The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1881-05-05
6 ESTABLISHED IN
I MARCH, Is47.

and hopelessly ruined by tobacco, beer
and whisky; when one-half the entire
population shall be in asylums for
lunatics, in prisons or infrmaries, and
one-half the labor of the country shall
have to be applied to the support of
the victims Of this gigantic curse, then
may vigilance committee arise and
make short work of the cause of all
this sorrow and crime
The Tribune speaks of the great
amount of whisky being made. Some
years ago the Democratic party nomi-
mated James Emmitt, the great distil-
Ter, for the Ohio Senate, and he was
elected. The Republicans in conven-
ton in Portsmouth wanted to nomi-
nate George Davis, the other great
distiller, but he would not accept.
We were in that convention, and know
how Mr.. Davis was urged to become a
candidate. Ii these two men were to
turn loose, on the Scioto bottom, ten
thousand mad dogs, they would not
cause one-tenth the sorrow and death
they cause by their whisky. Would
the people give them high office for
propagating mad dogs? Rather would
they not hang them to the first tree
they could find?
The crisis will come soon. The
manufacture Of cigars is increasing
hundreds of millions every year, and
the manufacture of beer is increasing
many millions of gallons every year,
and crime, pauperism and insanity are
increasing in exact proportion. The
lntrmaries, prisons and asylums are
all full, and new ones are in constant
and urgent demand.
Read the following, from an article
in a late number Of the North An,e,.-
ican ReUieW:
% Of all the afictons which appeal to human justice
% understood, none 50 threatening, insanity. En-
grave T oS obsPac W
common people perpeXed whether to regard it rs
ing dispensation Of Providence. Judges and uries
in dealing with Il, are lost in of metaphysics
and in masses of conflicting opinions. Thrust into
great lums wonder it has been little compre-
hended cared for by the average good citizen But
the thoughts of statesmen and moving the hearts of
phianthropists. And none too For while sci
iiction, have extended the duration of human life
while Ignorance and crime have diminished and edu
has and 1on and
tions. has become both more frequent more fatal
Two States are fairly representative. The commits
s1oners' report of the insane Massachusetts for
dence of the increase of frsanity" There are about
5000 insane in the State. The chronic incurabie
anu are steadily increasing. The cost of caring
the lunaties of the State exclusive, we think of
81 N ana lanus) is now almost
nlllon OF dollars year; and, like the number of the
insane advances in ratio greater than either popu
Iation or wealth. In New York. the ensane-estimated
at 5O32 in ISL at 1921 in 1877 at 9015 in lS79-had in
1880. reached 9543 in its various institutions Making
ample allowance for the more complete collection of
the lunatfcs into asyums and poor houses we here
aso have ratio OF increase far in excess of that of
population. THE rapid increase of insanity is truly
says the last message of Governor Cornell
takes from man what most distinguishes him from
the brutes-defes our remedies, and threatens our
national progress.
Palatial asylums. constructed and furnished at an
expense unparalleled in the world, and to
trustees, haye utterly failed check the disease
Erected in the hope of supplying the needs gen
made during the very years of their construction
ear by year, since their completion insanity has
stricken middle life, irresstiby tended be-
come chronic more rapidly and certainly carried its
declare that from fve-sxths to nine-tentbs of ali
unatics now in American asylums are incurable:
Ihere seems to be no other country in which the facts
appear so alarming.