New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-03-26
STATE CARE OF THE INSANE.
r,,r R11J. PROVIDING FOR 1T MADE LAW.
GOVERNOR FLOWER FILES A MEMORANDA"
SETTING FORTH THE BENEFITS Vi

SETTING FORTH THE BENEFITS w
THE NEW SYSTEM.
Albany March Ex-Governor Flower To-Day s'sheu
the bill providing for a levyng OF an ai""", '~
suppast of the insane under the S"oe N. 49,
In signing the bill Flower hied the ioho"ne
memorandum This bill marks an epoch III an ,'..
nor,ant matter OF state policy 1t Is the cuImiha'io"
OF an agitation which has gone on III '"is o'"'.
r,,c many wears for the State care OF the ind'Seht
insane The so.called State Care act OF 1870 pro
v,aod that when accommodations In state hospi'a'S
should be provided for all Of the insane Pooi' "'
cost OF clothing, maintenance, care, uea'me'i'' '
aries OF officers and employees and trahsporauo" VI
uc insane should cease to be charge upon vi.
counties OF the State and should become drcc'
CHARGE upon Ifs revenues from funds to DO spccihc
ally raised for that purpose. In December last 'he
certificate required by law was made that accommo
datIons wond be in readiness by the nrst OF ocoo''
1893. and this bill provides the necessary TAX anu
appropriation for carrying the State care act 'ho
effect.
"erctofore each county has loarded lis poor insane
in the State hospitals at rates which for many years
woro arbitrarily fixed by each local board OF man
ayers. but which subsequently were made uniform
tbrou ghout the State by the Commission In Lunacy.
The amounts Of these board bills were required W
he raised each year by the Board OF supervisors VI
each county, and the money was turned INTO '''e
hospital treasury. The counties VIII now be re
levcd from local t1N;itlOI lot P"Po'e' A"s 49,
OF one-,hrd Of a mill imposed by this bill viii yield
in round numbers $l,35OOOO. which. together with
the sum raised from the patients whose support Is
paid by relatives and friends and the sum received
from miscellaneous sources, will amply PROVIDE Ioi
the expenses Of the hospitals for the fiscal year
beginning with the first Of October 1893. 80 long
as Ncw-Yo and Kings counties refuse 10 avail
themselves OF the privileges OF State care the saving
TO the remaining counties will average more than
80 Der cent. In order that the people may See Tor
themselves lust how this redistribution OF taxation
affects the various counties. l make no excuse Tor
Inserting here a table showing the relative cost TO
each county under the old county care system ana
under the new state care system.
AS said In my message TO the Legislature a
the beginning OF the present session. the great danger
OF this assumption OF responsibility and expense by
the State Is that maladmnistraton, corruption, cx
iravagancc and the improper Injection OF politics Into
hospital management viii b. constant foes which, "
not combated and overcome, will bring reproach
upon the state With 4 view OF establishing abundant
safeguards around the expenditure Of this vast sum
of money. recommend legislative provision COM
polling the purchase Of all supplies on advance
monthly estimates which should have the scrutiny OF
the State Commission In Lunacy. This suggestion.
am pleased to note. the Legislature has incorporated
in the bill besides proposing additional safeguards
TO promote economy OF administration.
"Tbe people are to h. congratulated that the AS
sumption OF this great responsibility by the STATE has
thus been placed upon n busnesslike and economical
basis. The Investigation into III" affairs Of
the Hudson River state Hospital al P0ughkceI~te has
demonstrated. II demonstration were needed. the ne
ccssy OF maintaining the stricest system Of financial
administration. Under the provisions Of this bill
there can exist no purchase Of supplies at higher
cost than the maraet values. and competition VIII
prevail against fav0rit!sm and incompetent financial
management. The superntendents Of the various
hospitals will meet each month with the Commission
in Lunacy for exchange OF Views ana with The
purpose OF promoting uniformity In the purchase OF
supplies These safeguards melting and insIrng
economical methods. are vital TO the p'rmnncnce Of
the system Of State care ~ the insane.
"ROsWELLP L. FLOWER
The table shows that under the state Care act
the following counties will effect saving In the
amount to rnsed by taxation for the care OF the
insane as compared with the cost Of the county care
system, follows:
Albany SD, 424 Aiegsny. 5000; Droome. sil
8I8; Cs,taraugus. S7,796; Cayuga slG.1lj; Chnu
tauaua 80. 03l; ChemunG. sl3.733; Chenango. 3d.
$50 Clinton. s1o,j65; Columbia, 81 1919; Cortland
s4i.o74: ESSEX, s1,4l3; franklin, sd.s47; Fulton
$lO,51O Greene S. 1873: Hamilton. $50; lIerkimer
sSi ! Mas1,s@ ss9as I S"nroe Mont
gomery SO s34: Niagara. $l4 o:'! Oneida. %os. 6ll
onondnga. @2a,43; Ontario slo.s49: orange SIP o.,
IA: Kichmond, sI0.ao0; Roekland, sG,aae; St Law
renee $40 200. Saratoga. Sl3B07: schenectady ~,
375: s.snLen. Il "a; sinon, 81 400; sullivan
20 $50 Warren. sS.OOi Washington. $3.50 Wayne
sGs64 wcstchcst,r So7.sl7; Yates. 5000.
Under the state Care act four counties VIII o., De
crcases being Cenesec. $40: Kings, SloiOiO; New
| York, Sj3G,.sS; Wyoming. 1883.