The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1915-02-04
Commission MAY Force
RICH 'INOICENTS' TO PAY
State officials Consider Recommending
the Ohio Plan of Compelling
Wealthy Relatives to Maintain the
Insane Persons III Institutions

Creation of commission to stop the
practice of committing luMtics to state
hospitals as "indigent when their es-
tates or their relatives have ample
funds to pay for their keep is being
considered seriously by State officials.
Nothing definite will be done before the
return of Attorney General Brown early
next week, however, as the matter has
virtually been placed in his hands.
Auditor General Powell is resPon-
sible for the proposed step, which is
designed as money saving part of a
''good housekeeping system for the
State. Insane persons vino really are
INDECENT that is, without any funds
for their support at all, are, of course,
a charge on the community and no one
is disposed to sidestep responsibility
for their care. Either they are kept in
county hospitals or sent to State in
stitutions, and of the 5000 such pa
tients of the State many are understood
to be dependent entirely upon charity;
but Powell's Investigations have led
him to believe that a large percentage
are not.
What It Costs the State
When an INDECENT lunatic is sent to
a State hospital the State pays to the
Institution $3.50 a week for main
tenance and the county from which the
patient comes pays $1.75 week. 1t
is said that in many instances when an
"indigent has been sent to State
hospital the County Commissioners have
arranged to get their $1.75 from the
patients IS estate or relatives, but there
never is any one around the Court House
to look after the interests of the State.
Two years ago an item of 5000 a
year was placed in the appropriation
for the Attorney Generals Department
to be used in paying an attorney to
look up such cases. John G. Bell, then
Attorney General, retained John Hyatt
Naylor, of Philadelphia, for the work.
The 100000 appropriation is exhaust
ed, although less than $50, 900 has been
collected by Naylor, and Naylor is seek
ing a deficiency appropriation OF $4,000
form the present Legislature.
Powell had some investigations of
his own made last summer when he sent
three men to Ohio to study that State s
system at handling the same situation.
These men are Gbauncey p. Rogers, one
of Powell's principal clerks in the Au-
ditor General s office; James F. Wood
ward, present chairman of the House
preparations Committee, and Harry
S. NJ Dewitt, at the time chairman of
the Economy and Efficiency Committee.
Their report, which Powell has not yet
made public, is said to be a general en-
dorsement of the Ohio plan.
The Ohio Plan of Collection
1t is said that in Ohio by having
board of three commissioners the
State has collected anywhere from
$65,000 year to quarter million.
The board does this on an appropriation
of $4,000, which includes the men,
bers salaries at 5000 year each and
all expenses.
In addition to the general reasons
for desiring such business-like ar
rangement, the State officials are i'm
Felled by the acute state of the finances
TO scrape up every dollar they can get.
Auditor General Powell points out such
a commission could collect back mainte-
nance money from the estates or rela-
tives of "indigents0 who are not
INDECENT and would also stop further
payment by the State for the keep of
such patients. Therefore, income would
be increased and outgo decreased.
Another suggestion has been made
that the State Board of Charities be
charged with this work, even if neces-
sary to add to the staff of three paid
agents which it now has. No one is dis
posed to sanction such plan, how
ever, unless the Legislature should
amend the laws governing the Board of
Charities and give it actual control over
institutions instead of mere supervision.