Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1915-05-04
Peoples Column
NEST VIRGINIA
AND PROHIBITION

AND PROHIBITION /
10 the Editor of THE EVENING |
JOURNAL:
Sir-"Boys and girls held in county |
1ails throughout the State, who have
been sentenced to the State reforma-
tory institutions. are being released
because West virginia has no money
il, the State treasury with which 10
pay transportation. owing TO tire last
LEGISLATURES failure to provide suf-
ficient funds with which to pay the
States operating expenses Officials
are also in q luandary as TO what
to do in cases OF insane persons now
being held in lails awaiting transfer
TO State asylums."
So reads a recent dispatch from
Charleston, W. "a. telling of conci-
tions in thai dry" State
We especially wish TO call these
conditions to your attention in an
ticipation OF the use which these
facts will be put 10 in the futdre by
the leaders and workers OF the Anti
Saloon League and the allied forces
OF that league. West Virginia has
theen laboring under financial difficul-
sfies ever since the adoption OF pro-
Exhibition. the enactment of which law
fhas resulted in the loss If a great
tamount of revenue, with the result
That the various State institutions of
scharity and correction are now suf-
bfering through the lack of proper
funds.
] have no doubt that these facts
twill soon be garbled, as were the
|facts in the case of Kansas. The peo-
kple OF the United States Will be told
that there are fewer persons in the
Ejails. fewer prisoners in the state
ircfofmatories, and fewer inmates in
1.-The insane asylums in West Virginia,
(which facts will seem TO be an indica-
hiOn of great social and moral adj
lvancement in that State However.
nhese facts when analysed. show that
kfhe lack of state funds caused by
1.-THE adoption of prohibition, has made
Pat impossible to properly care for
Nthe juvenile delinQuents and insane
kof West Virginia, with the result that
1.-THE delinqucnts and insane will not
Nbe committed TO the proper institu-
kions
Another example of the garbing of
iFhe prohibition enthusiasts is that of
kfhe statement OF Governor Cappor, of
N11ansas. to the effect that:
"Eighty-seven of the 1906 counties
tin Kansas have no insane: 81 have
kno Predetermined. etc"
IN When asked about this absurd
kstatement as TO insanity and the
kequally absurd statement as 70 feeble
tmindedness in Kansas, Mr.. M. L. Per-
Try, superintendent of the hospitals
Afor epileptics. at Parsons, Kansas
wrote under date of October "a, 1914:
Il suppose there is hardly a county
I.1~ Ir h,t
tscntativc In some State institution
land there are certainly many feeble
minded who are not under institu-
ton care"
In his report on the State Hospital
for Epileptics. (page III, he says:
Notwithstanding the fact that
some of the cottages have been con-
siderahly overcrowded. we could not
accommodate all who applied for adj
mission. and much 10 my regret II
has recently become necessary to
refuse admission TO some male pa
tlents This is the first time since
the opening of the institution that
care and treatment has been denied
any epileptic resident of Kansas who
has sought State aid"
This crowded condition exists de-
spite the opening Of a new State hos
pital at Larned in 1914, as note in
the fifth biennial report Of the Board
y IF Control of the State Charitable In
ltitutions of Kansas
i r. Moreover despite this oyercrowd-
Is ~ condition of Kansas hospitals,
: lhere has been a considerable in
lrease in number Of insane i'm public
hospitals since the 1910 census.
1nIhe following table shows this