convicts in other states, and providing that such goods should be labelled "convict-made," was amended by the last legislature to apply to goods manufactured in Indiana prisons, as well as those in other states.

The only increased provision for the care of the insane is for one cottage at the Eastern Hospital. The appropriation, amounting to $31,000, is available April 1, 1902; and the building may be expected to be completed the succeeding fall. This will perhaps accommodate 60 women. The General Assembly amended the law regulating insanity inquests by providing that such inquests shall be held by one justice of the peace and two physicians instead of by two justices and one physician, as heretofore.

Two measures referring to county and township charities were enacted. One is a codification of the poor relief laws: the other provides that counties having boards of county charities shall make an annual appropriation of $50 for their expenses.

During the past year the Methodist Episcopal Church has established a Deaconess Hospital in Indianapolis. An addition, with a capacity of 100, was erected at the City Hospital of Indianapolis. Among the county institutions, three new jails and four poor asylums have been erected.

In the field of associated charities the work has been more efficient, and organizations have been strengthened. In Indianapolis the sentiment in favor of social settlements has increased materially, and one new Neighborhood House has been established.

The supervision of all dependent children who are public wards devolves upon the Board of State Charities since the enactment of the dependent children law of 1897. This board's agents also place children directly in family homes. For the past two years two agents have been employed. The last legislature increased the appropriation; and another agent, a woman, will be added to the force. The number of children in the county orphans' homes Oct. 31, 1900, was 1,623. 58 counties had no children in their poor asylums on that date. In the remaining 34 county poor asylums there were 49 children. All but 5 of these were physically or mentally defective or infants. While the number of dependent children who are public wards has not been reduced in the past three years, the average time these children remain inmates of orphans' homes has been reduced from 36 months to 20.6 months, a reduction of over 42

per cent.

The activity of the four Boards of Children's Guardians has shown good results.

The successive laws in the past six years regarding official outdoor relief have resulted in a great decrease in the amount of aid given. In 1895 the value of outdoor relief given by the overseers of the poor and the medical relief amounted to $630,168.79. The value of the outdoor and medical relief given for the year ending Aug. 31, 1900, was $209,936.22. This is a decrease of $420,212.57, or a reduction of 66 per cent.

The total population in the state hospitals for insane is 3,566,- an increase of 261 over that of a year ago. This increase is possible by reason of the additional buildings completed at each institution within the past year. The population of the School for Feebleminded Youth on Jan. 31, 1901, was 740,—an increase of 97 over one year ago. The capacity of the institution was increased by the completion of new buildings within the year. The total population of the correctional institutions Jan. 31, 1901, was 2,472,- a decrease of six from one year ago. There has been practically no increase in the population of these institutions in the past six years. In 1895 their aggregate population was 2,448. Considerable improvements have been made at the state prison; and the new cell house, containing 600 cells, at the Reformatory, is approaching completion. The superintendent of the Reform School for Boys, Professor T. J. Charlton, after twenty-one years of faithful and efficient service, resigned, and retired from active work April 1, 1901.

INDIAN TERRITORY.

No report.

IOWA.

BY HON. L. G. KINNE, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

The last legislature passed a law placing all county and private institutions where insane persons are kept under the supervision of the Board of Control of State Institutions. The board for itself, or some one it may appoint, is required to visit all these institutions at least twice a year, to make rules and regulations concerning the

keeping of insane patients, and to see that they are complied with. In the event of non-compliance of any county or private institution the board has authority to remove the patients to the state hospitals or to another county or private institution which may have complied with the rules.

The first visitation was made by members of the board. The second visitation is now being made by the physicians connected with our state hospitals.

The rules have been promulgated; and the result is that several institutions have turned their patients over to the state, and they have been transferred to the state hospitals.

The second visitation is not yet completed, so that we do not know to what extent the county institutions may be complying with the rules. These rules are calculated to cause the insane to be better cared for, and to throw safeguards around their care, to require night watches at institutions where necessary, and the proper number of attendants, fire escapes, medical attendants, etc. The law is a great step in advance.

The Women's Reformatory, spoken of in my last report, has not been opened because of the fact that the age limit fixed in the law makes it impractical to open it. The matter will be reported to the next legislature, which meets next winter, for its action.

KANSAS.

BY PROFESSOR F. W. BLACKMAR, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

The work of the annual meeting of the National Conference of Charities and Correction held in Topeka, May, 1900, and the efforts of the Kansas Association stirred the public considerably. Consequently, the last legislature was active in the consideration of measures for the improvement of charitable and correctional affairs. Many measures were proposed, some good and some bad, for the remedy of existing evils. A number of bills failed, and some passed. Of the latter there are many commendable features and some serious defects. The space allotted for this report will not permit the analysis of the various acts and their bearing upon the present situation. Among the more important measures may be mentioned the following: An act to define the condition of child dependency,

neglect, and ill-treatment, and to prescribe methods for the protection, disposition, and supervision of dependent, neglected, and illtreated children within the state of Kansas. This bill is a thorough digest of the whole matter. It places all children's aid societies under the control of the State Board of Charities.

Another important act provides for the parole of the prisoners of the penitentiary. It allows the governor to grant a conditional parole, which amounts to a conditional pardon. Its object is to return to independent social life those prisoners who give a reasonable assurance that they will henceforth lead a self-supporting lawabiding life. With proper care the law is a good one.

A law for the better management and control of the inmates of the industrial reformatory was passed. An attempt to consolidate the boards of the penitentiary and the reformatory failed.

The most important measure that passed the legislature was a new law governing the charitable and correctional institutions of the state. This law represents a revision of all the old laws and a substitution therefor. It has many important measures. Some of them might be greatly improved, and doubtless will in time. Upon the whole, the law will be of great advantage to the charities and corrections of the state.

The law carries a civil service clause for the employees in the charitable, penal, and reformatory institutions of the state. It is a fairly good law; and, if not used as a cloak for political action, it will prove a move in the right direction. The law made some radical changes in the commitment and care of the insane. It allows a private examination by a commission of physicians to determine insanity. Originally, the bill provided that the patient should be taken to the hospital by an attendant; but the sheriffs of the state objected because it encroached upon their prerogatives. They had sufficient political pull to defeat this provision. The law changes the terms. "insane asylum" to "state hospital," "reform school" to "industrial school." The law provides for a State Board of Charities which has supervision over School for the Blind, School for the Deaf and Dumb, Industrial Schools, State Hospitals, School for Weak-minded Children, Orphans' Home.

Upon the whole, there is a spirit of reform in the Kansas institutions which will eventually remove all defects and abuses. Many improvements have been made, and more are to follow. Certainly

there has been a great interest in these matters during the last year.

KENTUCKY.

BY EMMA A. GALLAGHER, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY.

During the last meeting of the legislature a resolution was adopted making it the duty of the Joint Prison Committee to investigate the condition of the penitentiaries of the State once each month; the Board of Prison Commissioners to exercise executive control, authorizing all expenditures for maintenance, improvements, repairs, etc., approving or disapproving all appointments of officials or guards. By an act the power of paroling convicts was vested in this board. The rules adopted show that the paroling board will be extremely cautious in the exercise of the power conferred upon them. All expenses incurred by the parole must be furnished by the persons applying for the release of prisoners. Some reputable citizen of the prisoner's home county must also agree to give him employment for the first three months after his release. The paroled person must report conduct, with signed statement of the county judge, once every six months.

There has been some new work taken in hand by women's clubs and other organizations. An Industrial Home and Shelter has been opened, the object being to care for and reclaim young convicts discharged from our penitentiaries. The railroad department of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union has added to its work a Travellers' Aid, and, upon securing the consent of railroad officials, have placed at each depot a matron to look after the interests of women, and especially young girls and children travelling unattended.

The Children's Free Hospital Circle is extending its work, whereby children of the inaccessible mountain districts may receive benefits of hospital care. The circle will send some one to the mountains to take charge of this noble work. An elegant house was presented, as a memorial, by a liberal citizen to the Women's Christian Association, to be used as a boarding home for young women who work for their living.

There was formerly opened at Keene the Blue-grass Industrial School for the education and training of the boys and girls of our