Neither the causation of the alien's insanity nor his financial ability should enter into the question. From every point of view, however, the present law should be changed so as to provide that an alien shall be deportable unless it is affirmatively shown that the causes of the alien's insanity arose subsequent to landing. This would change the burden of proof which it is manifestly unfair to impose upon the State. "(e) The Immigration Act should provide, definitely, for the reimbursement by the United States to the State of the cost of the care and maintenance of deportable aliens from the date of admission to a hospital for the insane to the date of deportation, or until the date of discharge or death in the case of an alien who for any cause it is found impossible or deemed inadvisable to deport. "(f) The Immigration Act should make it mandatory that the immigration authorities direct that the insane alien who is to be deported shall be accompanied to his final destination by a suitable attendant in each case in which it is certified, by a medical officer of the United States Public Health Service, or by the chief medical officer of the institution in which such alien has been under treatment, that the alien's condition requires special care and attendance. The expenses of the attendant both going and returning should be borne by the transportation company. "(g) Even if Decision No. 120' is annulled by the Federal authorities, Congress should enact a law providing that the testimony of competent alienists as to the mental condition of the alien be taken as sufficient authority for the issuance of a Federal warrant of deportation, if other conditions admit. 3. REPATRIATION OF ALIENS AT EXPENSE OF STATE OR FRIENDS AND WITH CONSENT OF ALIENS THEMSELVES "(a) The Immigration Act should provide that it shall be a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine, for any transportation company to refuse to sell tickets for or to receive on board, guard safely and return any insane alien who is or has been in an institution for the insane and who desires to be carried to the country of which he is a citizen; provided (1) that all the expenses of the return of such alien at customary rates, be borne by such alien, his friends or the authorities charged with his care; (2) that it be certified by the chief medical officer of such institution for the insane that such alien is in condition to travel with safety to others; (3) that it be certified by the same official that such alien is in condition to travel alone with safety to himself or is provided with a suitable attendant; and (4) that such alien is free from any quarantinable disease. 4. APPROPRIATIONS "Congress should make adequate appropriations to carry into. effect the foregoing recommendations for the exclusion and deportation of insane and mentally defective aliens and to that end should make provision for the requisite number of trained alienists and interpreters to conduct mental examinations at the various ports of entry; should supply all needed facilities, including sufficient quarters for detention for the purposes of observation of all immigrants whose right of entry is questioned; should furnish funds to reimburse the States for the cost of the care and maintenance of the deportable alien insane; and should supply special care and attendance for insane aliens who are being deported, whenever the necessity therefor is certified. "In view of the large sums of money received each year by the Federal government from the head tax on immigrants and having in mind the responsibilities which it has assumed in the admission and deportation of aliens, simple justice requires that the United States appropriate sufficient moneys each year to insure the adequate discharge of the duties and obligations arising therefrom. 5. THE PROPER METHOD OF RETURNING THE ALIEN INSANE TO THEIR HOMES "There should be a centralized and uniform system for returning the alien insane, operated by the Federal government, with such assistance as the State authorities can render. The present dual system by which we return these aliens-deportation by the United States under Federal law and repatriation by the several states under little apparent law but only by and with the consent of the aliens-is outworn and an anomaly. Over the admission of aliens the Federal government now exercises sole power. Logi cally and rightly therefore it alone should undertake the burden and duty of caring for or sending from this country such of them as become incapacitated by reason of insanity. A unified and adequate system is as necessary in the removal of aliens as in the examination of immigrants, the one being the corollary of the other. These are distinctly Federal functions and should be exercised by the general government for the benefit of all the states. The United States is clothed with authority to deal with foreign governments in matters pertaining to their respective subjects while the several states have no powers in the premises. The Federal government may control common carriers of immigrants; the states may not, unless perhaps to a limited degree. Two of the practical difficulties in the way of the adoption of this plan are: First. The freedom of the Federal government from the financial burden of the care and maintenance of the alien insane. So long as this continues it will feel little incentive to assist the states in removing the cause. Second. The large number of insane aliens now in our institutions who cannot be deported under Federal law and who can be returned only through repatriation. The Federal government should not be heard to say that the states must either repatriate or pay for the care and maintenance of insane aliens, citizens of none of the states, whom it will not deport. This is arbitrary and unjust. "The United States should assume the entire financial burden of the alien insane in public institutions at the present time and of those who may hereafter be admitted thereto. When this is done it will be wholly safe and advisable to entrust to the Federal government the entire discharge of the duty of returning the alien insane to the countries of which they are citizens." REPORT Of treasurER, STATE HOSPITALS, Submitted by S. LOUIS SCHNITZER, Treasurer For the maintenance of the hospitals during the fiscal year 1913-1914, an amount of $6,729,126.79 was expended, which is an increase of $177,708.92 over the preceding year. The expenditures for construction work and extraordinary repairs were $495,889.08, making a total cost of $7,225,015.87. The regular maintenance appropriation of $6,451,850 was supplemented by an additional appropriation of $275,000 to which were also added the miscellaneous refunds amounting to $5,064.93, making a total of $6,731,914.93. Of this sum an amount of $35,900 lapsed on account of reappropriations, leaving $6,696,014.93, to which should be added an unexpended balance of $29,090.00, making $6,725,104.93 available for the fiscal year 1913-1914. At the close of the fiscal year 1913-1914, the sum of $37,224.58 remained in the hands of the Treasurer, State Hospitals. |