The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-06-05
THE ASYLUM CRITICISM.

The attention of the people of Nevada
has been directed to the controversy
now going on between the Reno Gazette
and Or. Bergstein, Superintendent of
the Asylum.
The law requires biennial report from
the Superintendent of the asylum, and
in compliance with that law DIR. Berg
stein made snch report, and it was
printed at the State Printing Office and
circulated among the public.
The Reno Gazette after examining the
report called attention to matters con-
tanned therein, which it believed should
be explained more fully to the tax
payers, and was in turn accused Of
suffering from political prejudices."
To this charge the Gazettu's reply, in
part, is
"As we have said once before, If the
report is right, then there is something
radically wrong in the management of
the asylum, for which the Superintend-
ent or the Board of Commissioners
should be held to strict account. The
report says contract was let for build
ing an annex, and Mr.. Ryland, the con-
tractor, says he completed it, ready for
occupancy, for $10,22S, with the excep-
ton Of window guards, which we're sub
sequently provided at an expense OF
something like 800. 1t was not 'Ioliti-
cal prejudices' which called attention to
that, for the report contains that in
formation.
ut was not political prejudice that
makes us wonder where 1915 worth of
hardware went; what was doBe with
$l85 worth OF paints and oils; why 1854
was charged for lumber and S276 worth
OF "miscellanies, for building that
was let by contract and accepted as
finished, ready for occupancy.
''It was not political prejudice that
made US wonder why it took 1923 worth
of blankets to furnish eighteen beds.
The report says that 1879 20 was spent
for chairs to furnish the annex, when
everybody knows that 5000 would huy
every chair in every ward in the asylum,
and there would be money left.
1.-THE report also speaks OF 235 beef
hides sold for $237 s5, about II each.
when butchers say that at no time dur
ing the past two years have hides sold
for less than from 50 to 50 so each"
The latest development, as claimed by
the Gazette, is that the Superintendent
OF the institution criticized, coerced
merchants of Reno to withdraw their
advertisements, going to such merchants
as received patronage from the asylum.
The columns of the Gazette or any
other newspaper in the State are open
the people are waiting to hear from him.
If he cannot make them he had better
resign, as otherwise the reflections go
from him to the Board of Asylum Com
missioners. That servant OF the peo-
pie should have the arrogance to go
abuse his official position as to make it
leverage to cause merchants TO Withdraw
patronage from newspaper which in
full justice to the people criticized the
anasement of public institution, is
amazing, to say the least Private spite
to be avenged and public trust to be
fulfilled cannot exist together to be con-
ducive to the best interests Of the peo-
Pile, and il the Superintendent of the
Asylum cannot rid himself of the spite
the people will rid the Office of him. A
manly explanation to the criticism OF
the Gazette was and is the proper thing,
and is better late than never.
The Gazette endeavored to do its duty
to the people, and to punish it for that
endeavor is an insult to the people and
a contemplate action on the part of the
instigator.
The present management has plenty
OF friends and if those friends are to be
retained explanations must be made.
If those explanations are satisfactory
to the public and show predjudice on
the part of the Gazette the standing OF
that paper will be impaired. The stu
alton at present is that the Gazette
courts in vestigation and the Superinten-
dent OF the Asylum answers not.