The sun., 1902-01-27
CONTROL OF STATE HOSPITALS
TO DILL FAIL
TO MEET OBJECTIONS.
Control sim Given 10 LrInacy Commits
sion. which Is 10 Inspect Its Own
Management, and tho Valuable Ser
vices OF Private Citizens Flung Away.

Vices Of Private Citizens Flung Away.
To THE EDITOR oP THE sUN-Sir: The
amendments to the bill relating to the state
hospitals for the insane do not meet the OBJ
jections of the opponents Of the original
bill The amended bill destroys precisely
to the same extent as the original bill the
existing system of State care of the insane.
as established by the Constitution and the
laws, which were framed at the instance
OF those who were best informed and most
Interested in the subject. That system
comprises two principal features-frst. in
spection and visitation by the Lunacy Com
mission. with financial control; and. 500
ondly. management and control OF the hos
pitals themselves by local boards of managers.
subject TO the financial control OF the Lunacy
Commission.
The amended bill, equally with the original
bill. strikes fat al blow at both these features
II proposes to take from the local boards
the powers OF management and control and
to vest these powers In the Lunacy Com
mission Neither OF these provisions Is
wise. The Lunacy Commission l. con-
stitutional body and under the Constitution
is charged primarily with the duty Of visiting
and inspecting. Such body cannot prop
erly exercise the powers OF internal admins
tration: In fact. such powers are entirely
inconsistent with its duty to visit and In
spect that internal administration. The re-
suit, therefore. OF vestina in the commission
such powers IL to deprive us Of the benefit
OF the constitutional protection afforded by
an independent visiting and inspecting body.
Neither Is IL wise to take away from the
local boards their powers of management,
for the folio wing. among other, reasons:
"a The present boards Of managers. as
II wns, We think. plainly shown at the hearing
in Albany, are. on the whole. good. non
partisan boards. and are doing their work
most satisfa Ctorily. and IL Is not sound policy |
for the Govcrnme TO undertake any work
which can be equally well done by private |
citizens
t?l The charge that the management Of |
the hospitals Is not economical has been so |
thoroughly refutcd that il has been practi- |
Cnlly abandoned by the friends OF the bill |
II IL, moreover. now generally understood |
that II the management Of the hospitals Ind |
not been economical, the responsibility would |
rest wholly with the Lunaoy Commission, Ia |
who m the financial control j. vested and not
with the local boards OF managers, whose
powers are limited TO internal admin.stra-
ton The fact i.. that the tendency s rather
toward too much economy. the per capita
allowance for maintenance being now con-
sidered by many expert too low
(9l No charge Of ineniclency has been
made against the boards II Is not claimed
that the inmates Of the hospitals ore not re-
ceiving proper care and treatment. or that
the superintendent. appointed by the" |
petent and well-informed body Of experts |
Indeed. the present administration OF our |
State hospitals for the insane. 50 FAR from
helns suhiect 20 criticism FOR mismauagc-
ment u most creditable go the state, and IL /
is an sItrsordinary rtopo.uion TO Az re |
being satisfactorily performed by private
citizens a.
rls IL. tfg gffF o. al a. nj
peculiarly helpless classes Of people, The 1
Expenditure Of large sums Of money, aud the
sep'os%f sTe 6ssGnarlS s.possd & % to he Iars'rs n
partisan politics and the misuse of patron
age 70, thls Tss,odI toT IN &c no ,ldsG3 olhlrf laG3
a. q protection against The conilng'htN ~
partisan action 10y a possible iutufr i.uha'y /
Commission controlled by poihca. consider
tS' The strongest reason. however for the
maintenance Of these local b0tfd- y thHt
private Cltigsns Interested a. philanthtopI
are peculiarly fttod Tor the cafe of thee
helpless people. requiring ~ y do"s - iuu,l
lAli.os synl",hy shy ."as, as si, S a,ls.
All Of which qualities would y" h'o"-s .rl.
lAcsihg under a - -i,ip ~ m.hsf' tgh' % "
distant central boafd which is aifrad, o''f.
burdeusd wI'h ~ prescott sufk Auf m,f"
hoard of Atrttors. 40 ,ulfruuIaird hF o."
amsnd'd n,il not ,haf4'd "lil, a. 4" sb'i..
iess the p'sos u tas prs.,ui board 90
s,sts oLafll.ss A,d sssoaauan nsi.st.-
ih.i ihf ~. 600 ,r'..1 IT,. L
.ios fs'a,','','' .l. l ~, ,,.i,
aals g.nhy ufI Uur HHl asff. .. sIN..'
.oinI nIslsntlon oi 'hl~i.- q" 60 h'f' 300
sutLoub aith Co., 'HlrItuf..H d
'lsiinf ara InaIf lHF HNi in. hi
i,t ss v lal, ..a.. .nr .,n,. a..l ....t o. .....
Iiff aHrfI..f aN H' r.... HH.H. .
'fl