The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-10-21

disposition and exhibit desire to travel
from one part Of the world to another
hoping to better themselves, can be look
ed upon as people of sunsteady mental
balance, but it is a fact we'll known to
persons who have given the subject care
ful attention, that large percentage Of
the persons who ship as emigrants from
one country to another are people who
are unrestful in mind, lack mental poise
and exhibit nervous makeup which
readily tends toward mental derange-
ment. This class of persons. too, readily
arrives at conclusions; too freely indulges
in the belief that to go to new country
means to have wealth, success and ad-
vaneement. When such people arrive at
the port Of New York and set foot upon
the soil of America. of which they have
dreamed and about which they have
heard expansive tales of riches easily
obtained and great wealth being acquir-
ed without effort, are confronted with
the stern fact that in order to succeed
they must not only work but enter into
competition with the struggling masses.
the disappointment is great The shock
is severe and the result disastrous.
.They readily break down under the
ordeals presented to them. Many of
them possess a morbid or abnormal make
por they would not have left Their
native land, relatives and friends. 1t is
from this class of persons who emgrate
to us that our population is in an increas-
ed ratio vitiated with nervous metal irae-
gularities and defective offspring. 1t is
for this reason in part that the insane
population and dependent classes in the
States Of New York and New Jersey in
crease at a greater ratio than in many
of the inland States, or those further re-
moved from the great ports.
''.This impressive fact, taken in con
junction with the frequent intermarriages
Of families vitiated by hereditary psyche
patio faint, furnishes such food for
thought and suggests the question: Are
not our marriage laws too lax and should
not legislative restrictions be interpo ed
/
to improve the mce?-and even furthe',
/ is it not positively necessary that some
thing be done to save the humanu race
from hereditary transmission Of mental
infrmities which tend steadily toward de-
generacy?
Ia mo fthe opinion that the statutes
releting to the poor. the insane. fnbeeiles,
idiots. habitual drunkards, and other in
| competent persons in the State of New
Jersey should be revised and codifed;
that in this revision and codifcation
there should be condensation and sys-
| temization of the essential principles of
the laws governing the department of the
States public charities and for the com
troll of those organizations which receive
support, either in part or full, from the
State
81 believe that revision Of the stat
utes should precede or go along with such
codification and now that the State has
established Department of Charities
and Corrections. which department has
a supervisory authority over all of the
States charitable and penal institutions,
this department should take this matter
under serious consideration.
81 would not Intentionally make the
impression that the laws of New Jersey
regulating the care, management and
treatment of her insane We're inferior 20
those of most of the other States of the
Union. On the contrary I desire to be
Understood that it is my opinion that
New Jersey tbs particular far all
vance of her sister States, but withal
there is room for Improvement in her
statutes There are clauses bearing upon
important points which are conflicting
and confusing TO the inquiring mind. A
fevision Of her laws relating to and gov
erning her public charities would be help
full, and if properly done would advance
many of the important interests IN
volved.'
| DOOMED BY FATE.