The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-04-15

That such was the case is a matter to
be regretted.
AS far as the are of the convicts is
concerned no reasonable person has
ever been found tc make, complaint.
The testimony of those who have Wis
tied the pe%nitentiary and that of those
who have been so unfortunate as to
have been confined there has all been
about the same-the prisoners are
well treated, have ample food, suf-
ficient clothing and in every other re-
spect the prison is a model one.
Unfortunately the testimony in this
respect as it pertains to the other
state institution farmed out is not so
unanimous or conclusive. Many COM
plants have been heard from time to
time concerning the treatment Accord
ed the unfortunate insane who have
been the means of enriching several
individuals and affording substantial
wealth to several families. At the
last session of the legislature at least
one member Of that body made honest
effort to secure an investigation into
the conduct of the asylum, so that the
truth might be known regardless of
whom it might injure or benefit. How
that effort resulted is still too well
known to need telling here. A COM
mittee was appointed; it's members
visited the asylum; they drank of the
contractors wine ate of their food
and then returned to the capital and
a bucketful of whitewash applied to
the panel of a fence could not have
made it any whittier than was the char
acter given the management of the
asylum. It is true that the mover
of the resolution which resulted in the
appointment of the committee had no
place on the Investigating body. 1t
was not intended that he should have.
To have appointed him might have
caused a majority and a minority re-
port and this was something not want
ed at that stage of the game. Unani-
nifty was desired and this was obtain
ed; eve though possibly all the truth
and nothing but the truth vas not
contained in the report. There were
other matters of far more Importance,
in the opinion of the majority mem
bers of the legislature, that required
attention just about that time than
such a trifle as an honest and care
full inquiry into the management and
conduct of an institution given over to
the care of the most unfortunate of all
of the Creators creatures. There was
more money in some of the other mat
tiers, at least for some of the gentle
men.
At that time The Gazette earnestly
asked the legislature to not dismiss
the complaints of cruel treatment and
improper care of the inmates of the
asylum that led to the resolution for
an inquiry, but it had to be content,
along with many others, with the
whitewashing report of a complaisant
and "easy" committee. Nothing that
it may now say will have any probable
effect or cause any difference in the
management of a public institution.
The same old story of barring the
doors of the asylum to all, except a
few favored ones whom the law says
have access to the place, will
What passes behind the dark
%forbidding walls of the asylum and be-
hind the high board fence that shuts
out the rest of the world will continue
be known only to the attendants
and the poor, miserable creatures en-
to their care. The first dare
not tell and the others cannot. State
officials will continue to make visits
at stated times and they will remain
in the same condition of dense ig-
horace as to the real facts as the
many who have inspected the place
before them. In anticipation of their
coming all will be put in readiness
and no tell tale evidence of miscon-
duct, cruel treatment of inmates or
else calculated to cause trouble
'a
the contractors will be permitted F,
remain where it may be seen. AS
in the past Montana will stand alone
and distinct as the only state having a
public institution, maintained at the
cost of the people and supposedly un-
der public control hat nobody may
visit, except those specially given that
right and privilege by law.
OF course, it is wrong. But what
Are you going to do about it?
Since the announcement that Cecil
Rhodes died of angina pectoris, ap-
pendicitis will probably be in less
favor as a fashionable disease and |
thn man who ctiJ1 oI;roc tn tho 1ot&or +,