The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1905-01-04

government by a board OF control is
comparatively new. Many of our peo-
pie differ in their opinions as to the
best method of institutional govern
ment. The board of control system
obtains now and must be given a fair
opportunity to demonstrate it's value.
Some of the methods employed by the
+ board of control are subject to criti-
cism. Contracts are made in secret
and the business in which the public
has an interest is withheld from the
public itself. Whether or not it is
wise to make all of the business, the
letting of contracts and the purchase
Of supplies, open to public inspection,
there certainly should be some provi-
sion made by which all Of the transac-
tions of the board of control would be
subjected to regular inspection and
investigation by the public examiner
or some other competent authority.
CARE OF INSANE.
The care of the unfortunate wards
OF the state is worthy of your most
earnest and careful consideration. The
state has been very generous in the
past and in it's provisions for the care
: of the insane and the feeble minded
Minnesota ranks favorably with her
sister states. Much progress has been
made along this line of work during
recent years and it has now become
established that in the care of the in-
sane it is the duty of the state to pro-
vide humane care for this class of our
unfortunate citizens and that it should
also be the duty and the privilege OF
the state to develop the study of in
sanity as disease and make proper
progress along the lines of scientific
treatment of the insane with a view
OF the education of the medical profess
sion in a more thorough knowledge of
insanity. More attention should be
paid to the treatment of new cases and
the best of facilities should be pro-
vided with that end in view. Our
hospitals for insane should be placed
on the high plane of general hospitals
and they should be relieved so far as
possible of the incubus of the incura-
BILE inmates who only require personal
care but whose presence means the
crowding out of those who need and
might be benefited by medical treat
ment. / would call your attention to
the advisability of providing nurses,
homes at the various hospitals. Sep
arate homes would mean economy OF
room in the hospitals themselves and
would be a simple act of judgment to
the nurses employed. I would also di-
rect your attention to the need of pro-
viding place at the state prison for
the retention of the criminal insane as
well as the insane criminal. The con-
vlct or criminal insane should not be
allowed to mingle with the non n-crimi-
nal insane. Insanity is no more
crime than tuberculosis The care and
treatment of those who are mentally
deranged or i'll from nervous diseases
should be along the most modern and
scientific lines. Our entire system
should be reorganized and based upon
the idea Of curing the disease rather
than caring for the being.
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH.
A very important work in the pub
lie service is that done under the su-
pervision of the state board of health.
(, In general, everything relating to the
work of this board has grown enor-
mously during the past decade Not
only has the board undertaken work of
q general sanitary nature, but it is do
ing and has done splendid work in~the
matter of infectious and contagious
diseases. It has also performed good
service in dealing with infectious dis
eases of animals. The work should be
facilitated by every possible encour.
agement which can be rendered it by
the legislature.
STATE TRAINING SCHOOL.
A reform is suggested by a number
OF our philanthropic people looking to-
wards separation of the sexes at our
state training school, heartily en-
dorse the proposition, believing that
the present association is detrimental
to both sexes and that more com
plete reformation would follow by rea-
son of such separation.
SOLDIERS HOME.
Our nation and state have pursued q
policy in providing homes for the vet
Grams OF the Civil war which has met
with the approval of all patriotic citi.
zens. Our people have been generous
in their recognition of the services Of
the old soldier. In our generosity to
the soldiers of the Civil war the state
has been emiss in the duty it owes to
the wives, the mothers and the widows
of the old soldiers. At the last depart
Ment encampment Of the Grand Army
of the Republic the matter Of admit.
ting the mothers, widows and wives to
the soldiers home was taken up and,
as result of that movement, the board
of trustees OF the State Soldiers home
recommends an amendment to the law
which will permit their admission and
6 they ask for an appropriation to con-
struct suitable buildings for their care
and maintenance No one has ques-
toned the justice Of caring for the old
soldier and il there is justice in maxi
ing provision for him there is no valid
reason why those directly dependent