THE KNIGHTSTOWN INSTITUTE.
A message from the Senate announced the passage by that body of the bill [H. R. 527] relative to the Knightstown Institute with amendments that one of the Trustees be a woman, and that the salaries of certain officers be increased, etc
Mr. DITTEMORE: I move that the House do not concur in the amendments from the Senate.
Mr. GOODING: I call for a division of the question, so that we may vote on each amendment separately.
The SPEAKER: The chair will so direct. The first amendment provides one member of the Board of Trustees shall be a woman, and, plainly, that one shall be a Republican and one a Democrat.
The amendment was agreed to by yeas 52, nays 37.
Mr. BOYD, explaining his vote, said: I have no objections to a woman on the board, but I am especially anxious that a Republican and a Democrat should serve on the board. I know that the man who outraged the little boys was kept there for two months that he might vote.
The SPEAKER: The gentleman is out of order.
Mr. BOYD: I do not say this as a reflection on Democrats. Both parties are too prone to shield their party men. I vote "aye."
Mr. DEEM: If I thought that a lady would exert any good influence on the board I would vote for the measure; but I have no such faith. And as a woman whipped the soldiers' orphans with a rawhide I am compelled to vote "no."
Mr. GOODING: As the Democrats have to bear the responsibility of the government of this institution I think they should have control of the institution. I do not want to make it a political institution, but, as the responsibility rests on the Democrats, I think they should govern it. So I vote "no."
Mr. HARRELL: I am an Andrew Jackson Democrat and believe that Democrats should control. So I vote "no."
Mr. HOBAN: I believe that a woman is more competent to take care of these children than a man is. I therefore vote "aye."
Mr. KELLISON: For the reason that I believe in purging our benevolent institutions from politics, and for the reason that I believe that woman is the friend of the homeless, the weak and the friendless, I vote "aye."
Mr. LOYD: So far as the non-partisan part is concerned, I favor it; but I do not favor a woman on that board. Women govern the children now, but as I believe the Trustees should be live business men, I vote "no."
Mr. MOUK: As I do not think that the best interests of the State demand a woman on the board I vote "no."
Mr. McBROOME: I do not like the language of the amendment, and I vote "no."
Mr. McMICHAEL: There are more women there now than there ought to be; so I vote "no."
Mr. PATTEN: I am in favor of three women on that board; but that we may have a conference committee, I vote "no."
Mr. ROBINSON: As I do not favor the minority in tine Senate dictating to the working members here, I vote "no."
Mr. TAYLOR: Believing, as I do, that the institution needs the care of a good, motherly, virtuous woman, I think the Senate did right. I think the presence of a woman would avoid scandal. No one can sympathize with the unfortunate like a woman. I vote to concur.
Mr. TOWNSEND: I remember that during the war the women were ministering angels to oar soldiers, and believing that all page: 76[View Page 76] our institutions would be better in the hands of women. I vote "aye."
The SPEAKER: I believe that our institutions would be better in the hands of women - even all the Trustees should be women. I most cheerfully concur in the amendment and vote "aye."
Mr. SMITH, of Tippecanoe: I heartily believe a woman should be a Trustee. I vote "aye."
Mr. BOYD: That we may settle this at once, I change my vote to "aye."
Mr. LOYD: For the reason that we may have this matter settled at once, I also change my vote to "aye."
The result was announced as above.
So the amendment was adopted.
The remaining amendments to increase the salary of the Superintendent from $1,200 to $1,500, and the salary of the Trustee from $490 to $500 per year, were then severally agreed to.
