St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-11-18
A NATIONAL ASYLUM NEEDED

L Il
The wisdom of the general govern
ment in setting apart portions of the
public domain as reservations for the
several tribes of Indians has been fully
demonstrated. The Indians themselves
are satisfied; the whites are content, eX-
cept when the reservations contain val
liable timber or mineral tracts, and cou-
scrlbed as to prevent any serious con-
flicts dangerous either to the lives or
property of the opposing elements.
1t is becoming apparent that it will
be necessary to introduce some such
plan in dealing with the cranks of the
nation. We seem to be overrun with
horde of political impracticables, social
reformers, religious revOlutioniSts and
homicidal lunatics who render life dis
agreeable and dangerous by turns, and
jeopardiZe the permanency of society
and peace of the state. There are the an
archiSts with bombs in their boots, the
maniacs with revolverS, the PopuliStS
with speeches, the religious reformers
with bundle Of new dogmas intended
to oyerturn the existing religions, and
innumerable other disconnected and I'M
satisfied beings who make life burden
to those about them. They are not all
dangerous, but they are all irritating.
They may not have the power TO kill,
but, like mosquitoes or dragon flies,
they can sting or blister. They are
made frantic by the contentment of
those about them, and buzz and buster
and fume and storm until they produce
evaporation, and often resentment.
They are nuisances of pronounced char
acter, and as such should be abated.
The reservation plan, SO successfully
employed as to the Indians, might be
proftably used in the disposition of the
cranks. And there is no better location
for such reservation than the states of
Kansas and Colorado. bleeding Kan
sas' has been breeding place for all
manner of social and political heresies
ever since the days of Ossawattomie
Brown. A Kansan without a hobby,
which he is continually riding in the
public view, would be curiosity that
would command high premium at a
dime museum. The atmosphere seems
to create them as the soil of the plains
breeds sand-flies. And so it is in Colo
RADIO. The bracing mountain air seems
to stimulate the germs of the crank
mania into activity as effectually as it
eXterminates the bacilli of pulmonary
disease. A Colorado statesman without
"WheeP' would be lusus natur8.
why would it not be a good idea for
the government to set apart the states
of Kansas and Colorado as an ASYLUM
for cranks? A strong wall might be
built around them to prevent egress,
and within it could be sequestered all
the anarchists, the Populists, the re-
formers with murderous proclivities,
the silver lunatics and others of their
ilk. There would be room enough for
all. 10 be sure, they might OCCASION
ally come in conflict and do each other
injury, but the country would suffer
but little in consequence, while the re-
moval from peaceable and law-abiding
communities of these elements would
contribute largely towards the general
| security and happiness.
These hints are thrown out with a
view to subscribing the interests of the
country at large. Action in the direc-
ton indicated would no doubt be bene-
fetal. The establishment Of crank
| asylum would not compel the emigra-
ton of very large percentage of the
population of the states, for on exam
lnation the majority would be found
qualified for continued residence
| there.