The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-06
STATE INSTITUTIONS.

one OF the most important pieces of
legislation enacted by your predeees-
sors was the establishment of state
board Of insanity, to which were trans
ierred all the duties and powers reJat-
His 10 the insane heretofore possessed
, anu lncuinpent upon the state board
OF lunacy and charity as well as GER
tam additional powers and duties snec-
| iied IN the act creating the new hoard
owing TO certain unavoidable DELAYS
encountered in organizing the board
iittle more than preliminary work has
! yet been DONE
Under the division above referred to
OF the functions of the former board Of
luhacy and charity, the newIy~consti-
tuled board of charity retains all the
duties and powers relating to manners
ara other dependent wards Of tbe
state, and to it is thus entrusted the
important charge of providing for these
he!plesS classes the most humane and
enlightened treatment.
| pne or the crucial tests of the degree
OF civilization and enlightment attained
~ state or community is it's success
nate and the vicious. Judged by this
TEST the commonwealth has ever held
a position which has been creditshle
like 10 the humanity and to the wis
dom of her people
In my inaugural address of Jann-
airy last, stated that from information
then available, / had been lied to be-
neVe That the weight Of opinion among
| those most fully acquainted with the
subject is in favor of final state control
OF all the pauper insane and of all
| oHenders against the laws of the com
| IuonWealth. Further consideration has
served 10 strengthen the opinion thus
expressed, especially in regard to the
latter class. 1t may be expected that
az some early day the new board of
insanity will embody in its report to the
legislature the results of it's study of
this important subject, so far as it
1 concerns the insane, and until such re-
/ port IS received it will probably be wise
| TO defer legislative action in their be-
half.
But as regards the inmates of pris-
ons retormatories, 1ails and houses Of
correction, there appears no sufficient
explanation in theory of the fact that
| the state controls certain institutions
IN which is confined a portion of the
| criminal population, while the remain
ing portion is in institutions controlled
| wholly by the several counties.
| Nor is there any clear line of division
| between prisoners convicted of minor
! otfenses, who are supported by the
9.eteN' anu thooe supported Dy the Coun-
ties.
For many offenses prisoners are COM
mitted either to a state or county in
sutution at the discretion of the Judge
before whom the case is tried. All Of
| lenses, however, of whatever nature.
are committed both in fact and in con-
temptation of law against the peace
of the commonwealth" and not Of any
| particular locality, and are heard and
determined before magistrates holding
the commission of the commonwealth.
This divided control of penal institu-
tons, not justifiable on any easily com
prehensble theory, results in practice,
as might be expected, in lack Of uni
| formity Of discipline, diet and employ
ment, in imperfect classification of the
inmates as regards SEX age and degree
Of criminality and degradation, and in
consequent unnecessary difficulty in
| the application Of reformatory treat
| ment.