are requested to report progress before July 1 to the chairman of the State Philanthropy Committee. The Illinois Conference of Charities and Correction held at Jacksonville in November last was well attended, and great interest manifested in the charitable work of the State. One of the most important movements in the field of relief work during the past year was the formation of the Illinois Army and Navy League. This league was formed May 12, 1890, in response to the call of Governor Tanner. Its object is to assist and comfort Illinois soldiers in our armies, sailors on board our war-ships, and their families and dependants at home. It is non-partisan and nonsectarian, and will work in harmony with the military and naval authorities of Illinois and of the United States. C. GROUP OF DEFECTIVES, APRIL 1, 1898. Pupils in School for the Blind, 226. Pupils in School for Deaf and Dumb, 498. INDIANA. BY AMOS W. BUTLER, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. The legislature of Indiana has not been in session since the There are now enough orphan asylums and children's homes within the State to care for all of the children demanding care while they are awaiting placement in homes. In Evansville there has been organized an Associated Charities, the results of which for the first winter have been very satisfactory. The law enacted by the last legislature, 1897, providing for the levy of a tax by the township trustee in each township, to pay for the poor relief drawn from the county treasury for that township, became effective in September, 1897. The result has been that the extreme amount of poor relief, as granted in many quarters by township trustees, has been brought home to the people to whom he is responsible, and is causing much inquiry on their part. The first year of experience in Indiana under the compulsory educa tion law is drawing to a close. Almost without exception from every part of the State come reports of an improved condition of affairs. The law has been enforced; and, on the whole, the results are satisfactory, both to school authorities and the public. Closely associated with it, one supplementing the other in many instances, is the law prohibiting child labor in factories. The results of the first year's experience with this law are also in the main satisfactory. The operations of the law are not extended to children employed in stores and in occupations other than factories. This prevents reaching children who are so employed, except through the truancy law, for twelve consecutive weeks in the year. A. GROUP OF DELINQUENTS. Class 1 Criminals. On April 1, 1897, the prison at Michigan City became the Indiana State prison. Only men are confined there, thirty years of age and upward, unless sentenced for murder or treason, or those who have proved incorrigible in the Reformatory. Jan. 31, 1898, there were 836 inmates. The Woman's Prison contained 45 inmates. The institution formerly known as the State Prison, South, became the Indiana Reformatory April 1, 1897. To it were transferred all convicts under thirty years of age, except such as were sentenced for treason or murder. On Jan. 31, 1898, there were 910 inmates. Class 2.- The Vicious. I have no records of the population of the workhouses and jails of the State. Class 3.- Insubordinates. Jan. 31, 1898, there were 626 inmates enrolled in the Reform School for Boys, and 44 boys were absent on "ticket-of-leave." There were 281 inmates enrolled in the Reform School for Girls, and 66 absent on "ticket-of-leave." B. GROUP OF DESTITUTES. Class 1.The Poor in Poorhouses. Aug. 31, 1897, there were 3,072 inmates in the poor asylums of the State. Jan. 31, 1898, there were 538 inmates in the State Soldiers' Home. Class 2.- Destitute Children. Jan. 31, 1898, there were 637 inmates enrolled in the State Soldiers' and Sailors' Orphans' Home. Oct. 31, 1897, there were 1,401 children in the orphans' homes which receive public aid. Aug. 31, 1897, there were 232 children in the county poor asylums. We have no record of the population of private orphanages. Under the act of the legislature of 1897 it became unlawful to retain in the poor asylums children between the ages of three and seventeen years after Jan. 1, 1898. As a result, the children comprehended in that law have almost entirely been removed from the poor asylums, and placed in orphans' homes. April 1, 1898, began the second year's work of the State agent authorized by the last General Assembly of this State. There have been placed in private families 102 children. The results of the first year of this work seem to be very satisfactory. Class 3. The Sick and Injured. There are no statistics at hand with relation to this group. C. Group of Defectives. Class 1.- The Blind. There were enrolled in the Institute for the Blind Jan. 31, 1898, 125 inmates; poor asylums reported Aug. 31, 1807, 146 inmates; total, 271. Class 2.1 Deaf-mutes. Jan. 31, 1898, there were enrolled in the Institution for the Deaf 317 inmates; poor asylums reported Aug. 31, 1897, 52 inmates; total, 369. Class 3.- Feeble-minded Children. Jan. 31, 1898, there were enrolled 575 inmates in the School for Feeble-minded Youth. In the poor asylum statistics, adults and children are grouped together; and, in consequence, no accurate statement can at this time be made as to the number of children there. Class 4.- The Insane. Jan. 31, 1898, the four hospitals for the insane reported a total enrolled population of 3,259. There were Aug. 31, 1897, in the county poor asylums, 392 insane inmates. An addition has been built to the Southern Hospital for the Insane at Evansville, which has somewhat increased its capacity. INDIAN TERRITORY. No report received. IOWA. BY W. S. R. BURNETTE, CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. The town legislature has been in regular session this year; and perhaps the most important measure passed was the establishment of a Board of Control, practically having charge of all the State institutions. A roadside settlement at Des Moines has been established during the year, with the various departments adapted for that line of work. A. GROUP OF DELINQUENTS. Class 1.Criminals. The State has two penitentiaries, at Fort Madison and at Anamosa. I have been unable to get exact statistics from either. Class 2.- -There are two Industrial Schools, one at Eldora for boys, and one at Mitchellville for girls. The average attendance in the boys' school during the past year has been about 500, and the income of 120 per year is equal to the number discharged. An excellent parole system is in force, that enables the boy not only to become proficient in some line of work by which he can make an. honest living, but to effect his discharge under the rules of the institution. B. GROUP OF DESTITUTES. Class 1.- - The number of adults in the poorhouses of the State is comparatively few, as several excellent institutions for the care of aged and infirm are in operation. Class 2.- Destitute Children. The State maintains an orphanage at Davenport. 101 children were received during the past year, and 114 discharged, many of them going into private homes. The average during the past year was 490, 200 girls and 290 boys. Threefifths of them were soldiers' children. The Iowa Children's Home Society, a home-finding organization, -supported by philanthropy and benevolent people of the State,has received something over 200 children, all of whom have been placed in homes. The Christian Home at Council Bluffs has received 94, and placed in homes 68 during the last calendar year. They have on hand now 210. There are something less than 50 children supported in the almshouses and at public expense in the various counties of the State. Class 3. Several of our cities, chiefly Davenport, Des Moines, and Sioux City, have added a matron to the police department. C. DEFECTIVES. Class 1.- Blind. The State maintains a central school for the blind at Vinton, with a smaller one at Knoxville. From the last biennial report of the superintendent at Vinton we find that there are 246 inmates. Class 2.Deaf-mutes. The State maintains an institution near Council Bluffs for the education of deaf-mutes. Class 3.- Feeble-minded. The magnificent institution at Glenwood lately injured by fire is being rebuilt. There are now about 730 pupils, with many applicants that cannot be received for want of room. 360 of the children are in the school department. The estimated value of the equipments is $350,000. Class 4.- The Insane. Three asylums for the insane are now in operation, and the fourth at Cherokee will soon be completed; while there are a great number kept by the counties in local asylums that are thought to be incurable. At Clarinda there were 747 patients. At Mt. Pleasant the ninth biennial report gives an average of 885. Independence Hospital has a capacity for 1,000 patients, and is full. Last year an industrial building was erected. It contains shops for male patients to work in, chiefly during the winter season. In it all the clothing for male patients is repaired, and some clothing for men is made. All shoes are repaired, and slippers for male patients are made. All brooms used in the institution are made in this shop out of corn raised on the hospital farm. The hard-wood sticks are used over and over again. Harnesses are repaired, caneseated chairs are rebottomed, and rattan baskets are made and repaired. Rag carpeting, cocoa-fibre matting, and door mats are woven. All kinds of furniture are repaired. Pictures are framed. This building also contains a printing-office, which issues a monthly paper and does various kinds of job work. Besides, this building contains a large and well-arranged paint shop, in which carriages, |