New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-11
STATE CARE or TIE INSANE.

The band of earnest. level-headed reformers
who went before the Legislature of 1855 and
asked for the passage of law transferring the
insane poor fra,n the county to the State aSy-
lums have good reason to congratulate them
selves. Thanks to their unwearylng ana wei,
directed cyertions, this particular reform proven
an exception to the rule in that it did not
"moye SLOWLY The lawmakers OF 1883 can
hardly be said to have taken the state care
hill seriously 1t was never reported Ill 'he
Senate while the Assembly declined t. do any
thing with il after it had been given black
owe Inv tbe committee having it in charge, which
renorted il merely 4" for consideration" In
1889 it Jared a little better, for the Senate
nassed il. The Assembly. however, declined
IN concur. Nevertheless, although 1t had been
vigorously fought from the day 1t Wa hrS'
introduced by the representatives OF the county
svstem-most of whom were for the perpetual
ton of the county system because they had a
pecuniary interest in 1.-THE bill became Ia"
in 1890.
Thus after only three years of agitation the
State made a radical change in It's policy III al
important particular But the fact of the mat
fer was that the county system OF care as soon
rs il was scrItinized in comparison with the
State system was seen to be hopelesSy bad.
There were indeed exceptions, but as rule
the county aSylums failed lamentaby to do
their duty by that most unfortunate class, the
insane moor There was a lack OF medical
skill. of supervision, of proper buildings. Inc
ules which had been laid down by the State
BOARD of Charities having for their object the
formation of a standard of management were
NOT complied with On the other hand, the
State care system had the Endorsement of the
leading alcnistS not only of our state but oil
the country State care meant, 1t was con-
cIusiyelv shown. superior facilities III many
imnortant directions. and therefore its adoption
was matter of course just as soon as public
sentiment was educated and aroused.
1t will be seen by the letter from Albany
which is printed on another page that the
benefcent reform has REACHED the final stage
Of it's accomplishment. The insane patients
have been removed from the county poor
houses and placed in the State aSylums. The
necessary buildings have been erected-com-
paratively inexpensive two-story additions to
the main buildings at Poughkeepse, Utica,
Middletown and BinghamtOn. 1t also appears
and this point will interest the taxpayers
that the cost of the new system is appreclably
less than the cost Of the old For while the
old called for S1,70O,000 a year the new will
call for only $1,000, 900, or perhaps less, in
case the proposition looking to monthly audit
of asylum bills becomes a law. As necessarily
happens, New-York and Kings are the counties
which will bear the larger share OF the new
pecuniary burdens which the carrying out OF
the new policy involves. But we believe there
is no obligation which they will more cheer
fully meet 1t will be noticed that the au-
thorities assume that neither New-York nor
Kings will be inclined to surrender its valuable
local buildings and place its poor under the
care of the State. These counties are exempt
cd from the operation of the law; but it is TO
be taken for granted that sooner or later they
will find it TO their advantage to make the
change to the State system.