Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-12-01

who has manifested much interest in
the establishment of an Insane asylum
in the Black Hills, in the advocacy Of
which he contributed lengthy article
to the DeadwoOd Times last August,
which met with favorable consideration
in almost every section Of the Hills has
recently contributed a second communi-
cation to that paper, in which he sub
mts strong argument in favor of the
proposition, and which will doubtless
be fully endorsed by very large major
ity of the people Of the Black Hills.
The only objection liable to be urged
against the establishment Of such an
institution in the Hills, Major Snyder
says, is that the policy that has been
adopted in Oak ota in the establishment
of public institutions was that oflocating
one each in south Dakota and north
| Oak ota, and as we now had two asylums
in the territory-one at Iankton in
south Dakota, and one at jamestown in
north Dakota-the usual number in any
one of most of the states-the legislature
would probably be Indifferent if not
pointedly refusing, to authorize third
one to be located in the Hills. Refer
ring to this objection, he very pertinent
| ly says:
| "This objection is fallacious, and hol-
low, and really is not deserving of con-
p.l IL, i
and l think will not be regarded as
carrying any weight upon investigation
and reflection, The treatment, and care
and cure of the insane is not, and GER
tainly should not be a matter of barter
and trade, of speculation or political
seltishness or partisanship, solely of
material development, growth or popu-
lation. as an artfice devised nor as an
expedicnt suggested by circumstance to
secure certain special and temporary
ends. 1t has other ground and other
elements. 1t has its origin in a necessi
| ty in the relationship that exists in the
| foundation of the state demanding and
requiring the form Of repressive, re-
straining and protective force, just as
some power is required to maintain the
| imperiled security, to punish fraud and
restrain violence, to protect us in the
entry and possession Of the land, in our
citizenship, in the family relation
in its origin and foundation, and in the
moral powers in the elements of person
ality illustrated in freedom and Justice,
and wisdom and courage.
"No such rule or principle of limita-
ton exists in our organic laws, nor do ]
apprehend ever will, nor is there the
recognition of any such principle in any
other state.
BY the same statistics, Massachusetts
had five such institutions-four state and
one corporate; New York, l3-six state,
two country, two city, two corporate,
one private; Pennsylvania, Z; Illinois,
three state, and one private; Virginia
and Kentucky each three state Ohio,
four state and one corporate Iowa,
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri and
| Nebraska, two each. 1t should be re-
membered that these numbers are from
the statistics of Is years ago-and these
institutions having been established
years before that time, when the growth
of the country was not in any such pro-
portion of acceeration and rapidity as
for the last five to eight years, particular
| ly with us here in Dakota And in most
If not in all these states, these institu-
tions in the past Is years have been
enlarged and increased with the growth
of population, resources and wealth, so
that there is no rule to be observed in
the consideration Of this question, only
but that is paramount with that Of the
origin Of the state, and to be illustrated
and realized in the various aspects in
which the state in its necessary con-
ception may be regarded,
"Our country is growing with such
wonderful celebrity and magnitude in all
the elements of governmental relation
ship, that there is no rule by which we
soii tiDptiy ahh SciNU VI uiicCt
the necessities applicable to the proyis
ion for the insane, a taken or analyzed
from the policy or system followed and
adopted III the states prior to 1870. The
history of one such institution in our
neighboring state of Minnesota, in the
past ten years, will give a better con-
ception Of what we need-wil be called
upon very soon to provide for-and the
broad and full provision that we should
at once initiate and begin with.
"ln 1878, an appropriation of $4,000
was made for the establishment of the
second Minnesota hospital for the
insane, at Rochester, with a site of one
hundred acres of land. In 1890 the
legislature granted $4,000 for the erec-
ton of a wing for women. In 1882, a
large extension was built on the mems
side, making room for 200, and costing,
when furnished, $4,000, In 1881, a
similar wing was built on the west side
for women, costing, when furnished
SS3,OO0, thus completing structure with
| ,Nf