Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-07-20
The Southeast Asylum.

Rev. Rucker of Pennington recently
addressed a letter to State Auditor
Seibert asking him to use his influence
with Governor Stephens to have Judge
w. r. Taylor of st. Francois county
appointed on the commission to locate
the Southeast insane asylum. Follow
ing is Mr.. Seibert's reply:
My DEAR FRIEND:-Replyingt to your
favor of the Path ult. | beg to advise
that it will afford me great pleasure to
state to Governor Stephens what
know concerning the character and
standing of Judge w. r. Taylor of
your county. l know Judge Taylor to
be a man of excellent judgment, splen-
did moral character, remarkable abil-
ity and unquestioned integrity. 1t is
due to him that | should say that
much to Governor Stephens.
So far as the make up of the COM
mission to locate the Southeast asylum
is concerned there are a number OF
applicants from our section of the
State, all of them good and true men.
had talk with the Governor some
days ago upon this subject and while
he did not say definitely what be
| would do he led me to believe that
possibly he might appoint the COM
mission from outside the territory
| prescribed in the bill in which the in
stitution is to be located. He express
ed himself as being anxious to make
up the commission in such way as to
| relieve him from suspicion and criti-
| cism that he had shown partiality to
any place contesting for the asylum.
He argued that in nearly every county
| competing for the location there was
one or more applicants to be appoint
ed on the commission to locate the
asylum and that if he were to appoint
a commission from one of the counties
asking the location and failed to ap-
point on the commission those apply
ing from other counties that he would
be charged with discriminating agains,
some one or more of the places CON-
petiDg. He said, too, that there were
only five men to be appointed on the
commission and that there were some
seven counties competing for the To-
cation, hence it will be impossible for
him to give them all representation.
Then, too. he feels that If he we're to
appoint man from Iron county, St.
Francois or Madison county or other
counties asking it might result in q
deadlock. Whereas, if he were to GO
outside of the territory entirely and
select five strong. able. honest men to
visit the various localities and locate
the institution purely aud solely upon
the merits of the case that it would be
better. While l know that Southeast
Missouri abounds with many good and
worthy men who are just as honest, as
capable and as able as can be found in
any other section on State, yet be-
cause of the reasons stated by the
Governor, / am not quite sure but that
il would be better for him to carry out
his inclination.
/ have been requested to urge the
appointment of quite number of our
friends in Southeast Missouri upon
this commission. / dislike exceeding.
" to discriminate between them and
in as much as am not in a position to
be compelled TO make a choice | can
only say to the Governor what l know
of all of them and let him be the
Judge as to the making up of the com.
m ission in the event he looks to thai
country for material with which te
comprise it. j. nj. SEIBERT.