The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-27

The Commissioners have received from
Hon. Thomas Ryan, Acting Secretary OF
the Interior, a copy of the report of the
Secretary Of the Interior for the last rs
cal year, and q letter in which ae calls
attention to the statements in the report
relative to the eleemosynary institutions
Of the District. Mr.. Ryan specifies the
Government Hospital for the Insane. the
Freedmsn's Hospital and Asylum. and the
Washington Hospital for Foandlin;s. and
expresses the hope that the Secretary's
remarks may have the approval OF the
Commissioners
The statement OF the Secretary to which
attention is called is with reference to
the divided supervision of the institutions
named under the act of Congress APPROX
ed June s. 1900. establishing the District
Beard of Charities. After Teciting the law
d : Secretary says
After the passage of this act a ques-
tien arose as to the supervisory authority
Of the Secretary Of the Interior over the
Government Hospital for the Insane, The
FTsedman's Hospital and Asylum. the Co
Iunbia Institute for the Deaf and Dumb,
and the Washington Hospital for Found
lings, all located IN the District OF CoIuBl-
bia BY prior laws these institutions were
attached to this department and were
placed under the supervision of the Sec
rotary OF the Interior HIS supervision.
however, was not the same as &c all of
them, but was dependent upon the provis-
ions OF the special statutes, respectively,
establishing and providing for the man
agement Of the several institutions.
THE question OF the effect of the new
act upon the supervisory authority Of the
Secretary OF the Interior conferred by pri-
or statutes was referred to the Attorney
General who. On October u. 1900, rendered
an opinion to the effect that each OF these
Institutions comes within the terms of the
act Of June G. 1860 and that with the ex-
esption that the Board of Charities IS
given the general supervision OF these in
stitutiors and under the order of the Dis
trict Commissioners the power OF inves-
LEGATION. with the duty OF submitting re-
port and recommendation to Congress. the
duties OF the SScTstsTy OF the Interior are
unchanged by the act of June s. 1860 and
ren2in the same as before its enactment
I respectfully submit that a divided su-
peryfsion or control over institutions VI
ths; class especially where the lines of
division are uncertain and not easily IN
6erstood. WI tend TO enbaTrass the inHe-
TO materially dSeraet from the desired
standard OF excellence For this reason I
earnestly recommend that as 10 each OF
said Institutions the duties authority. aid
responsibility Of the Beard CT Charities
he transferred 10 the Secretary OF the IN
terror. or the duties, authority. and re-
speasibility of The Secretary o. the Inte-
rior be transferred to the Board of Chair
ties Considering the character and pur-
pose CT each institution and the extent OF
the supervisory authority of the Sesre-
tary Of the Interior over the EaEe prior
to June s. 1900, perhaps the best results
would be obtained Il the Columbia insti-
tute for tire Deaf and Dumb and the wash
ington Eospitsi for Fcundlings were plae-
ed exclusively under the supervision of the
Board OF Charles. and the Government
Hospital Tor the Insane and the Freed
mems Hospital and Asylum were placed
exclusively under the supervision of the
Secretary of the Interior"