Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1899-12-26
Question as to Man to Take Larra-
bees Position.
HIS TERN WILL EXPIRE SOON
Place on BOARD OF Control Will be
Vacant and an Appointment Must
be Made Before the Legis.
lature Adjourns.

Les MOlheS, Lee. 26-AmOug the peO~
pie interested in the board of control
and Its operations there is at present
good deal of quiet talk about the ap-
pointment to the board, which must be
made by Governor Shaw before the adj
journment Of the coming session of the
Legislature. The board was established
two years ago and the three men who
now compose it were only appointed
after long consideration and many COM
ferences between the governor and the
members of the senate. The law pro-
vides that the members of the board
shall be recommended by the governor
and confirmed by the senate. Two
years ago it was freely given out by
the senators who had taken the lead
in passing the board OF control bill,
that they would oppose the confirms
ton Of men against whom objections
could be made.
DR.. Frank G. Hoyt, superintendent
of the Mt. Pleasant ASYLUM. is more
talked of at present for the position
than any other man. He is republi-
can, which is the first qualification.
The law provides that the board shall
be non-partisan, which is construed TO
mean that the majority party shall
not have more than two OF the three
members. Judge L. G.. Kline is the
present democratic member, and his
term will continue two years from
next April. Governor Larrabee, pres-
ent chairman of the board, is the mem-
Der who will retire at this time. He
has announced THAI he will not under
any circumstances take another ap-
pointment. Some of his friends, how
ever, have expressed the belief that he
might yet be induced to continue in
the service, if il were shown desirable
in order to make the board an entire
success. DR.. Hoyt is an experienced
man, and this is urged in his favor by
those who want him appointed. On
the other hand this same reason is
given by some others against his APP
| with the other superintendent, he was
Iopposed to the board of control idea
from its incipiency, and that even il
he has since been converted, presume
ably, to it, he would not be 30 strong
a friend of the system as another man
might be. DR.. Hoyt is. also credited
with being something of a politician.
He is an excellent discip1iuarian, but
some institution people have assumed
to criticise his business methods.
l N10o0TV0y 4U0 FUNK Also DlUCuD00Qst
| A. F. Meserrey, OF Fort Dodge, is an
other man whose name has occasional
| " been used in connection with the!
appointment. Mr.. Meservey has been
a member of the legislature and has a
| wide acquaintance among the state
politicians. as well as strong backing
at home, where he is on excellent
terms with the dominant powers of
Webster county politics.
| Another man whose name has been
suggested is Senator A. B. Funk, Of
Spirit Lake. Senator Funk, it is stat
ed, has not authorized the use OF, his
name in such connection, and his
friends admit that they do not believe
he would, accept the appointment. He
was chairman of the senate ways and
means committee, which reported the
board of control bill two years ago,
and no man could be found whose
\ friendship to the board could be less
questioned. It is thought probable
however, that Governor Shaw would
be indisposed to name him unless un-
der strong pressure, the personal and
| political relations of the two men not
having been such as to assure the
highest appreciation, on the governors
part, of Senator Funk's fitness.