The sterilization bill passed the Senate last week by a vote of 21 to 7, the overwhelming majority indicating the general feeling which has been developing that something must be done to control the increase of mental defectives in Vermont, both for the sake of improving the population generally and in order to control the rapidly mounting cost of the department of public welfare.

A study of the cost of maintaining the various state institutions shows that this cost has steadily mounted in recent years and promises to continue to climb. For instance the cost of operating the State School for Feeble Minded at Brandon was approximately $66,000 for the year ending June, 1926. The expense of this institution for the year ending June 30, 1930, was just under $90,000, and that is the sum recommended by Governor Wilson for this state institution for each year of the coming biennium. This is an increase of $24,000 in four years.

In addition to this, colonies have been established in connections with the State school at Brandon. These colonies cost the State $7,288 for the year ending June 30, 1926, and $13,289 for the year ending June 30, 1930. An appropriation of $15,000 for each year of the coming biennium has been recommended by the Governor.

The cost of operating the State hospital for the insane was $275,491 for the year ending June 30, 1926 and $291,031.70 for the year ending June 30, 1930, while the recommendation for each year of the coming biennium is $300,000. Meanwhile, many thousands of dollars have been spent on additions and improvements to these institutions.It is now costing nearly one million dollars a year for the public welfare department of Vermont.

During the year ending June 30, 1930, the general expenses of the public welfare department cost just under $85,000; the State Hospital for the Insane, $291,000; the Industrial School, $134,000; the State Prison and House of Correction, $160,773; the women's reformatory; $30,984; the Brandon State School, $89,912; the Brandon colonies, $13,269.

During the past biennium, the State appropriated $75,000 for a new dormitory at the Brandon State School; $7,500 to maintain the dormitory, $70,000 for an addition to the sanatorium at Pittsford. Governor Wilson has recommended the appropriation of the last Legislature; and $125,000 for a new building at the Hospital for the Insane at Waterbury, which institution is now badly crowded.

It is probable that all of these conditions to plant and equipment of State institutions are needed, and that more are going to be needed during the next few years. The question arises whether we are going to continue trying to keep up with the increase in mental defectives by adding more buildings and appropriating more money to operate them, as we have been doing, or adopt the new policy of confining only the more dangerous cases and allowing others their liberty after sterilization to guard against reproduction of their kind, where it is definitely determined their troubles are hereditary.

The Senate has already answered this question, in the passage of the voluntary sterilization law. In answering it, they endorsed the opinion of Governor Wilson, who said in his inaugural message:

"In this connection I call your attention to the fact that the number of our insane and feeble‐minded is constantly increasing with a corresponding increase in burden cast upon the communities and the State. We are doing our duty about the care of these unfortunates, but practically nothing to prevent a further increase in their number. Medical science points out one definite course which has been successfully followed in other states.

I believe it is folly to keep erecting more buildings for our feeble‐minded and insane and yet disregard ordinary business and social precautions. The Supervisors of the Insane in their biennial report recommend the enactment of a properly safe‐guarded sterilization law. You will do well to give this matter serious consideration."

Governor Wilson might well have added that it is in most cases a kindness to these unfortunate people to guard them against the danger of bearing children and the to release them where they are otherwise harmless, rather than to keep them in confinement all their lives.