New-York tribune., 1874-02-14
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE GOVERNMENT or INSANE AsYLUMs.
al Tr d


70 ns Editov Of The Trtbune.
SIR An editorial in your issue of l4th ult.
takes aide quite tho OF that which ono expects
to .ee advocated by TIE TRIBUNE. refer 10 the para
raph on tho government OF tue Retreat for the Insane
at Hartford, Conn. Although know nothing OF the
merits OF the case between the late superintendent
and the managers of the Retreat, would ask leave to
sav a few words upon tho principles involved.
The Association OF SIporintendents OF Asylum3 has
always claimed for tho medical superintendent posi-
ton which makes his authority absolute as that OF
the captain of ship He has in fact several advantages
over tho captain this respect He chooses MS own
assistant officers and employees. as well "a discharges
them at his pleasure lie generally selects his managers.
aud-backcd up by oAssocatondictates the laws by
which bis asylum is governed. Toe managers OF our
State asyums are politicians. and are chosen
with reference to their position and services
a. such They are, TO be sure, taken equally
from both parties, and are hence termed
"non-partisan." But in city whose epoch OF gigantic
corruption began in "n0npartisan" Board or super
visors it too well known how little. rather how
much this means Finally the sailor board ship mas
this advantage the patient in the asylum. The
latter is prima ace insane. and his keeper is an sex
pert" backed by compact body OF experts. In the ind
ing Of delusona OF noralsnsany In all hls statements
Now, would by means claim that these experts are
than other body Of men associated together
to guard ana advance their own interests BUT IN no
country they deferred TO without question as In
II
medical ana other officers or asylun
Of whom has executive authority in his own sphere
alone Over all the Commissioners in Lunacy, who
habtually critIcse and correct the most trng details
OF administration This makes matters less pleasant to
tho superintendent, doubt and affairs go less smoothly
than in establishment governed In our aut0crauc
way In England, however, there is pubic wblcn
ventures insist that asyiums made for the in
sane. and not for the superinendents There Is IRE
London Times too and certainly THE TRIBUNE has hlth-
ertO taken similar position for this country when s
not TO be deceived by pseudo or professional
philanthropy, and which fully partakes In the pu0c
jealousy OF asylum management.
will close with illustration OF the power or the
medical superDtendents, and OF the necessity for aid
which the State has already provided as ohrck
upon their schemes. In spite OF Board OF state Cnar
ties OF which the Hon Theodore W. Dwight s the act
ing President, and which the LieutenantG0yern0r,
Secretary of STATE Controller aud Attorney General
are Oico members. more than s5OO0O has been cx-
pended In q way to compel the addugnai expenditure
Of t for two asylnms at Buffalo and Pougkeep
sie intended to contain i all 800 patients And II be
said that J0bbng politicians mostly TO blame Tor %
ndneful waste OF the public money, can oniy tepy
that their chief arguments drawn from the doc
trnes Association OF .ntendents, and their
most powerful advocate was the superintendent OF Ihe
State Asylum at Utica. ALlbNIsr'
NeW- York. Fob. 4, 1874