Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 4.djvu/247

 POLITICS IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS 229

In a reform school for boys the radical and irrational changes seemed to destroy the contentment and order of the community. Ninety-five boys out of 365 escaped in less than a year. The present board is not necessarily inferior to the former, but the partisan interference has crippled their useful- ness and imdermined discipline.

The same correspondent cites evidence that in the asylum for the insane the attendants were assessed 3 per cent, of their salaries for election expenses.

The last legislature of California brought the hospitals for the insane under the merit system. In other state charitable institutions there is no scheme of examinations, though they are generally non-partisan in management.

The penitentiaries are non-partisan in their wardens and most of the subordinate officials ; but still, I believe, there is no regular civil-service administration. The same wardens have been in charge, regardless of the politics of the state, for many years. The reformatories are somewhat parti- san. The jails and houses of correction are, as far as I have observed, strictly partisan. The sentiment of intelligent and responsible people gen- erally is that in all these institutions appointments should be made for merit only ; but there has been no public expression, as far as I can recall, in regard to the city and county jails. It is a sad fact that they are generally consid- ered as very proper and necessary spoils for the political victor.

THE SOUTH.

The following information may be taken to represent a very gen- eral condition of administration and the current of opinion favorable to civil-service reform.

KENTUCKY.

Few reports were received from Kentucky, but few were needed to answer the main inquiries. Political management appears to be the practically general rule. The penitentiary is under the direction of the Sinking Fund Commissioners, who are ex officio the governor, attorney-general, auditor, and treasurer. The wardens and deputy wardens are appointed by the governor ; guards by the commissioners. For the Lunatic Asylum and the Feeble-Minded Institute the superin- tendents are appointed by the governor ; employes and attendants by the superintendents, in conjunction with the board of commis- sioners. Schools for the blind, and deaf and dumb are officered by boards of directors, who are appointed by the governor. Evidently here the evil lies not in the method of appointment so much as in the custom of treating the institutions as political spoils.