New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1891-12-09
INSANE MOTIONS or AsYLU Ms.

Titan civilization and by q man whose
head is already bald, tried to find fault
with the management Of oul institutions
for the care of the poor unfortunates
who, are bereft Of reason. Tho editor
wrote with that spirit which seems to
show that the writer sees everything
through q glass clearly, and rs if there
was philosophy and keen observation
in his every sentence. He pictured the
prosecutions that the helpless patients
were compelled to endure, and then he
drew upon his imagination and found
in the attendants and physicians class
of human fiends. Again he paused,
and then the climax came wherein the
superintendent were likened to canni-
balls. fit only to live among beasts, and
the institution to a veritable hell on
earth, where the inmates were tortured
for the amusement of the devilish oyer
seers who drew large salaries.
Now in all probability this old bald
head, with the wisdom of fifty years
locked up in his skull, never saw such
an institution as he attempts to describe
Had he visited the asy]ums of the state
and been taken about the halls and cor
ridors, where all is kept so polished and
clean and where the tortured patients
are enjoying themselves at billiards or
cincb or in friendly conversation with
visitors, and had he talked with the &C.
comodating physicians and attendants
and seen for himself how much is be-
ing endured by them for the alienation
of this worlds suffering, he would re-
greet his unjust reflections at these man.
ayers, who in fart are humanitarians,
and he would wonder how it was that
he could live so long and yet learn so
little of what was really going on about
him. OF course, in an institution, wher g
there are one thousand people of loose
minds it is difficult to prevent accidents
and avoid being misrepresented by I'M
thinking people who are 80 quick to
find fault but so slow to be just. This
makes it easy to class the superinten-
dents as men whose hearts and feelings
have become heardened to the miseries
of their fellowmen, but if the editors of
the state would take the trouble to Wis
it these institutions and inform them
selves on what actually occurs there, an
entirely different impression would 90
forth to the people of the state and we
would hear less of such crazy ideas as
that promulgated by the aged seer Of
the Anoka Union.
MERRIAM FOR VICE PRESIDENT.
There have been many funny moves
on the political checker-board of late,
but the one that eclipses I'LL others for
genuine humor is that which would
place w. R. Merriam of our own great
state on the second place of the nation
al Republican ticket. And what adds
still more to the funny side of the sug-
gestion is the extreme modestY dis
played by our genial governor in so
readily acquiescing in the demand of
few social friends to thus carry him on
their fine sense of humor almost to the
very portals of an am bilious Americans
goal.
As the Review has so often said, Mr..
| Merriam makes a good governor, in
| fact most excellent official. Besides
this, he presided over our house of rep.
resentatives during one session, and it is
| said by some that he had the courage of
Tom Reed and the fine parliamentary
understanding of the lllustrious one who
is to be nominated on the first ballot by
the next Republican convention for the
highest Office in the gift of the people,
These facts, however, although they
would count much for Mr.. Merriam in
his strides for the vice presidency, are
nevertheless known to only a few and
would need to be thoroughly advertised
throughout the nation before Mr.. Mer-
riam would appear the brilliant and
brainy man that he really is. And right
there lies the great danger to our gov
ernor's fondest hopes. The people hate
to take man from obscurity nowadays
and no longer do they seek for Abraham
Linco]ns among the men who are
known only by their nelghbors. The
Review, therefore, would urge a word
of caution to Mr.. Merriam in his dream
like ambitions. The convention might
take him up, and with Blaine at the
head of the ticket he might be carried
along on q rising tide that would land
him where he perhaps could establish
himself rs 8 statesman. But on the
other hand there comes the chilling