Massachusetts probation law, but more comprehensive. Its chief feature was was the establishment of a court to deal with both dependent and delinquent children. The legislatures of 1901 enacted similar laws in Wisconsin, Missouri, and Kansas. Similar laws are pending in Pennsylvania, New York, and Connecticut.

THE INSANE.

Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, and Minnesota, are perfecting the state system of caring for the insane. Pennsylvania is developing county system similar to that of Wisconsin. Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, and Virginia passed laws simplifying methods of commitment.

PENOLOGY.

Several states are extending the parole system to inmates of state prisons. Louisiana has abolished the convict lease system, and Mississippi will probably do so.

CONSUMPTIVES.

State provision for consumptives has been made in Massachusetts, and is being vigorously pressed in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The new charter of Baltimore is a notable departure in the management of municipal charities, and is likely to exercise a permanent influence upon the cities of the United States. The changes in administration of relief for the poor in Ohio and Indiana are worthy of the study of legislators. They have resulted in an immense pecuniary saving, and it is believed that the effect upon the beneficiaries is much less demoralizing than under the old system.

SUMMARY OF REPORTS BY SECTIONS.

It is the practice of the Committee on Reports from States to summarize the reports by geographical sections, in order to present a comprehensive survey of the year's progress.

THE NORTH ATLANTIC STATES.

State Conferences of Charities. The New York State Conference of Charities and Correction held its first annual meeting in November, 1900. The conference promises to be a leading factor henceforward in the work of New York. The state conference does not supersede the New York Convention of County Superintendents of the Poor, but many persons belong to both organizations. New Hampshire and Pennsylvania are the only other North Atlantic states which have state conferences.

State Boards of Charities.- The powers of the Massachusetts board, with reference to dependent and neglected children, have been further enlarged. The new governor of New York recommended the abolishment of the State Board of Charities and the substitution of a board to consist of one salaried official and two state officers, ex officio, without remuneration. A bill was introduced, but met with the opposition of nearly all the friends of charitable work in the state. The bill was not reported from committee in either house.

Children. The Maine Industrial School for Girls is now controlled and supported by the state. Public sentiment in Maine favors the placing-out system. The Massachusetts legislature has authorized the court to commit "dependent" as well as "neglected" children to the State Board of Charities, unless municipal authorities intervene. Massachusetts will probably pass a bill providing for the approval of charitable homes for children by the State Board of Charities, as a condition for their incorporation. The Massachusetts Farm Colony for Feeble-minded Boys past school age now contains about seventy boys, and is steadily growing. New Hampshire has provided for a state school for feeble-minded children between the ages of three and twenty-one years. The Connecticut legislature will probably forbid the commitment of boys under nine to the State School for Boys. A manual training system has been introduced in the Connecticut School for Boys at Meriden. A bill for the establishment of the probation system is before the Connecticut legislature. In addition to the foregoing, six additional bills relating to dependent children are before the Connecticut legislature, all of which will probably be rejected. The Rhode Island Nursery Association has entirely changed its method of work from the institutional plan to the plan of boarding children under three years of age in private families. The Public Education Association provides courses of lectures for parents of poor children in poor districts. The Pennsylvania legislature will probably pass a juvenile court law similar to that of Illinois, providing for probation officers, inspection of children's institutions, special court-rooms for children's cases, etc. The revised charter of New York City facilitates the placing of destitute, children in families, and guards the health and safety of children placed in institutions. A children's court is established to hear cases of destitution, neglect, incorrigibility, begging, etc. The State Hospital for Crippled Children, established by the legislature of 1900, is located at Tarrytown. Buffalo has a special law providing a probation system for juvenile offenders.

The Insane. In Massachusetts all insane persons now cared for by cities and towns, except Boston, will be controlled and supported by the state after Jan. 1, 1904. A colony for quiet chronic insane has been provided for. In Pennsylvania the county care system prevails in fifteen counties, and seems to have gained a strong hold on charitable people.

Penology. In Maine there is a growing sentiment in favor of a separate prison for women, to be under the charge of women. In Massachusetts the commissioners of prisons have been given supervision over the work of probation officers of such courts as they may designate (presumably courts dealing with adult cases). The commissioners are authorized to confer with justices and probation officers for the improvement and perfection of the service. The indeterminate sentence system will probably be applied by the legislature to the state prison, with maximum and minimum limits. Bills are pending before the Connecticut legislature for state reformatories for men and women. The latter bill is likely to pass. A bill for executing criminals at the state penitentiary failed in the Pennsylvania legislature. The New York legislature enacted a probation law for all criminal courts in all cities of the state, but, strange to say, refused to apply it to children. A parole law was passed, applying to state prisoners.

Consumptives.-The Massachusetts State Sanatorium at Rutland, opened in 1898, has been placed under supervision of the State Board of Charities, and will be enlarged and further developed. The Connecticut legislature is considering a bill for a state hospital for pulmonary tuberculosis. The Hartford City Hospital is also raising funds for a department for consumptives. In New York much opposition has been encountered from local interest, against the location of the proposed hospital for consumptives. The legislature of 1901 made appropriation for building, but further opposition to the location is probable. In Pennsylvania the Society for the Prevention of Tuberculosis is urging an appropriation of $50,000 for a sanatorium in the highlands of the state.

Miscellaneous. The Connecticut legislature is considering a bill providing for district almshouses. Providence has an Improved Tenement House Corporation, which has already reformed one tenement house. The Tenement House Commission of New York of 1900 recommended important changes in building laws, which were adopted by the legislature, constituting a most important advance in tenement-house reform.