The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-04-24

l. The Ohio State journal, Columbus Re-
publican organ, calls our Insane Asylums
"hells upon earth" In that case we had
better abolish them. That paper refers
to "duckiDg, beating, kicking" etc., of
the patients. Wherever these practices
have been shown up, they were inaugu-
rated under Republican rule. But we
do not believe that cruelty ever was the
rule, Ignorant and incompetent attend
ants may have, in some instances, acted
cruelty, possibly not being sharply look.
ed after by superintendent assisting ply.
siCians and supervisors. We do not think
it generous in the State Journal to make
sweeping statement like the above. OF
course the intent is to vilify the Demo-
cratic party. Hence this wholesale SLAM
| der Canton Democrat.
If we used strong language we did so
On good authority-suCh authority as the
Democrat must admit is respectable and
worthy of CredenCe-no less authority
than the report of committee of the
House of Representatives, headed by
Judge Estill, a man universally esteemed
as gentleman of unbemished Charac-
ter, and the editor of the Democrat will
not deny that he is true and tried Dem
ocrat, and man of more than average
ability.
The assertion that wherever these
practices have been shown up, they were
inaugurated under Republican rule" ia
wholly baseess and gratuitous there
being no proofs to that effect. "The
ducking, beating, spread -eagling, etc,
spoken of by the State Journal are not
our expressions, but quotations from
Judge Estills report, and from he sworn
testimony upon which it is based.
The intent of the State Journal is ap-
parent on the face of the article to which
the Democrat takes exception. 1t was
not to vilify the Democratic party. The
Democratic party is not once alluded to;
and nothing is said about Democratic
management. Our design was, if p0ssi-
BILE, to induce the General Assembly to-
inaugurate measures to secure a reSpOaSi-
bic management OF the penal and beuev-
Olent institutions of the State; and in |
that we did hope that we might count |
upon the assistance and cooperation of |
the Canton Democrat. We regret that
we were mistaken Ohio State Journal.
All proper and laudable efforts to i'm.
prove the management and usefulness
of our penal and benevolent institutions
this paper will assuredly favor, whether
the Journal does so or not. While the
Canton DEMOCRAT holds to this position,
we also believe in sdhering to the truth,
and not clubbing our institutions "hells
Upon earth, i" when they are not. We 90,
not believe in being too ready to con
1emn and execute. Even a political or.
1onent in official position has rights of
license and vindication, when subjected
o charges from wagging tongues and
anderous sources. We think the SEN
tie committee of investigation at Long.
'iew have been less hasty and more care
ul in their work, and will make very
lifferent showing, This we say with all
Iue respect to the House committee,
omposed as it was of two Republicans
nd one Democrat. The Journal makes
10 reference to any but Longview,
7hen that paper must know that the de.
elopments as to the Central, some time
go. showed that "ducking" was in vogue
here before the present superintendent
ook charge. Did the Longview report
+ the House committee justify the Jour.
al in calling our asylums for the insane
hells upon earth ?" Surely not. Why
lis hot haste to raise stop thief cry and
ause an alarm that might endanger
le usefulness, and fair fame, if not the
Eistence, indeed, of 0hio's benevolent
lstitutions2 They are the pride of the
tate, and SO far as we can prevent, they
lall not be DETAINED through slanderous
'ngues nor malevolent party journal
m.