Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-04-10
UNDER STATE CONTROL
Board Of Control Preparing to su.
pervise County and Private In.
sane Asylums
New Law Gives the Board Con.
troll Of All the Insane in
Iowa.
pnlieu Nnt Yat snatarminad Rnt
Policy Not Yet Determined, But
There Will Be improvements
and Changes.

of control is already arranging to put
into effect the provisions OF the new law,
which gives it9control of the county and
private insane asylums of the state.
The members of the board, after a cons.
ference on the subject, have adopted a
plan for determining exactly what new
responsibilities are involved under the
new law Secretary Wilkinson has been
instructed to communicate with all the.
county clerl.s Of the state and assert 2 II,
what counties have insane in their keep
ing, and whether they are kept in state,
county or private asNlums. If county
or private asylums are maintained. the
clerk will be expected TO furnish infor-
nation astto the number of inmates,
the location OF the institution, etc. AS
soon as this information is collected
the board will make Il tour of inspec-
tion and investigates the condition OF
ali the institutions. There are n few.
counties iii the state which have no
insane, and 9, smaller number by which
the scriptural assumption that the
poor .e have always with You, is
proved erroneous. They have neither
paupers nor poor farms. There are
about TWENTY-FIVE asNlums in the state.
however. and as soon as possible all of
these Will be visited
The law giving supervision of these
institutions is broad enough III terms 10
ALLOW the board ample discretion in
adopting a policy. 1t is not yet decided
by any means what Will be done To
adopt rules which viii close any num-
bsr of the county asylums is out Of the
question, because there is no room to
place the inmates in state institutions.
There are about 300 insane in the
three institutions al Mt. Pleasant. M
dependence and Clarinda. These insti-
stuiions have capacity for very few
more II would be possible 10 accom-
the limit The board considering the
Wisconsin plan, which looks TO the im-
pirvement of tho county asN,tinis; each
county asylum which maintains a Ger
s,ain standard of excellence is given a
per capita support fund by the state,
representing a considerable proportion
Of the cost OF support Of the inmates.
W.hsn a county institution falls below
stlle fixed standard. its bonus is with
drawn by the state. Under this system,
LIT is claimed. Wonders have been
wrought in the Badger state. and the
Iowa boart. Will carefully investigate
1.-The system.
There are about 1000 insane in the
4 ceurtg asylulns of IoWa, and this abou
Irearssents the ganaeity oc the new
.EGherClsee institution. When completed
i Thus it's deemed inadNsisable 10 eroWe
Tan the insane into state institutions
\ because by this plan the county ass.
Iiuns would be done away with, ana
There would be no provision for an in
/ crease in the insane population. As il
Is estimated there is al! annual inerefas.
4 of about 200in the number OF the state.
1 insane. it is realized that in the near f,,.
tare The capacity of Cherokee will BIZ
Iexrausted, even if the ,01o inmates nov
LIN the county Institutions are left unno
iiesfcd.
1t is roughly estimated at the audi
Et0rs office that the Legislative session
this year, including salaries Of mem,
sHhers and employees, printing, and al
4 charges properly 10 !,c made to tina
account. cost about $4,000. This Is
little more than the session of tive year
8 ago, because the late session was fey
4 days longer, covering lightweight days
The state auditors office was yester
day issuing and sending out warrant
i to the 100 or more banks which ad
VancAd mone.t I o the fund for transport
y ing the FiftN-tirst Iowa. While the leg
stature declined to pay transportatio
of more than this one regiment. thel
was a feeling among the members tina
this refusal would not be accepted il
final II is le.p ected that the same CUES
!. ticn Will come up again at each sessio
!. of the legislature, and, like the New OF
1 leans claims the John l.. Brown clai,
Land other Ranquois ghosts of forne
sessions, Will ultimately secure recos
II milton