Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-01
FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER L, 1871.
Gen. Butler in Worcester.


propriate and accustomed weapons of such
combats. He handles them boldly and with
considerable skill. He is not, however, the
graceful swordsman, whose keen and slender
weapon in def hand nflicts wounds hardly
perceived until the victim finds his strength cb-
bling away beneath the fatal drain; but rather
the champion cudgel plyer who with many
shouts and antics, deals a shower of blows more
painful and temporarily dis6guring than dam
gerous. In accounting for the curious fact that
he has pursued Quarrels with the editors of all
the newspapers, Mr.. Buffers ingenuity and
recklessness Of Misrepresentation are useful.
Truthful and candid statements would not suit
his purpose, for they would show that the per-
sonal motives attributed TO his political adver.
saries have no existence. But these controver-
sizes have very little interest for the public; Gen.
Buffers misstatements make no impression, ex-
cept on those who wish TO believe them, and,
as most of the persons affected by them have
regulations very unlike that of their traducer,
justice neither to them nor the public requires a
formal correction of his injurious statements.
In a discussion of the financial affairs of the
state, some other qualities than a reckless in
gCnuity are desirable. Imagination and inven-
ton are admirable qualities in their place, but
that is not among figures, unless they are
figures of speech, which perhaps Mr.. Butler
would say that his were, if called upon to ex-
plain them in the light of official reports. In
vented statistics may make a temporary i'm
preston upon an unthnking audience, but
they will not stand the test of examination with
the aid of the official figures. Mr.. Buffers er-
roneous statements in regard to the state COM
missions have already been sufficiently ex-
posed, In his speech here, as reported in
the Traveller, which he will not accuse of mis-
representing him;
General Butler passed to a consideration of
the expense of the board of state charities, and
spoke of the cost of supporting state luuatic
paupers referring TO the asylum in Worcester
as a specimen, discaiming any personal knowl-
edge Of its officers, but simply taking the facts
as he found them. He said he found by the
reports that there were SIS paupers supported
in the various asylums, and that there were
employed one attendant for every two paupers,
and said that in Worcester there was paid
$4,000 for salaries of officers and attendants,
besides their board, and yet there were but
thirty-fve state paupers in the institution. He
did not wish to reflect upon the officers; he did
not know one of them. But it was the system
that was defective, and that should be remedied.
The state had been charged for the board of
state lunatic paupers long after they were
dead and buried, and it was time there was
change"
This passage was reported more fully in the
Spy and other papers, but from all the reports
as well as from the very words of the speaker,
only one impression could be drawn, and it was
that which tie speaker evidently wished to con-
vey, that the cost of supporting the lunatics
dependent upon the state is exorbitant, and
amounts to nearly one thousand dollars year
for each, This seems improbable. Of course
there are official documents which give the
exact figures, and these are so readily accessi-
BILE to General Butler land his hearers that he
probably would make them the foundation of
his statements, however he might distort them.
The certainty of exposure would present his
doing otherwise. Most persons would reason
in this way. Not so Butler. The facts would
not serve his purpose. He neither knew nor
cared anything about them, and exposure has
no terrors for him; he knew that it would
neither spread so widely nor reach the same
classes of persons as his accusation.
But for those whom it may reach we give
some facts and figures from the latest official
report of the board of state charities. The
figures, it will be seen, are, except in one instance
entirely unlike those given by Butler, and the
single coincidence tends to show that he had
consulted the proper authority and wilfully
1alsited its statistics, fault which is perhaps
not greater than pretending to knowledge which
he did not possess, when it was quite within his
reach. From the report referred to we find that
the average number of lunatic state paupers
supported at the three hospitals, at Worcester,
Taunton and Northampton, during the year
1870 was 1856. The average number Of lunatic
paupers at the Tewksbury almshouse is not
given, but as the number at the opening of the
year was 267 and at the close 294, the average
was probably somewhere between these figures,
say $50, and the aggregate at all these institu-
tons was 716 instead of 615, as Cen
eral Butler stated. In the Worcester
hospital there were during the year an
average of 1896 patients, of whom 1922 were
supported by the state, instead of S5 according
to Butler The total expenditures of this institu-
ton were SS2,51 40. The single instance
in which Butler has given the correct figures is
the amount paid for salaries, &C., which was
S24 ,167.7S. The total receipts were $50 1881
of which S75,097 27 was received from towns
and individuals, S2,O95.S7 from the farm. ST..
5S0.O6 was the ordinary appropriation from the
state treasury for current expenses, and S5,65511
was the balance on hand at the beginning of
the year. Deducting the expenditures from the
rpppntg shows a balauoa of Q2e Of ,,.;.l,
TO begin the new year. Dcducting from the
whole expenses the amounts received from
towns, individuals and the farm, the balance
shows the cost to the state of supporting its 50
insane paupers; this sum is just S., 445.53 for 50
instead of about S33 900 for 35 as Butler repre-
scented. The actual state appropriation was as
we stated above, 81 $4,000, not all of which was
expended.
Again, General Butler gave the impression
that the state paid proportionally more for the
support Of Its paupers at this hospital than was
paid by the towns and individuals for patients
supported by them. On this point, we learn
from the report that the average weekly cost for
each patient was S4.O1, sum which would
hardly support them in luxury at the Revere
house, according TO General Buffers suggestion.
.
The 344 patients, not supported by the state,
paid on the average per week 81 90; the excess
is probably due to the fact that some private
patients paid higher rates for special attend
ance and luxuries. The actual cost to the state
of its 50 paupers was, as nearly as possible.
S2,O5 week each. Not very bad showing this
yet Butler says that any change in the manage.
ment would be an improvement. OF the facts
IN regard to the final accusation that the state
mas been charged for the board of state lunatic
panpers long after. they were dead and buried
we Know nothing, but, taken with the baseless
anu eccentric statement we have criticised above,
IL VIII not make much impression.
Ihese statements are a specimen of Buffers
acquaintance with state affairs. and his candor
and honesty in dealing with them. Imaoine if
the livelest Imagination is capable of sucb n
feat, General Butler in the governors chair in,
parting to the legislature in his annual address
such information in regard to the institutions -
the state, as he has given to his audiences 49,
and in Springfield, and then imagine the rebnl,o
he would receive from some Of the able and vol,
informed gentlemen or the committees to whom
the several portions of his address would he re-
fprred. ResDpcf for his office Wou IN rrohobt,. 49,.