Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-11-22
tiles. This county is bonefitted and

f hte'o ePohcH IL l. nau my
wish and will in this matter | would
be satisfied with the contract system.
think IL could be conducted with lust
as much humanity and just as much
humane feeling can be expressed as I'M
der the superintendent system. We
must comply at present until the I4egis-
lature convenes. Perhaps we can get
relief then. do not believe that the
patients labor has been abused here
under the contract, and | am satisfied
that muscle is taken from our men and
women at Mendoza.
Mr.. kIDD-It is not my wish to be
understood as rejecting upon the action
OF the State Board. | do nol like the
system on which they labor there. The
laborer should enjoy the fruits of his la
Dor. 1t IS not in man to labor for meat
and drink alone, and the balance to 90
TO HIM who oversees. 1t is better for
US to change before any abuses arise.
Mr.. WooDHoUsE-Mr. Kidd advan-
ces an idea that i cannot agree with him
upon. How can paupers and insane ex-
pect TO derive benefit from their labors.
1t has been said here that they should
be taken out to labor. They cannot ex-
pect TO reap benefits from their labor.
We have taken them in charge and have
erected a nice building, as nice as any
in the State, except perhaps the State
Capitol. / think the State should have
built the asylums. 1t can be done
cheaper than by the counties. We have
sixty or seventy counties in this State,
that makes too many buildings. If we
had few at proper places, that could
have been done cheaper than by coun-
ties. do not like this board of doctors.
They come here from Madison clothed
in the garments of the law, and we have
to submit to them. We can make doc
tors for $4,000 apiece, and we are liable
to get some of that kind of doctors on
this State Board. | have seen them
come out and put on style in this town
| am opposed to having a State Board
of Charities and Reform to dictate to us.
do not believe they know any more
than our committee.
MIR. CLARK understand that the
State Asylum cost for the building over
twelve hundred dollars per capita. The
State board has received good many
compliments here tonight, but they are
not all doctors. | know of only one that
think is in actual practice. That Board
is made up of citizens taken from ordi-
nary duties of life-is appointed by the
Governor and they do their duty faith
fully. The gentlemen are mistaken
in thinking that the State Board de-
signed to dictate whom we should put
there. They only say it shall be under
the superintendent system, instead of
the contract system. If the superin-
tendent does not suit You can turn him
off and take another. They do not
ask us to hire a Board of Trustees.
They simply say to us change your
system, and do not care who we put
there except that it is some one with
sufficient heart and soul to take good
care of his charges. These persons in
dividually are the peers of any in this
State
Mr.. W0oDHoUsE-All of them9
Mr.. CLARK All so far as | am ac-
quainted with them. This is not new
matter, it was up before this Board last
year. We supposed we would be left to
hire a superintendent or let by contract
as we pleased. We as a committee had
the right TO reject any or all bids be-
cause the feeling seemed to prevail that
bad man might be put in at the lowest
bid. We supposed we would be let alone
and for that reason we let by contract.
Mr.. WOoDHOUsE-Do YOU believe
that if this Board had known in 1881
that the State would take this into their
own hands this Board would have voted
to build an insane asylum?
Mr.. CLARK-This whole matter was
up and discussed and a resolution was
introduced and passed to let by con-
tract or hire superintendent to take
care of the poor and insane of this coun-
ty; but not for a greater term than five
years. We had the matter in our own
hands, and if we had dreamed of this
we would have hired superintendent.
Mr.. RoDoLF says that he did not ex-
pect them to interfere so soon.
Mr.. WILSON discussion has
nothing to do with the question.
did not call the question because |
thought the Board would like to have
the matter discussed. The law in its
universal application frequently works
hardships but we must bear with that.
In some places perhaps injustice has
been and is being done under the con-
tract system. 1t has not at this place,
but the law in its universal application
reaches us and we must obey it.
am in favor of the superintendent sys-
tenn. framed the resolution giving
the committee power to do one or the
other. They have got big elephant
on their hands, one that is hard to ham
die | appreciate the situation. My
reason for wanting superintendent is
this: A man who does not look out
for himself does not amount to much.
The contractor intends to make money
of course. If he has to under his con-
tract take an ounce of beef or slice of
bread from each of his charges at each
meal he will do it; that Is natural. 1t
is to avoid this that the Board of Sup
ervision have made this rule The
superintendent has his salary, and he
goes on and takes care of these people
in a humane manner, and if he does
not he may be dismissed. He must
treat them well and the amount of food
or other provision they need, and must
have. is a matter that does not interest
him Individually in "a pecuniary sense.
We have been fortunate in the selection
of men to take care of our poor and in
sane, but some day we might be caught
as they have been other places. The
establishment of the rule is progress
sive step; it is just the way to get at it.
believe that patients will receive kind
er and better treatment, as a general
rule, under a superintendent system.
Cost of clothing. fuel, food. etc., do not
come out of his pocket. | think it is
the best plan and believe the Board will
agree with me, and | think this COM
mittee is competent to go on and make
proper contracts with the superinten-
dent and think the next Board will be
satisfied with their report. / think we
have been little mislead in this mat
ter | do not know as any one is to
blame. We have been going on for
the last three years trying to reach
something and have not got there yet,
and are almost as badly i'll the dark as
when we started | believe the Board
of Supervision honestly made this order
No benefit occurs to them by making
it. | am satisfied that a people gov
erned least are governed best. / am
satisfied that the Board acted from a
pure motive. The matter is better
left to the Board of Supervision who
make business of such things than to
people who have but little knowledge
OF such things. They will do right; let
us give them n trial
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