New Britain herald., 1915-02-17

proposed bill relating to the care of dope fiends," was defective in that there is not at present any statute making the excessive use of drugs a crime or misdemeanor, and that such commitments could not probably, be made.
 c. M Shea of Groton said he thought the better way to treat the drunkands would be to put the men at some public work which would not only help reform the men themselves but would be of direct benefit to the state. The proposed establishment of colonies from which the men would be sent out in groups to work On highways and both save money and improve state property. eH also thought that the colonies should be handled through the counties, rather than the state. A bill embodying his scheme has been introduced by Sena- tor Whiton. MT. Shea said, however, that he was in favor of the farm idea, though ne preferred the other.
 Ralph C. Wells of this city spoke in favor of Senator Alcorn's bill, which he considered superior to the other. An appropriation of $5O,0O0 for two years would, he said, only equal the cost of keeping 200 prisoners in a county jail for that length of time. This estimate he based on the amount of money paid by the state to t!le counties on a per capita basis for the support of jail prisoners. That the work would be self-supporting is in- dicated, he added, by the fact that even poor farms are partly self-sup- II, VI, inmates of the latter class of institu- tions are persons too feeble or i'll to do effective work, while the proposed farm would be populated with men who, when sober, are good workmen. The men would be trained to become farmers or farm hands. This would be highly desirable feature because farmhands are very much in demand. Consequently, need of workmen would be filled and at the same time a class of workmen would be supplied which would not compete with labor where com- petition might be severely felt.
 Dr. Pollock of Norwich.
 pr. Henry M. Pollock, superintend- ent of the Connecticut State Hospital for the Insane at Norwich, said he had long advocated the establishment of state farm. He spoke, in part, as follows: I've have been bothered for years by getting a large number of patients who are not insane, but merely drunk. Alcohol is the most potent cause of insanity, degeneracy, etc. The state has spent thousands of dollars annually for the cure and care of tuberculosis and insane per sons, but has spent nothing to get at the alcoholic cause of much of this trouble.
 Eff the state cannot afford to es- tablish this farm by spending the money required, we can, if necessary, put up a small building on our grounds at Norwich where we can carry on this work temporarily and on small scale.''
 Judge J. H. Kirkham og New Brit ain spoke in favor of Senator Alcorn's bill which he said was modelled on the bill vetoed by ex-Governor Bald win. He quoted from letter written by ex-Governor Baldwin last October in answer to a letter he had written him asking why he had vetoed the bill and what improvements he might wish to suggest. The former governor said that he had no objection to it except the expense it involved and the fact that the legislature had not pro- Vided the extra taxation necessary to pay for the farm. All but one of a number of suggestions he made had been incorporated in the bill. II see no reason," the judge added, why we should be modest in the amount of money we ask. If the farm is needed the state can afford to pay for it. There should be money enough to maintain it porperly. Oklahoma would appropriate $200,000 for such a prop- osition, but this state would damn it by faint praise or kill it by small appropriation.'
 Clarence E. Thompson, secretary of the State Prison association, said that he had talked with sheriffs, jailers. po- lice and police court officials, and dozens of other persons, and that prac- tically all were enthusiastically in favor of a state farm.
 filings Letter.
 States Attorney A. A. filling of New Haven, sent a letter to the committee saying that was opposed to the bill It follows:
 Hon. T. G. Alcorn.
 Dear Sir
 A regret that my actual presence here in court at @ trial of a. state case prevents my being present before your committee in opposition to the bill