The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-24
THE INSANE ASYLUM CONTRACTS.

We are favored with a letter from DR..
Thomas III. Harrison, president Of the State
Benevolent Boards, with respect to recent
structures upon the contracts for supplies and
others matters Of administration under the
management Of the trustees Of the Hospital
for the Insane The letter was accompanied
with curt note, to the effect that if the
Journal would not publish the reply the au-
thor wanted the manuscript returned. The
Doctor evidently does not understand what
| belongs to good manners, any more than he
does what belongs to faithful and intelligent
service as public official. We gladly print
his 'reply," because its tone and temper show
the Doctor to be unfit for his position as a
public servant quite as decisively as do his
fact that DR.. Harrson's presidency of the Be-
nevolent Boards has been scandalously unsat
isfactory. He is primarily responsible for
| that. The records of the Deaf and
Dumb Asylum, for one institution at
least, themselves show how he has
prostituted the Office, one of his Democratic
colleagues being forced to put protest on the
! journal as matter of self-respect and pro-
lection. AS to the Insane Asylum matters we
have to say, that the question of the repairs of
the chapel and boiler-house can be readily
settled by personal inspection, and it may be
repeated that the buildings are not repaired,
despite the evasive attempt Of DR.. Harrison
to create different impression. AS to the
water supply, it makes no earthly difference
what has been done or not done by former
arrangements; the point at issue is what has
been done by the present management, after
all that has been said respecting faulty sup
ply at the asylum, and the ever-present
danger Of such horrors in Indiana as have
shocked humanity in Illinois, and Pennsylva-
MIA, and elsewhere. Never mind your choleric
sneers and ungrammatical arraignment of form
er arrangements, DR.. Harrison; the people of
Indiana are interested only i'll knowing
whether you have taken any steps to supply
4
fectly know, and to supply which their Legis-
lature voted what was believed to be ample
means. Your board is not liable to be
charged with "undue haste" when it is known
that fully two months have elapsed and not
step has yet been taken toward supplying the
most absolute and imperative demand. If the
|
public official to use what the State has given
you to the best possible advantage, and to use
it at once; certainly to begin to make prepa-
rations to use it, for which it will be con-
coded that sixty days is ample time. If you
cannot begin to get ready to do anything in
two months, about how long would it take
you to finish the work?
AS to the butter bids, it may do to say
that Mr. Arthur Jordan's word is as good
in this community as Mr.. Sulivans, and
that the public will believe that he is quite
as proper man to supply the asylum with
butter as DR.. Harrison's pet contractor,
especially after the investigation into Sulli-
vans butter that was made under the Fish
back administration. Dr. Harrison's asser-
tons about ten-cent country butter being fit
only for the slop-tub are merely gratuitous,
and are ridiculous in view of the fact that
Mr.. Jordan is supplying such butter at that
price during this month for the Blind Asylum,
while other butter dealers say they would be
glad to get rid of their country butter at even
less than ten cents. Does Dr. Harrison mean
to say that the Blind Asylum is using butter
fit only for the slop tubg In his eagerness to
defend the letting Of contract at higher
than market rates, for the apparent benefit Of
pet DR.. Harrison digs pit for himself, into
which he falls with no becoming grace. AS to
the pigs particularly the 200 lately bought of
Mr.. Franklin Lauders, the statement scted
to was made upon what was believed perfectly
reliable authority. Wherein the Journal was
misnformed appears in our city columns, to-
gether with other facts to which the attention
of DR.. Harrison and the public is respectfully
called
Dr. Harrison need not be troubled about the
Journal desiring to tell the truth That is
our aim and purpose; and if in anything the
truth is not told, we shall be glad and willing
to make prompt correction But it is too late
for DIR. Harrison to squirm under criticism for
his notorious mismanagement of the State in
stitutions over which he presides, so far as he
can affect or control the administration.
From the time he assumed Office until now.
whenever and wherever his fingers have
touched the conduct Of the hospitals, blight
has followed. 1t may be natural incompe-
fence rather than oblauity induced by over.