River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1899-05-11

by the falls of the Potomac, yet I'M
chained, which are to furnish electric
and other power to the national capital.
The former estate of Gen. Lee has
long been called Arlington National
cemetery. but it has not been truly
national burying ground. 1t has been
sectional, in sense, because only the
soldiers of the northern armies were
buried there. 1t is now, in every sense,
a national cemetery, because recently
the bodies of nearly 300 of the soldiers
of the United States, who fell in the
war with Spain, were brought from
Cuba and laid to rest in Arlington Ma
tional cemetery with the honors of war,
and with the president of the republic
as participant i'm the exercises. These
soldier dead went forth from southern
as well as northern states when the call
for volunteers was made. Therefore
the bodies of the brave southerners as
well as those of the north lie there
beneath the folds of the stars and
stripes. guarded by the soldiers of Fort
Mver. and where the rising sun each
morning casts over them the shadows of
the Washington monument, and the
dome of the capitol building.
While our national soldier dead have
thus been inferred on the Virginia hill
side of the Potomac, scores of sufferers
have been incarcerated on Maryland
heights, in ST. Elizabeth's asylum for
the insane Incarcerated is the prop
er word TO use, for the overcrowded
ASYLUM contains not only the sick, the
mentally alienated and the aged in
sane. There are criminals also there
who might better be in the infirmaries
of penal institutions.
In 1885 this site was selected and hos
pital buildings erected in order that
care might be taken of the insane from
every state and territory. As time
passed the buildings have been modern
lied, additional quarters erected, and
all moderA placed at the
disposal of the management for the
care and well-being the unfortunates.
Among these hapless victims of VIOLA
tions of the laws of health there are
scores of the youthful soldiers of the
republic whose minds are unbalanced
because of the hardships they endured,
and the crimes TO which they were made
subject, because of the rapacity and
grasping cupidity of certain unconvict-
ed criminals.
The present capacity of st. Eliza
beth's is I 400. That many can be com
fortably housed, bedded, boarded and
attended By physicians and trained
nurses. But there are 1887 now with
in the walls, and each room and ward
are crowded. As usual when seeking
to fix the responsibility for abuses in
government circles. the inquirer can
only ascertain that nobody is to blame.
1t is the great big elusive nobody upon
whom responsibility is always fixed
Under the act of congress, 1882, the
attorney general is permitted to com
nit to St. Elizabeth's all insane per-
sons who are charged with offenses
against the United States, and the al
torney general has literally construed
that law Hence it IS that there are IN
the institution many vicious and many
convicted persons. Some of them are
only slightly insane. and others have
been sent there without ample evidence
Of their insanity. During the day
time they mingle with the milder in
sane aud at night share the rooms with
some innocent youths who should not
thus be subjected to COMMUNICATIONS
vice.
Within the walls of St. Elizabeth's
there are heroes of Manila, Santiago,
san Juan and Guantanamo; and there
are also survivors of other wars, hud-
died together with thieves. pickpockets.
mail robbers. e4nbezzlers and some muir
derers. That this condition ought not
to exist needs no demonstration. The
superintendent Of the asylum. DR.. God
ding. says that he is helpless in the
natter. that he tries 10 keep the vicious
separated from the innocent, hat finds
II next to impossible. The attorney
general continues to avail himself of
the privilege to send alleged insane
criminals to the asylum; and yet, they
say. nobody is to blame for the shame
fuI and inexcnsahle conditions which
prevail.
UPWARDS OF f5A soldiers Of the war
with Spain hare been sent TO st. Eliza
heth.s. The doctors and nurses say
that nearly all Of them are Young men
suffering from nelancholia and de-
nentia. Without exception. they have
beer arerse to eating. all Of them be
INC suspicious Of their food. and eat
ing only when required e do SO with
gentle persuasion The course Of
treatment has been principally the adj
uinistsFlng OF tonics rs trained nurses
Who have shown Kindness. tenderness
and wananly Soiieita lae FOR their health.
Those whe haze been irdaceo 70 par
take literally of food such d milk and
eereals. hairs gradually recovered .Sassi
one-third q them have been dismissed