The Irish standard., 1899-04-15
GOV. LIMBS VETO.
The Halt Called In Management Of
State Institutions.
Reform Press Bureau,
St. Paul, April II, 1900.

Another milestone is set on the path
way OF genuine reform, being bazed
out by the administration OF Governor
Lind, being his veto OF the Anoka-
Hastings hospital asylum BILL the latest
event connected with the contention
which, in various stages Of virulcnce,
has held the attention OF the state for
the past five or six years.
AS hard blow as the veto has been
to the local interests involved still it
should have surprised no one who put
the known qualities OF the governor side
by side with the earnest and utterly TN
answerable presentation OF the subject
made in his inaugural message. Con-
ceding l;is honesty OF purpose and his
courage in the discharge OF duty. it
should have been no matter OF specula-
ton as to what his position would neces-
sari'y De. In as earnest manner as he
is capable or he had shown the legisla-
t,re that our existing system of caring
for the insane is unwise and delnoraliz-
ing: that our law tends to unduly in
crease the number OF commitments; that
tie fact that the whole burden is on the
state practically holds out premium
ior the different counties to unload their
INDECENT when the slightest excuse cat
be found ior it. On these points the
governor declared his convictions were
those OF years. But whatever was done,
he declared, it was vitality important to
have the expense OF care OF patients
borne jointly by the state and the coun-
t. or municipality from which the CON-
n:itncnt was made. and finally, from
special investigation. the details OF
which were given the legislature, he ad-
viscd that at least the county or NUM-
cipality hereafter be required to pay a
fixed rate. $I.5o, for each commitment
In sending to the governor the bill SO
greatly cherished by the thriving and
communities specially inter-
ested, therefore, the legislature ran up
against solid wall of principle and un-
questioned good policy What else but
the veto was possible?
The message will by the time this
reaches its readers have been widely
read i'm full, and only summary is
necessary, but in word it follows the
lines Of the inaugural message, but with
,,,,,u additional f,c+e ,,,J ol,hor,+;o,,
OF uranswerable arguments. Empha-
sizing the fact that under our present
system the cost of care is $3.11 per
capita, as against $I.7o, for instance, TN
der the Wisconsin plan, the governor
thus summarizes:
'To maintain the chronic insane in
large numbers in hospitals is neither
humane nor economical.
1--WE now have hospital capacity for
double the population OF the acute in
sane thar we now have.
"Tfe state only requires additional
for the chronic insane,
which requirement can best be met ami
with the greatest economy, by adopting
either the county plan or the colony
system"
Notwithstanding these facts. Gov
crnor Lind proceeds, the bill purposes
the building OF two additional hospitals,
the first at Anoka at an expense OF
$2so.ooo. 1T seems to me" says the
governor, that unhampercd by ncon.
siderate action OF former legislatures.
such proposition would not be serious
ly entertained by the present leeisla
ture.'
The claims OF Anoka and Hastings.
as to expenditures which they have made
in good faith in anticipation OF addi-
tonal state hospitals, are recognized
very plainly. but the claim that the state
is morally bound to build the institutions
because OF such outlay, is denied. He
says on this point:
That they (Anoka and Hastings)
are entitled to be reimbursed their actual
outlay in this matter is readily granted,
but that. by reason of legislative mis-
take, the state should be bound to adopt
a system for the maintenance OF the de-
pendent class referred to. that does not
commend itself to the judgment of those
charged by law with their care, and that
appears to me against the interests OF
the public, is not conceded AS the in
terest OF the individual must yield to
that of society when the general welfare
demands, so here the claims Of these
communities must yield to the higher
interests OF the public
The governor frankly said that if the
bill had been so drawn that it would be
possible to establish asylums for the
chronic insane under it, then he should
have approved it. though his convictions
disapproved. But the bill permitted no
alternative but the construction and
management OF hospitals in continual
ton Of the existing system. The first
building required was for "administra-
ton with detention ward not re-
CURED for an asylum, and this first out
lay involved an expenditure OF from
$4,000 to $4,000, and annual appropria-
tons for maintenance.
Finally the governor says:
"In view of the fact that we now have