Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-01-29
Ibe Canfastcr 1ntclliecntcy
LANcAsrEn, JANUARY %. lsss.
What Is IN IL +!


In view of tho trouble the state seems To
have with the trustees of the Norristown
insane asylum and other insane asy-
lums and charitable institutions we
we are induced TO suggest that this class
OF officials he dispensed with The office
has no salary attached TO 1t, we believe,
and yet appears to be- much desired.
Whether its loyeliness springs from the
fact that II gives an opportunity to he phi.
lanthroplc; or whether the pleasantness of
the place comes 10 il from the dignity and
distinctions with which II enyclops its
possessor or whether its sweetness is
found in the associations or the side board,
we cannot surely tell. The trustees may
say that they like TO be trustees because
they like to do good, in company with good
fellows, around handsome mahogany and
probably they do. II Is very pleasan
way OF doing good, evidently, that has been
discovered by the trustees of asylums
The Norristown concern has been espe-
cially noted for the eagerness with which
the trusteeships have been sought, ThCe
must be something peculiarly delicious
about the air OF the town or the flavor of
the asylum. Our governors have been
wont TO look upon its trustceships as among
the incest of their sugar plumS and our
Senate now is SO excited over the need of
having only flrst-class men to get them,
that Governor PattisOn's two appointecs
are rejected ne unworthy of the great dig
nifty.
Mr.. Ashmead Is now IN office under the
governors appointment He seems TO have
already made himself thorn in the side
Of his fellow trustees, and they want
no more of him. He saws that
they have not been doing their duty,
and they say that any associate of
theirs who is so low IN his Instincts and un-
gentlenanly IN his tastes as 10 suspect
them OF failure TO do and bo all that they
should do and be- is not fit to be a trustee
OF the Norristown insane asylum and the
Senate says aye. Mr.. Ashmcad is not the
most agreeable man IN the world perhaps
and Mr.. Walters, his comrade, cannot hr
elassed among the most delightful of asso-
oinles, But the question of interest il how
II comes about that fine social qualities
and talent for agreeable associations
arc essential to Norristown in
sane asylum trustee Certainly 1t Ia not
important to tho lunatcs that these
trustees should have pleasant time Of il
together when they settle back in their
luxurious chairs in the council chamber,
around their frugal lunch Of crackers and
cheese. Nor can II be particularly essen
tial 10 the interest Of the state that there
should be n condition of hilarious enjoy.
ment and good feeling In the Norristown
board.
The fact certainly is that the members
of this board IN the past have generally
been very clover mon and Col, Boyd, Of !
Norrlstown, and Banker JamsOn, of PHI. |
adelphia, have been up 10 tho high tide |
mark of the conventional requirements for
the place Governor Pattison did not re- |
appoint them, lle has nominated men of |
n very different stamp. Their politics
have not caused the heads Of Boyd
and Jamison To fall IN the basket, for
they are of the same household of faith 20
which the governor belongs; or Is supposed
10. Evidently he wants different class of
men entirely for trustees of the insane The
Senate 5, ems TO like the old kind. Gov
ernor Hartrantt has interested himself To
preserve that kind. Chester N. Far,
who, We believe, Is the secretary or
book-keeper of the board, Is also anA-
ious TO have that kind, It is his kind,
and very good kind 10y the way Whether
il is the best kind in an insane ASYLUM
trusteeshlp, We cannot positively SAY, hay.
ing no very precise knowledge ofwhat that
position requires in its occupant, We
should say Z did not require much of any
thing; that good keeper was sutllc lent
for the asylum, and that all the superintcn-
dence he should have should come from the
board of charities especially established by
the state to keep its charitable inst itutions
in good running order,
We entirely fail TO comprehend the
states system OF charity, There SEEM ia
be no system. A proper system would
make the authorities OF each institution
subordinate 10 the central authority
created in the board Of charities, What
place III such system has "A
hoard Of trustees for each insti-
tuition II has none, There should be-
but a keeper, appointed by the central au-
tAollty, and supervised by the directors,