Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-02-15
CAN'T FIND FLAWS.
Tanners Unwarranted Criti-
cism of Hospital Trustees.
E0r SUSTAINED BY TIE RECORDS.

Seeking Excuse for the Removal OF Con :
missioners. He Jumps 1t Conclusions-
Unfaisness Stamped ON his Course 1T tt Q
Outset-Pointed Denials.
Gov. Tanner is bound to make
way for machine appointees in all
Offices in connection with the control
Of state institutions, and to do this
charges are to be trumped up against
present incumbents, even where re-
publicans are in Office. In the Chi
cago Tribune OF Saturday appeared
special dispatch from Springfield
in which it was stated that the gov
ernor contemplatcs sweeping
change in the trusteeships ofvarious
institutions through the state, that of
the Pontiac reformatory alone ex-
cepted. .'He has," it is said, "the
utmost confidence in the three trus-
tees OF that institution. and has been
in consultation with them for a DAY,
or two regarding the proposed
| changes. He will, within few days
remove nearly sill these trustees who
have not lready sent in their res
ignations. He holds that many of
them have been derelict in their du-
ties, and he proposes to apply the
ak. He will IN q short time remove
all the trustees of the insane asylum
in process of erection at Rock Island
He finds on investigation that these
trustees have not only used up all
the money appropriated by the gen
eral assembly at it's last session for
| building the institution, but have in
Cured Indebtedness aggregating
about $50, 900, which is in the shape
Of unpaid bills in the hands OF ma
terlal men and contractors. He will
also remove the trustees OF the in
sane asylum in process of erection at
Peoria for similar reasons. Gov.
Tanner is also going to prod the
treasurer of the Champaign univer-
sity. 1t is true that the governor
has no jurisdiction over this board
because its members are elective ~
The dispatch goes on to explain how
he proposes to reach the university
trustees situation through the re-
publican state central committee,
ETC.. and that this week he will o.
point as many as possible of the trus-
tees of the various institutions,
and thinks he can get nearly ali oil
these off his hands before he goes to
Washington to the inauguration.
Fact. Do No. SustAin Him.
Ii the facts in all cases do not bear
the governor out more strongly in
his criticism of the various state in
situations than they do as far as the
Rock Island hospital is concerned
and which he makes special reference
to--he is hard up for material on which
to base his grounds for his proposed
action against the various trustees
Replying to the charge of extrava-
gance, President I. j. Medill, of the
hospital commission, stated to an
ARGUS representative Saturday even
ing: "Our original appropriation
was 100000. OF this there has been
drawn out Of the state treasury and
paid to contractors $57,111.36, and
there have been issued requisites on
the auditor OF pubic accounts. ac-
companied by certificates of the
board Of state commissioners of pull
tic CHI arities, approved by Gov. Alt
geld. for SIC S99.s0 These we have
turn ID over to contrac orr, and pay
able VIXEN money is available in the
state treasury. This makes a total
paid contractors OF $74. OlO. 66, leav-
ing balance of the appropriation OF
s25' $50 "a The aggregate of con.
tracts was S94. 627 40"
| According to a dispatch of the
Chicago Times Herald Of yesterday
from Galesburg, Trustee W. Sheldon
Gale was astonished when he read Of
what Gov. Tanner had said. The
dispatch says: "Mr. Gale, who is q
republican, and who is regarded az
one of the ablest public men in thi:
part Of the state. Denies the charge
and says that OF the 100000 appro
priated only $4,000 has been ex.
Ipended. The trustees have handled
no money, he says. but have made
out statements of claims and sub