The independent., 1907-04-04
Twentieth Year
CURING OF INEBRIATES

Hardly less than public calamity
is the failure Of the legislature to see
the Importance of providing for an en-
largement Of the work of the state
dipsomaniac hospital and provide the
necessary equipment. Probably no
other institution Of the many In the
state is calculated to do more real
practical good than the dipsomanac
hospital under proper conditions and
with proper equipment.
While great stress is being laid upon
the obligation of society to prevent the
making of drunkards. there has al
ways seemed to be surprising lack
of enthusiasm in the work of redeem
ing drunkards once made, and yet the
one process seems just now as i'm
portant and a great deal more effec-
tive than the other.
Ever since the dipsomaniac hospital
was established there has been mani
fest an unaccountable opposition to it
and it's work This opposition has come
from most unexpected sources. County
commissioners have soE7ght to nullify
the law by refusing to send to the
hospital dipsomaniacs whom, under
the law, it is their duty to send thlther
Courts have found trifiing flaws in the
measure and out at the insane hospital
there has been a Discrimination to take
patients in for treatment. The later
condition, however, may be attribut-
able solely to the lack of facilities and
conyeniences for such treatment.
Yet that hospital, poorly as it has
been endowed and equipped by the
state. has done some wonderful work
in the redemption of men and women
from servitude to drug and liquor
habits Many testimonials OF It's
efficacy could be produced were the oc-
casion such as to seem to demand IT,.
Tt has performed and is performing
a real reformatory work that
bears rich fruit in restored manhooa
and womanhood and has perhaps a
better reformatory record thah any
other institution in the stats
There is no good reason why this
dinsomaniac hospital work should no.
be as important and alluring a part
of philanthropic temperance work as
is any other phase oe the work which
now receives so much commehdapie
attention. 1t is the most practlcal
work Of temperance yet discovered, ana
il really effectively turns besotted crea-
tures into useful men and women, re-
Neving society Of the burden OF their
maintenance and the loathsomeness of
their practices and example
Perhaps the sum suggested for the
erection of the PROPOSED dipsomaniac
building was much larger than was
necessary. If so II Is certainly mis-
fortune The tendency In seeking ap-
propriations Is to ask too much. for
which reason one good work II too
often allowed to crowd out another II
eertainN seems as II, with compara-
lively slight expense. room might have
bcen provided here or elsewhere for the
cure Of those unfortunates whose cure
means SO much to them as individuals
and 10 the state ais an economy
surely as long as this state author
,zes the sale ~ liquor for the making
er drunkards, ana Of drugs that take
AWAY thv lulclliseuce and manhood of
lts people. u Is moi unreasonable "a
look utun h aa a sort ~ duty IT society
10 dn what it can TO relieve Che public
ot the burdens that ariso from the
llcrns' q persists In granting and the
cure og the lnebrlate II one ot ths