Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1883-12-09
-ruE STATES DISGRACE.

e L
Under this head the Reno Gazette
reviews the acts of the Asylum
Commissioners. It reflects the sen
sible views of every man who has
given the subject any considerations:
Whatever result may be reached
in the examination of the asylum
management; the present State
Government must answer to the
people for the humiliating fact that
q great public trust has been prostl
tuted to personal uses. The people
of this State, regardless OF party,
have discovered that it was Q mis-
take to suppose that scheming and
tricky fourth-rate men, when ele-
waited to positions Of trust and hon
or by the uncertain methods OF pei
tics, could forget their former hab-
it's and associations. A public office
brings to such men no responsible
ty of duty, save that of advancing
their personal or paaty interests; no
idea of public trust associates itself
with public position in minds OF
this character. An Office is but the
patrimony of the successful maD'p-
ulator, and once attained, public
duty is lost sight Of in the race for
personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. When
the Legislature created Board OF
Commissioners for the Insane, it
was not deemed possible that the
Office of Superintendent Of the Asy-
lum could be made the subj act OF
barter and sale. It was not deemed
possible that any self-respecting
physician would in party conven-
ton and the lobby Of the Legisia-
ture lend his vote and influence to
advance the interests of one from
whom in return he expected and
exacted a vote in the Board Of Com
missioners. nor was it expected that
any man who could be elected Lieu
tenant Governor of the State, would.
on his part, prostitute his position
to reward his follower and sup
porter at the expense Of the State.
It is idle to review the action
of the Board of Commissioners.
With the exception of two members
each has shown himself to be ut
tsrly incompetent, and unfaithful
to the trust confded to him. Each
has imported into its administration
the elements Of favoriteism and re-
wards for personal, not public, SER
vice. Witness the disgraceful spec
tacle Of four public officers, with
deliberation and generalization. di-
viding the official spoils of an in
sane asylum. The supporters Of
Laughton and the blood-relation OF
certain politicians, is to be put in
place, and to accomplish this end,
the friend and follower Of Adams
must be associated with him. And
to clean up and round-off the IN
savory job, member Of the Legis-
lature who rode with the Lieuten-
ant Governor in his bushwhacking
raid on the State Treasury, is also
brought into camp. What sort of
huckstering is this? Are the Offices
Of the public to be bartered from
hand to hand like stale fish in the
market? Will the people Of the
State permit the unfortunates COM
mitted to their care By Almighty
God, to be taken from the protec-
ton Of science, and handed over to
the ignorance Of politics?
We are weary and sick Of the
whole business-wesry Of charges
and counter charges-sick at heart
for the wards Of the State, over
whose heads the warning politicians
are giving battle. Unless we greatly
mistake the temper Of the people,
the next Legislature will be re-
quired to find a remedy for the evils
of the present system of governing
the asylum. The Board of Com,
missioners is a nuisance and should
be abolished as a purely politiea
and mischievous institution. Let {
gentleman be selected by the Leg
islature for his professional ano
scientific attainments, to take
charge of the asylum. and to hold
Office during good behavior.