The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1916-07-13
6OvERMOR ASKS PEOPLE
NOT TO SIGN PETITION
CONCERNING ASYLUM

Denver, July 1o.-Governor Carlson
has issued. the following statement ap-
peaiing. to the people not to sign the
petitions initiating the bill to allow
over. rowding of the insane asylum at
Pueblo.
To The Public:
/ understand that petition is be-
| ing circulated to initiate a law which
would take from the State Board OF
correction ali discretionary power III
the matter of admitting insane to our
State Asylum. Those circulating this
petition are guilty either of such de-
liberate misrepresentation or in
excusable iznorance of facts
that the public, which is being asked
to sign these petitions and to give
credence to the circulator's represen-
tations. is entitled to know the facts.
First, this present state admins
tration recognizes fully its obligation
to take care of the regularly commit
ted insane of this state. Full proof
of this is found in the fact that the
last Legislature. in order that tie
counties might be relieved of the bur
den they are Carrying, appropriated
in round numbers s225. 900 for further
equipment and the construction of
new buildings at the State Asylum at
Pueblo. These buildings are now in
process OF construction. will be COM
pleted by the middle of August and
It is expected that they will be ready
for occupancy in Sc tember. At that
time the insane now being taken care
of by the City and County of Denver.
and by the other counties of the
state. will be moved to Pueblo and
taken care of by the state.
The purpose. therefore. of initial.
ing this bill cannot he to take care OF
lpresent needs of the state. for as |
have pointed out this problem will be
solved in about sixty days
The proposed law contains absolute.
l'y no provision for affirmative relief OF
any kind or for future needs of the
State Asylum and merely attempts to
remove the power of the State Board
of Corrections to regulate the mum.
Der OF insane who shall be admitted
to the Asylum
The authorities at Pueblo. have al
ways, and without discrimination. ad-
mitted as many insane patients as
the State Asylum could possibly hold
and permit OF their humane treat,
nent They have complied with the
state law which limits the number OF
patients to a building. Were they to
violate this law. or II there were nc
limit. excessive crowding would re
suit and 1t would be imossible tc
maintain sanitary conditions. and in
the event Of a FIRE or other accident
wholesale deaths might easily result
In September when the State Asy
lum will have ample accommodations
to take care of all who are committed
there. the discretionary power Of the
Board will not be under attack be
cause il will not be used II it can
be imagined that some future iegisla
ture would be so blind to the die,
tates Of Justice and humanity as to
fail to make proper provision for the
Insane Asylum. then the Board OF cor
rections must have the very power
which it sought to remove in order &c
protect those who would already be
confined there.
II the necessary number of sigma
lures is received. the proposed Law
will have to be published in one news
paper in each OF the sixty-thres
counties Of this state for FIVE consecu
tive weeks. it will have to be printed
upon the ballot and all of this expense
will be thrown upon the taxpayer:
and will have to be shared by those
Of Denver. BY refraining from sign
ing this petition, which seeks to re
quire what has already been done
and is, therefore. wholly useless and
positively pernicious in its only af
tirmative provision. our citizers car
save themselves many thousand dol
lars in taxes.
GEO. A. CARLSON,