The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1907-01-11
MORE ROOM NEEDED HERE
GOVERNOR MICKEY RECOMMENDS
HOSPITAL ADDITION.
MENTIONS NORFOLK FRICTION
Says That Governor Of the State Ought
to Have Power to Remove Appoint
ees Without Any Interference From
Courts or Other Board.

ees Without Any Interference From
Courts or Other Board.
Governor Mickey. in his message to
the legislature just before retiring,
had this to say concerning the Nor.
folk hospital for the insane:
Il deem it important that the chap.
ter of our statutes dealing with the
insane be revised, that the three asy-
lums be placed on exactly the same
footing, that they be styled respective
ly the Lincoln Hospital for the In
sane" the Hastings Hospital for the
Insane" and the Norfolk Hospital for
the Insane" that there be no distinc-
ton in the character of the patients
received at either institution, and that
the state be conveniently districted so
that each asylum shall receive the pa
tients coming from its own districts.
The word "incurable" is almost brutal
in its suggestion and it should be
omitted from the title of any and all
OF the asylums.
Il especially enjoin upon you that
you see that all appropriations made
FOR the institutions and for various eX-
ecutive departments are specific and
clearly defined. Not infrequently APP
preparations have been juggled with
in the past and have been made to ap-
ply to expenditures which the legisla-
ture never contemplated. AS an in
stance, l have in mind the amusement
hall at the Hastings Asylum for the
Insane, which was not sanctioned by
the legislature and for which no ap-
preparation was made. 1t was paid
for entirely from the maintenance fund
Of that institution. Similar instances
could be cited. This is a method of
accomplishing a purpose which
shou.L not be tolerated. Possibly the
amusement hall, and the other i'm
pDyements and additions which have
been made from diverted funds, were
needed, but there is a proper way to
meet such needs, and that is by direct
and specific appropriation. Any other
course will eventually lead to serious
difficulty, II not scandal. The spirit
Of this suggestion is embodied in the
ID
Z, chapter S3, compiled statutes, which
reads: provided, that no addition
shall be made to any public buildings
without special appropriation of the
legislature"
Power to Remove.
"The chief executive should have
conferred upon him absolute authority
and power to remove at will any insti-
tutional head appointed by him, and
his action should not be subject to
the review of any court or board I'm
der our system the executive is re-
sponsible for the proper conduct and
management of these institutions and
that being the case he should be guar
anteed the protection which the abso-
lutte power of removal affords. My
experience teaches me that institution
al friction would be reduced to the
minimum if it were understood that
the executives order of removal was
final. / recommend that the law be
amended in conformity with the idea
here set forth. Subordinate officers in
all institutions should be appointed by
the uperintendent, subject to the ap-
rroval of the executive.
las you are doubtless aware, the
Norfolk asylum for the insane has
been in operation about two years, |
since it's restoration, and has even now |
nearly reached the maximum of it's |
present capacity. 1t must be provided |
with more room in the near future. |
recommend that the easements of the |
three cottages and of the administra- |
ton building be fitted for use, thus |
relieving the rooms above and adding |
to the capacity of the istituton to the |
extent of being able to care for fifty
or seventy-tive more inmates. An ad- |
dition to the storehouse is also need |
ed. This asylum should he made large !
enough to care for flcted of that
part of the state"