The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-27

or these there were deported to Eu-
ropean countries, %; Canada 3; Mexico,
1; other states, so; total, 106
OF the number deported IS were old
cases in the hospital when this law was
passed; were reported during previous
period; l was an old case in reforma-
tory and "a were new cases reported dur
ing the biennial period
PAUPER SETTLEMENT CASES.
It has also been my duty to investigate,
take testimony and report to the board
such disputed legal settlement cases as
may be referred to it for determination
IN accordance with the statute. During
the period seven cases have been so re-
ferred and decisions rendered by the
poard. In one case an appeal from
the boards decision was taken and the
cOnstitutionality of the law questioned.
In the district court the board was sus-
tanned, and an appeal to the supreme
| court was recently abandoned by the ap-
| pellant.
NONRESIDENT PAUPERS.
The statute provides for the deportation
by this board of alien and NONRESIDENT
paupers. The appropriation, however
| has not been sufficient for the purpose
We have thought it best to deport state
dependents first and have found the an
| a 91 + appropriation SO far just sufficient
| for that purpose. A few paupers have
| been deported under my direction, the
| expense being paid by the county bene-
In all of this class of cases, there is
| a loo common practice Of sending the
| paupers en- to the next town, and thus
PERSONS travel all oyer the country, and
! get not only their living, but their travel
! ing expenses from the public No town
| or county will return the pauper to his or
her nome when it is SO much cheaper to
| SEM them TO the next town. The best
| plan would be to stop these persons
| az the first town they enter in this state,
notify notify, this office, and then this Office
Shoulf return them 10 their places of
| legal settlement if that can be deter
mined; and if not. then send them back
| across the state line to the town which
sent them TO this state This will have
| 10 be zone at state expense t. make it
| e1fective, and 1 doubt very much if this
peimcloQs practice can be stopped until
by cooperation between adjoining states
| the days of the travelling pauper would
be over.
-, The 60 total ct appropriation for the period
was $1,000, 5000 being used for the de-
| portatlon Of the cases herein reported
The average per oarita cost of deporta-
ton therefore, has been %66.04.
AFTER two years more experience we
see no reason to change the estimate
mace two years ago that the average cost
10 the state OF maintaining each insane
person will exceed one thousand dollars
Other states place their cost at a much
| higher figure.
SAVING TO THE STATE.
Upon this basis, the amount saved to
the state by the deportations made dur
ing the period, will be $1060O0. There is
also saving to the state on the other
work gone under the pOrVisions of this
act. There is, further, a saving to each
county IN costs of commitment and trans
portauon to state hospitals The net saw
ing after deducting the apprOpriation
will exceed $1C0,OC0.
WELFARE OF THE PATIENT.
The law has not been executed solely
with the idea of saving money to the
state. Inc interests of the insane pa
tents have not been overlooked. Five
persons, each having a legal residence
In another state, have been admitted to
our hospitals by vote of the board, either
because their immediate friends were
residents of the state, or their families
mad settled here in good faith, or for
other reasons, it seemed best to admit
them. Six were temporarily committed
and have since been discharged Fourteen
We're admitted because their legal settle
ment could not be definitely ascertained.
and are still in the hospital.
RETURNED BY OTHER STATES.
am frequently asked If our activity
IN deporting to other states does not in
duce them to send back to us as many
as we are deporting, and If, in the end
there Is anything gained by this prac-
tee. During the period four insane pa
tents, residents Of this state, have been
returned to us and are now in our state
hospitals. l am certain that all of these
would have been returned If this law
had never been enacted. Our relations
We're such that in each of these cases
we We're first notified and given an OPP
poItunity to investigate the claim of le-
gal settlement, and become satisfied that
the person was a legal charge upon us
| before he was sent.
There are several instances where coun-
ty authorities in certain adjoining states
have sent insane persons into this state
without the shadow of claim of resi-
/ dence here. In one instance, a man
| was taken before the insanity board and
| after being
the result, but that if he would cross
the river into Minnesota and remain
there, he would be released. With the
alternative of going to an insane hospital
ne decided TO cross over, the sheriff &C.
companying him to the line to see that
ne, crossed SS' Also patients. improved
been taken from the hospitals and given
| transportation into Minnesota. The dis
coVery and publication of the facts in
these cases has had a wholesome eff
feet.
} In all the states adjoining our own. in
sane patients are either wholly or partly
a charge upon the county in which thew
reside. This expense, especially when
me cost IS wholly upon the county has
become burdensone, and furnis hes a
strong inducement to unload UNION some
poqy else. county authorities therefore
Will pay railroad transportation into thiS
state rather than inrcease their weekly
hospital.
Under our system, where there is no
cost upon the county, except the fees
paid to officers for commitment. all such
cases for years past have gone to the
state hospital without any question as to
' residence. We have, therefore, baen a
? dumping ground for insane transients
from certain other states, there being
every inducement to their county authori
ties to send them here and none to our
: county authorities to return them.
INSANE AMONG Immigrants.
We are receiving every year many i'm
migrants from the older states and from
foreign countries. From these we GET
many nonresident insane and we have
no large corresponding class going out of
the state to offset the same. In case of
OF an Immigrant, however, where his fam
lily have settled here in good faith and
he afterwards becomes insane, he is not
deported.
The present appropriation of $500 per
annum is sufficient for the deportation
Of the insane but will not permit the
deportation of paupers. The same amount
will be required for the next two years,
and If it is desired to deport the paupers,