Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-24
ABOUT ANNUAL REPORT
Question at Issue Between Commissioners
and Freedmen's Hospital.
Chairman of Board of Visitors Holds
No Report From the IBstftu-
tiOn is Required.

The District Commissioners are consider
ing whether the law requires an annual re-
port of the operations of Freedmen's Hos
ptal to be made to them. The question
was raised by Mr.. Herbert w. Lewis. the
District superintendent of charities Sew
eral days ago Mr.. Lewis wrote Mr.. George
w. Evans. chairman of the board OF Wis
itors to the hospital. inviting his attention
TO the act of Congress of March . 1889,
which refers to reports to be made to the
Commissioners by those in charge of mu-
nicipal charitable institutions, and stating
that no report has been received of the OPP
erations of the Freedmen's Hospital for the
fiscal year ended June 80 1899.
In reply, Mr.. Evans stated that upon an
examination Of the act in question he found
that no mention is made therein, nor 40
appropriation made thereafter, for the
freedmen's Hospital; and, that institu-
ton, by act of Congress, is placed under he
direct administration of the Secretary of
the Interior. he expresses the opinion that
no report of the affairs of the same is re-
quired to be submitted to the District Com
mlssioners, such report being made an
nually under the requirements of law, to
the Secretary Of the Interior.
Reply of Mr.. Lewis.
Answering this reply of Mr. Evans, Mr.
Lewis wrote him as follows:
The act of March ., 1889, referred to-
provides that hereafter the several insti-
tutions included under the head of asylums
reformatories, industrial schools and chart
ties named in this act. and in former and
succeeding appropriation acts for the sun
port of the District of Columbia shall re-
port to the Commissioners of the District
on or before the 1st day of October of ach
year. tuIl and detailed account of receipts
and expenditures, and all their operations
This act being subsequent to the acts by
winch Freedmens Hospital was placed I'M
der the administrative supervision of the
secretary of the Interior as Stat, 22S) and
In conflict with it, must be obeyed in pref
erence to it to the extent of the conflict
The only escape from the provisions of
the act of March 2. 1889, will be found in
the claim that Freadmen's Hospital and
Asylum is neither an asylum nor a charity
or that 1t is not named in this act nor in
former nor succeeding appropriation acts
Tor the support of the District of Column
bia. Both of these claims are negatiyed
by the fact that annually since 1893 Freed
mems Hospital has been provided for in
the act making appropria tons for the ex-
penses or the government of the District
OF Columbia, and the further fact that
never until now has the position which YOU
take been assumed, but reports of the work
of the hospital have been made to the Com
missioners and by them transmitted to the
Congress.
IF l am in error in this matter 1 shall
be very glad to be corrected"
Mr.. Evans Rejoinder.
Replying to this letter of Mr.. Lewis, Mr.
Evans wrote:
L have to again state that the act of
March 2, 1889, to which you refer, does not,
in my opinion, include the Freedmen's Hos
pital, which is strictly a government hos
pital, supported entirely by appropriations
made by Congress, and is neither an asy-
lu1n, reformatOry, industrial or charitable
institution. | might also remark that this
act to which you refer has no bearing
N Jars on he, .1,,,ft
the hospital.
The act of June %, 1874 as Stat. CHI.
4i'5), transferred the supervision and con-
troll of the administration of the Freed
men Hospital to the Secretary of the In
terror, and as the provisions of this act
have never been repealed the Secretary of
the Interior continues to exercise the adj
illustrative management of the affairs of
the said hospital.
The act of March 3. 1893, transferred
the supervision and control of expenditures
only of this hospital to the Commissioners
Of the District of Columbia; therefore
fulI and detailed account of receipts and
expenditures of the appropria lions made
for this hospital can only be obtained by
you from the records of disbursements
made on account Of this hospital by the
District government.
In answer to your last remark that the
reports of the work of the hospital have
been made to the Commissioners annually
since 1893, and by them transmitted to the
Congress, l have to state that such action
by the surgeon in chief has been a mere
act of courtesy, in sending to the Commits
sioners a duplicate copy of his annual re-
port to the Secretary of the Interior. He
was not required. however, by any provi-
sion of law to submit any such report
Boards Duties.
I'm conclusion 1 beg leave to state that
the duties Of the board Of visitors in con-
nection with this hospital merely of a
supervisory character concerning the adj
ministration of its affairs. We have no au-
thority to direct that report be furnished
you, nor is it within our power to submit
any such report even If we were disposed
to do So The matter is entirely within the
discretion of the Secretary of the Interior
to whom you are respectfully referred for
any further information on this subject"
Mr.. Lewis, upon the receipt of Mr..
Evans second communica ton. laid the