New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-07
THE STATE HOSPITALS.


rho core of the insane is Il public question
that oncht 10 be kept out OF poiltlcS. 'hioi'"
r,,ol,. in this State there is now sharp coh'i"
,,or.., between the Democratic STATE 'oihr'
sop in Lunacy and eight boards Oh 'ruS''''
- ;n..,,o ,svluns. Governor Flower IN his APP
,,,,t. 10 these boards of trustees mas
,,roro1 his own party until each of the eight
os.,ums * now controlled by Dehocra'c MA
iortv although there are influential hep"o
ucons connected with them. such rs Sei''oi
o,ronnor ID H. Mcmillan. John |. I'latt III"
william + Proctor The State Commission ih
rur,cv EXERCISES the power of cutting down 'h'
,,rttl, ostimotes of EXPENSES submitted by INC
,,,p,yors of the eight State hospitals. 1h'Se
no,,,norotic boorfs are in conflict over the re-
tontion Of this privilege. and it is not linprop-
able that the Republican Legislature h's Nv
drawn into the controversy ana posSipi! ii'''
aptagonism with Governor Flower
What some of the boards of trustees WIFI
thoir Democratic ma joritcs would Tx" 10 nave
th,. Rcpublican Legislature do Is to reiuSe l"
appropratc S1.3OO,OO0 needed for the lh;'ln'''
nance Of the hospitals unless the STATE 'o'i'-
mission Of IIinacy shall be deprived of its pres
cnt authority 10 reduce the expenses Oh 'iie III
stitutions If it were merely n matter Oh poii-
ties the Republicans could well AFFORD I" S'''i''
bv and watch disintcrcstediy this quarrei pe-
tween Democratic boards and Governor Flow
cr's efforts to keep the peace between 'heiii'
Rut Il is more than Il fractional controversy
among political partisans. 1t is II question OF
,iso administration of the institutions where
s. 700 of the States unfortunate insane waruS
a
result that Governor Flower should have
brought the hospitals into politics by his par
tisan appointments. II will be equally lah'h-
table if the Republican Legislature is misled
into dealing with this matter rs in any sense
a political question.
Tho boards of trustees are making Il vigorous
attack upon the report Of the State commas
sion in Iunacy. They have much criticism 10
offer and some of their structures seem Wen
founded Bat II would be- an unfortunate lhis-
take if the Legislature were to he induced d!
their arguments to deprive the state commas
sion OF tho power of reducing the estimates
If the State appropriatcs SO large sum as
ST 200 900 for the annual maintenance OF eight
hospttaIs il ought TO provide some means or
Supervising and regulating the expenditures.
Tho State Commission now exercises this fulc-
tion under limitations which render the boards
of trustees srlfgoycrning bodies Its power
ends with an examination Of the monthly eStl-
mates and approval or disapproval OF the prices
maid AT rs suggestion the hospital supcrin-
tendcnts have named Il Committee OF supplies
which can advertise for proposals for coal,
flour. etc. for the eight institutions. This u
one Of the practical reforms In business man
agcnent recommended by the Commission.
Economical management will be promoted III
many ways by the present system OF hhahcmi
supervision. The Commission may nave been
unduly Jealous In its work and it may nave
done some foolish things; but the RepuDlican
Legislature in It's effort To secure low tax rate
for the coming year can hardly afford TO Abolish
a salutarv system Of checks upon the hnahclal
management Of these eight hospitals.