New-York tribune., 1899-04-06
nur ,rvacy coMMISsIoNERsHIP.

TIE LTNACT COMhiHHio'H
r,,.orror Roosevelt's nomination OF H'a'c
cor,missjoner in Lunacy involves TWO uiS',nO
,,,ostions One Is the proprety OF superseoine
Commissioner Brown. The other is 'he h'"os
eor tho n,ace of the man chosen to be his SUI
a,ssor To Justify search for successor "'
ne & necessary TO discover some goou rea00n
Cor tho retirement of Mr. Brown Wlhou' 'u
rooson all the rules of the Clvil oer''
forner all the dictates Of far pay i'uu'
lie continuation in an office where ne nan "'
copsnicuously good service ana maue vi VI.
oontic exneriment of State care great auii'i'
tro.,,o success and an unspeakable plessihs ~
A. ;rsono unfortunates The strongest CONSUL
orotions not of private liking but or puoIic HI
+a.oet wore urged upon the Governor py experts
T., +ho core of the insane. Some OF MT. bro"h
most earnest supporters paid him the remarka-
Mo trihute of recommending him as the n'.es'
mon IN the State for the Office, in spite OF wha'
,o;ob+ almost be called their personal dlsiihe'
Gov q &c No secret that Mr.. Brown Is not man
80 nonu,oritv. and holds mems respect ra'her
,hop their enthusiasm. Under such clrcuin-
s,orces weightv reasons must have led a reform
C,orernor TO change his known intention ana
suddenly refuse to reappont this e1cenent pun
lie servant oa
Tho mystery of this refusal is not remover
-, t,,o ostonsible reasons for it. 1t is said that
Nv Brown spent money TOO lavishly He only
enont what n Republican Legislature Governor
ond Controller allowed. The Lunacy CominiS-
sion took charge of a number OF county hospi'
falls which had long been msmanaged ana neg
looted and II has been necessary TO spcnd iarse
SIMS TO put them in decent order Inc Ooiii-
n,issioners who had the courage TO face TINS
emergency deserve praise rather than Dlailie'
Vet in five years the per capita cost or the nos
,;.o,e bos bcon reduced from 5000 to S1S5. and
commissioner Brown has been most insistent IN
enforcing business methods ana ecohomlcai
management upon superlnendents OF hospl'ais'
II economy is desired why are not appropria-
t;ons cut down? Yet this years bill contains
the usual S5OOOO00 for the insane.
Another reason for Mr. Browns retirement Is
ox.Controller Roberts's complaint OF the Coh-
missioner's expenditures. But Mr.. Roberts i'll
December last wrote long and enthusiastic
letter 10 Governor Roosevelt asking him to re-
tain Mr. Brown. Another allegation is that Mr..
Brown favored the appointment OF attorneys
for the State hospitals. He denies that he IN
vented the scheme or did more than say that II
the Republican Legislature was bent on Great
ing those Offices he would do his best TO get
from then needed legal services that the AttOr-
nevCeneraIs office seemed unable TO give. Per
hans Mr. Brown did find II necessary to consent
to this bit of patronage grabbing by the Repub-
llcans as the price of necessary appropriations
for department whose leading spirit was
Democrat If so, is it for Republicans now to
blame the helpless Democrat for being held
up"? Did the Republican members, Mr.. Park
hurst and DR.. Wise make any opposition? or
has the Republican Legislature abolished those
attorneyships this year? On the contrary. it
has firmly fixed the appropriation for them so
that 1t cannot he vetoed. 1t i'll becomes Repub-
licans to make this scandal. Of Republican ori-
Gin and Republican execution. the excuse for
displacing a Democrat whose office is desired
for friend and neighbor of Mr.. Odell.
The fact that Mr. Odells friend has the nomi-
nation adds peculiar significance to Mr.. Browns
own explanation Of his displacement:
The real reason for my retirement is my
fusal to obey Odells orders to discharge the sec
retary Of the Commission, Mr.. McGarr. and ap-
point a machine man in his place. received an
intimation some time ago that X l would vote
for Mr. McGarr's discharge Odell would Jet up
on his fight against me, but / refused. This is
the first time that politics has been introduced In
this Commission and politics is entirely respon-
sible for my retirement
That at least can be understood. 1t is not
80 lame as the other excuses. 1t fits in with our
surmise of yesterday that the Governor felt
obliged to keep on reasonable terms with the
organization for great public ends and the ne
cessity Of concilating the organization may cx-
plain Governor Roosevelts change Of mind on
this subject within the last week 1t was before
him.
As to Mr. Van AIMEE, his confirmation would
forever close the mouth Of the Republican party
on the greatest moral issue it has had In this
State for many years. Mr.. Van AIMEE has pub
lished card saying he nominated Judge May
nard ito testify 10 his personal worth. While
deeply regretted the incident which aroused
.such fierce discussion, felt that the duty Of a
friend was to stand by friend when he was
sin trouble-not when everything was smooth
Sailing We honor Mr. Van AIMEE for stand
ing by his friend But 1t is one thing to stand