New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-01
NEW JERSEY NEWS.

A subject Of vast Importance which will prob
ably be brought to the attention Of the Lesis-
lature Is the proper treatment Of county asy-
lums. Under the present law, for each patient
the State pays 81 a week TO those counties that
have their own asylums and care for their own
insane. A number OF the counties are now
building asyums under the inducement thus
offered by the State 1t is thought that they
can in this way care for their insane more
cheaply than they can by sending them TO
Trenton or to Morris Plains, where they have TO
pay So week for each patient. In view OF the
fact that the asylums at Trenton and Morris
Plains are utterly inadequate to care for the
increasing numbers OF the insane. this new
policy on the part OF the counties is not to be
deplored. 1t is apparently more economical TOT
the counties and would seem to be more
economical for the State, in view OF the fact
that it will probably do away with the neces-
sity Of large appropriations for expensive addi-
tons to the States asylums. Both the state
and the counties will thus be benefited. Tnere
are however, some dangers; not at present real
but to be anticipated in this connection. Therc
may be temptation on the part of the counties
who are now under the restraining influence ol
overprudent taxpayers to reduce the expenses
OF the county asylums to minimum NO op-
lection can be made to an economical main
tenance Of these institutions. but parsimon-
GUS management would be simply cruelty 10 the
helpless insane and the temptation might arise.
under the inducement TO please the constituent
cies who are crying for a reduction in county
expenses TO run the county asylums so cheaply
that they will become in fact mere almshouses
rather than institutions for the alienation OF
suffering This condition arose under the county
state
to assume control Of the county insane patients
In order TO prevent history repeating itself In
this State II has been suggested that state
SUPERVISION should be provided at the outset, and
that all Of the county asylums should be mod
erately under the control Of a State Supervis-
ing Board The powers OF this Board or course,
must be carefully determined and limited. The
county asylums should be controlled by county
officials who are responsible for their manage
ment The powers of the State Supervising
Board should be limited to a large extent 10 the
mere correction Of abuses and to sucn authorl'y
as is necessary to enforce such treatment OF the
patients as would commend Itself TO reaSonaoe
and fair minded people This suggestion rs one
of the greatest importance, both from imam
cal and humanitarian point OF view ana Will
require the most intelligent consideration on the
part of the Legislature.
The Democratic politicians who hold controi
of the New Brunswick Common Council are run
ming TO the end OF their tether. Although the
last Legislature passed law making the re-
districting of the city compulsory, the Demo-
cratic Council has defed the law. under the plea
that the city ,annot afford TO have census
made. and has 1strated its poverty by employ
ing we'll X counsellor to assist the CRY
Attorney IN resisting the equitable districting OF
the city into wards
The view of the Democratic philadelphia
Record" that the two factions Of that party IN
New-Jersey will never get together is not
nIeasing to the Democratic press, and Ihe
Hudson County Dispatch" points to the results
Of the last two campaigns In Hudson County as
overthrowing The Records" view, as though
the ratorities for the Democratic ticket IN that
county indicated party harmony. THOSE ma
torities nrove too much-they show that not only
Is the Democracy OF Hudson County under the
thumb Of Robert Davis. but that the hepuphcan
machine as well is playing into his hands. when
there is a real Republican organization IN Hud-
SON and when Democratic counters do not nave
everything their own way. the Democratic vote
in Hudson will drop it has In all the other
counties Of the State.