Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1899-01-06

0y wen cQn9lQefe1 leElSl0t1O1, the 8C3N
may be able to SO utilize it's different 70:
sources for raising revenue by taxation
that the rate may. be reduced and still an
increase. secured in the revenues. But it
10 idle In ayohng state like ours with 3
constant and rapid growth. in. population
to speak about decreased expenditures.
What we can reasonably hope for, and
what we should Insist upon attaining, is
not necessarily q reduction in aggregate
expenditnras, but system Of manage
ment and administration: in all public at
fairs that will give the people the'gTeatest
possible efficiency and the largest possf.
bic returns for the money expended. -, >
TREATMENT OF INSANE.
Governor Lind Warmly CommeDds What
Is Known al the Wisconsin Plan.
The treatment Of insane occupies a
prominent place in the governors mes
sage. His preference as between the two
plans outlined respectively by the board
OF trustees of the state hospitals and tho
board of corrections and charities is de-
cidedly in favor of the latter. The plan
recommended by vlis board is substan-
TALLY shat now in operation in Wisconsin
The plan nOw-in operation in Mime
sofa, by which all the burden of expense
is borne by the state, tho governor says
practically holds out q premium to the
different counties for loading down tho
state with the care and maintenance OF
the INDECENT who are suffering from any
mental disorder or weakness in the sGg ht-
est degree. This is certainly bad policy
and should be reformed.
In no sphere of sociological inquiry -
says Governor Lind, has modern science
made greater advance than in the study
and treatment Of insanity. The early
practices of treating the insane, first, as
possessed, and latteriy. as criminals, have
been wholly discarded, except as traces
remain in the forms of our commitments
The modern and rational conclusion is
| that insanity is 4 disease and as such re-
QuireS treatment the same rs any other
ailment, In this acute stage, the hospital
is the proper place for it's care If it is or
becomes permanent or chronic condi-
ton, then the patient is what we might
call mental cripple and the home or
asylum is the proper place for his care.
i There is no more sense in keeping the
acutcly insane and the chronic in tho
same institution than there would be in
keeping those who had become physically
crippled in a hospital designed for tho
treatment Of acute cases of disease or in
jury: still this'is what we are undertak
: ing to do in this state to today"
Adopt Humane Method.
In their physical ailments the chronic
insane do not differ essentially from s,no
people. On the whole, they seem to suffer
less from sickness than people who are
! mentally sound. Bearing these facts in
mind. and the additional one that a
human being cannot be content without
some means Of employment, and that tho
instincts and cravings of the mentally
crippled in this regard are the same us
those OF sane people, it seems to me that
the di,:tateS Of interest and humanity
alike will compel you to abandon hospital
extension in this State upon present lines
and to ;,doptia method which will he moro
! natural and humane to the unfortunates,
and which will also utilize such elements
| Of efficiency for production and sclf-sup.
port as they possess. AS to what this plan
should be the board of trustees and the
board of corrections and charities do not
agree. The board of trustees recommends
what is termed the COLONY System. -
The board OF corrections and charities, on
the other hand, recommend what is
known as the ''Wisconsin plan"
Under it any county that may so elect
should be authorized and empowered by
the legislature to erect and furnish u suit
able building or buildings for the mainte-
nance and care Of the chronic insane, un-
der such restrictions and safeguards as
| they point out and suggest, the state to
pay the county l.5O per week for each in
mate cared for. Both plans have this in
| common: that they are better calculated
to place the chronic insane under natural
| conditions and thus insure their greater
| comfort and happiness, and also that they
will. though In a different degree, utilize
the productive capacity of the inmates
toward their support.
Favors the Wisconsin Plan.
The plan of the hospital board retains
the entire subject and machinery of adj
ministratiOn under state control. The
! other RENTS the administration of the in
s'itution to the local authorities, reserv
| ing, however, ample power Of control and
! supervision to the state. AS between thu
two plans, my judgment has lead me tt
| favor the Wisconsin plan, and recon-
mend it's adoption without hesitancy OF
| reserve. My first impressions Were
against it, and my present Judgment j!
the result Of Investigation and observa
ton. It no other considerations entered
into it, I should deem it q great reform il
itself for you to select that method which
transferred the burden of administration
to the local authorities. The administra
ton of the county asylums In Wisconsin
is most admirable. Judged by the sam,
standard, it is as good in all respects Al
| the administration of the state hospitals
| in that state or in ours In respect tt
economy, there is hardly any room fol
comparison, the arguments in the repor
of the hospital board to the contrary not
understanding. :.....
Governor Lind then details at som,
length his observations in visits to som,
of the WISCONSIN county asylums for thu
chronic Insane, finding them in manage
ment exceedingly commendable. He fount
all the institutions visited better housed
than he had expected, and also better
equipped The food for the most part be
ing raised on the farms operated in con
nection was wholesome and abundant, tn.
] beds and bedding cleaner than in any
similar institution he had ever visite i
He is loath to believe that us good loc.
| management cannot be obtained IN thi:
l