New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-01-22
Npv WORK DAILY TRIBUNE. WEDNESDAY JANUARY 49, 1879.

with tho law. supplementary law, however, was
adopted by the last Legislature which mas
only been partially executed. This directed the re-
moval from the poor-houses of all children over two
years Of age. without regard to their mental ana
physical condition." but il has so far been gen.
orally applied only in the case OF tho healthy
and intelligent children. Further legislation
is necessary If the spirit OF tho ACT
of 1873 rs TO be consistently maIntalhcd'
TO provide for large numbers Of helpless and DIS
eascd childrcn--idiots, epileptics, etc.-for whom
there is now no provision. President LctchworthS
report sums up this branch of the suhjec'
by saying: THE chief hope in reducing pauper-
Ism and crime 10 ts minimum, lies IN securing 10
the unfortunate and dependent children or the
State the educational aud other advantages mat
are accorded to children generally and thai Wholly
disconnected from institutions for adult paupers.'
In many other ways less direct but each in t'elte-
fcciiye the Board has labored to prevent paupcrm.
The Legislature has been urged to provide for the
removal Of he acute insane from pOor-houses, and
for prompt treatment, with WOW to cure IN hosP-
talsspccaly adapted to this object. Insanyis in so
many cases, submissive to treatment that the State
mist inevitably find It cheaper to cure insane pa
tcnts than to support them. The Legislature has
also been urgcd 10 cause the speedy transfer Of the
chronic insane to the Willard Asylum, and
improvements have been secured IN the asy-
lums in counties which hayO been TeXcmptcd
from the Willard Asylum Act. The cruel sioth OF
Legislatures and officials in such matters a these
Is clliustraed by the fact that it is now thirty
five years since Miss Dix called attention. in re-
port to the Legislature, 10 the wretched ana
filthy condition of the chronic insane IN poor
horses; and the process Of isoang these miserable
creatures is still far from being complete. The
Willard Asylum j., only ten years old, and the de-
mand upon il for accommodations long ago eX-
cccdcd the supply. There are now nearly 1000
chronic insane in pOor-hOuSes throughout the
State for whom there il no provision IN the
willard Asylum or elsewhere, and their condition
is in some instances distressing. The Board does not
find the provision for chronic insane in county aSy-
luis to be altogether satisfactory and shows that
this class can get better treatment AT smaller eX-
pcn~e in State institutions. This is a subject with
which the Legislature should deal promptly and
humaneIy.
With one more recommendation drawn from this
report WE must close. The Board has reached the
conclusion that. in no event, should the state "ac
ccpt any eratuty or gift from any individual or
community, conditioned upon the location OF
the site of any of its Dublic charities"
Often when this has been done in the
past. sanitary considerations water supply, etc,
have been overlooked, and the State has in the
end. spent more money than it would have done If
il had gone into the open market and purchased
land where it wanted it. fhis last is the course
which the Board recommends for the future; it is
certainly a commOn-scnsc suggestion.