The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-02
Deny That They We're Taken in
BuneheS to the Polls.
ABOUT THAT FILTHY SMOKTNG.ROOM.
The SghtleSS Ones Say That the Colonel
Once Tried to Make Them Vote
for Him.

the Adult Blind have united in publishing
a reply to statements recently made by
John P. Irish, who is one of the trustees
of that institution. The asylum was Wis
tied by Legislature committee and Irish
wrote long and rather peppery criticism
of its report. IRE reply was written by one
of the inmates on behalf of his companions.
He says:
''Mr. Irish is reported as saying to
the Legislature investigating commit
tee that members of the board used
to take the inmates out to the
saloons and send them home at all hours
of the night and on elections vote the
whole lot in a bunch, defeating on one oc-
casion a proposed tax levy for schools
which the best citizens were anxious to
have passed.
"Mr. Irish very well knows that at an in
vestigation made by the directory, over
which he presided, these charges against
the members referred to were proved to be
absolutely false.
with regard to the school-tax levy,
which he says was defeated by blind mems
votes, we challenge Mr.. Irish to show that
more than six inmates of the home voted
on the proposition at all, and that any one
of those who voted cast his vote against
the levy.
eve also challenge Mr.. Irish to produce
any person or persons who saw any mem
Der of the directory take blind men to
saloons or vote them in a bunch.
DOCS Mr.. Irish know that when he
was a candidate for Congress four
years ago an official of the home,
of Mr.. Irish, with other employees, attempted
by means bordering on intimidation to in
duce inmates of the home to vote for him
against their own political convictions?
tIn Mr.. Irish reference to the visit of the
Assembly committee he implied that it
lasted but little more than an hour and
he said that that was not sufficient time to
investigate the home. The fact is that the
committee was there three hours and a
half which certainly was ample time for
twelve men to inspect five small buildings,
investigate the affairs of the home and
collect sufficient evidence to condemn or
approve
Irish is the only room where the blind
men can assemble indoors, and is used
both as sitting and smoking room. 1t is a
large room with cold concrete floor, and
is heated by a small, dilapidated stove.
''Mr. Irish S article conveys the intimation
that the committee did not look further
than the smoke-room for information. This
every building including the workshops,
and inquired into every detail of the in
dustry, including prices of handles, corn,
tacks, etc. Mr.. Irish,s statements about
the smoke-room are misleading. The facts
are the 'smOke-room' had not been cleaned
for four weeks at the time the committee
saw it. and in addition to the collection of
filth mentioned by Mr.. Irish was the mud
carried in by the eighty or more mem
from the yard, in which it was nearly shoe
deep. Mr.. Irish says he is glad the COM
mittee found the smoke-room in a repulSive
condition, for they got an idea of caring
for these people
Docs Mr. Irish wish the public to infer
that the management allowed this filth to
collect for four weeks in order that he
might bedaub the inmates with the man
agement's own nastiness2 for certainly
those blind man could not clean out the
room themselves.
"a gain he says: This disorderly ele-
ment resent the rule prohibiting smoking
in the rooms and violate it when they
dare If Mr.. Irish would make personal
inquiry among the inmates themselves,
instead of quoting the misstatements of
the office, he would find that every inmate
heartily indorses the rule and have no de-
sire to have it abolished.
''The fruit Feelings and cores spoken of
by Mr.. Irish could not have increased the
HUI u lit SIlOh6-IOOIu very LOT III
the four weeks mentioned only two apples
and one small orange were issued to each
inmate and most of them were consumed
elsewhere, and not in the smoke-room.
''Mr. Irish stated that when committees
visit the institution they are always met
by the discontinued, idle and dissolute ele-
ment. The well-disposed major
ity, who violate no rules, and therefore
have no complaint against discipline, are
not in evidence
"This is another misstatement made by
Mr.. Irish to sustain an inefficient manage
ment. The facts are to the contrary, for it
was the industrious and intelligent ele-
ment whom the committee sought out and
interviewed last Saturday.
Mr.. Irish closed by saying: Il make
these statements not only in vindication of
the truth but in behalf of the majority of
the inmates, to whom the institution has
been an Incompatible blessing
" In vindication of the truth we invite
all fair-minded persons to investigate, and
they will find that the statements made by
us can be verified. Mr.. Irish said he made
his assertions in behalf of the majority of
the inmates but when these words were
read in the presence of the eighty blind
men the question was put, Does Mr. Irish
voice the sentiment Of majority of the
inmates p and was answered by unani-
nous No.