The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-19
PRESIDENT MASON OF TRUSTEES
OF bIINNEsoTA- HOSPITALS
WRITES TO CLOUGH.
REPLY TO SENATOR WYMAN.
BRIEFLY DENIES THE CHARGE OF
EXTRAVAGANCE In THE INSANE
HOSPITALS.
SARCASM RATHER THAN FIGURES
Thinks the Boards Position All
Right In Declaring That the APP
preparation Is Shy.

Gov. C1ough received reply
from President J. w. Mason, Of the
board of trustees of the Minnesota
hospitals, to the letter sent his excel
lency by Senator Wyman, Of Hennepin
county, dated May 13, in which the
senator criticises the board for its al
legged extravaganza. In the reply Mr..
Mason makes several sarcastic allu-
sions to the member Of the legislature,
intimating that he might have been
annoyed during the session by repeated
applications for money from the va
rious boards. but that he should have
considered himself the guardian Of
them all and not as the especial guar
dian Of the state university. Continu-
ing, the reply is in substance as fol
lows:
If the senator's assumption is right, that
there will be no increase in the number
of insane within the next two years, then
he granted money enough to the hospitals
for current expense and this inquiry naturally
presents itself: If the number is not to
increase, and the board has been extravagant
in the past why did Senator Wyman grant
an appropriation for the full number, based
upon the per capita cost of previous years?
The board, In it's letter to your excellency,
May 6, said cat conference held between
the governor, Senator Wynan, the chairman
OF the subcommittee on appropriations, two
senator's and the president of this board,
shortly before the legislature adjourned, the
matter was again brought up, at which time
1t was stated that no provision had been
made for the increased population, when the
chairman Of the subcommittee (Mr. Wyman)
stated that ample provision had been made
and that so far as current expense was con-
cerned, the committee had granted just the
amount asked for by the board"
IL 14%tN 4hl-
statement. Now If that statement be true
and your excellency knows whether it be or
not-then 1t looks very much as though
Senator Wyman al .S was deaberately attempting ate
There was an excellent opportunity for the
senator to have read the board a lecture
on economy, and to have stated that he in
tended to enforce it by cutting the appropria-
tion asked, $4,000, instead of saying he
had granted all that was asked. This he did
not do. but reserved for future and more
public occasion to pose as a champion OF
in favor of the state university.
It take it that every senator, Senator Wy
man included, favored the building of fourth
location and that this disagreement was
what defeated the establishment of such
hospital. Now. If the insane are not going
to increase in the next two years and if not
ator Wyman, with his views Of economy
have favored a fourth hospital at all?
Senator Wyman, when he charges extrava-
gance against the hospital board, Is simply
misinformed and being misinformed, should
not have made the charge. 1t looks like an
attempt at playing to the galleries" which
I am sure Senator Wyman would not do
Secretary Hart has heretofore criticised the
board for too close economy, and 1 submit that
he is in position to know what he is talk
ing about. Sometimes it Is said that an am
merge the statesman in the politician. I do
not wish to intimate that this applies to
Senator Wyman. s1-'t2
The board wrote its letter to your excel
lency simply to inform the governor and the
state Of certain deficit in the current ex-
pense fund of the hospitals, sure to result
within the present biennial period. We
deemed 1t wiser to adopt such course than
to wait till the funds were exhausted and
then state it for the first time Time will
show whether Senator Wyman or the board
is right. Respectfully, j. w. Mason,
President Board of Trustees Minnesota Hos
niIalS.