Evening journal., 1912-06-07
CITY AID FOR
THE HOSPITAL

To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL.
Sir: It has been creditabiy re-
ported by the daily press that Mr..
Charles r Miller, President of the
Board of Trustees of the Delaware
Hospital, and acting in his official
capacity. at a recent conference with
the City Council asked the members
to consider an appeal TO them for
financial aid. Such an appeal coming
at this time is one to attract more
than ordinary attention inasmuch as
to arouse inquiry into the propriety
wisdom and justice of such a measure
namely, that of the disposition Of pub
lie money. the accumulative taxes of
the masses OF Wilmington property
owners TO the furthering Of an al
legged philanthropic institution operat-
ing under the misnomer of public
charity We desire to take up this mat
ter as question demanding public
discussion and to show that this in
stitution as conducted at present Is
unworthy of such aid from the city
and should not be countenanced The
points at issue are briefly these; The
value and success of any hospital de-
pends on and is in direct ratio to the
physicians and surgeons who COM
prise the working staff; In other
words who attend the sick and in
! iured. in the case of the Delaware
| Hospital II is a matter of record
that the staff is chosen annually by
the Board OF Trustees in open meet
| ing from among the doctors of the
| city And what their value and sue
cess has been on this star of the Del
aware Hospital is a matter for the
Wilmington public to Judge. The point
at issue is this Having in charge the
naming of the doctors OF the stan, the
board OF trustees of this hospital have
adopted an arbitrary ruling, granting
the privileges and advantages accru-
| ing to a certain arrogant selfish re-
strictive number of physicians and
barring more than one-half of the
other doctors of the city not only from
attending a free patient in the wards
but also from attending a privae pa
tient in the private rooms who are
able and willing to pay for the ex-
penses incurred; in other words they
] have created condition of affairs
]
/ fined as the open and the closed door
or practically speaking a medical
trust The open door is favoritism
conferred upon personal friends
| favorites, family connections rela-
tiyes needing help and the like and
that to the other and large number
of intelligent capable doctors of the
city. men of character, of financial
and professional standing, of unques.
/ toned ability whose lives are beyond
reproach, are given the closed door
/ u is indeed time for any intelligent
person. interested to pause and re-
| feet upon the injustice that has beer
brought about through such arbitrary
and uncalled-for management We
may also say in passing that this in
stitution incorporated now some
! twenty odd years or more, has Will
the passing of time accumulated rea
estate in this city to the value o
more than 100000 exempt from tax
alton and possessed OF private lega
cics. accrued funds,money bequeathel
by philanthropic citizens Now sucl
an institution as, this, mark you
comes making an appeal for iinancia
aid from public money accumulate
from taxables gathered togethe
throughout the length and breadth O
the city from the avenues of prom
enade, from the back alleys Of the oh
scure. the hard earnings Of the strue
Cling labor classes as we'll as th
moneys from the well-to-do paid i
Justice and integrity to the city as
Just and proper tribute for benefit
accruing, money from the people, r.
gardloss of class and position.
This institution comes now straigh
oned and in need, mark you, ownin
an outside property of over $2000C
has asked the City Council to rendy
financial assistance Is thi right, ma
I ask? Is this morally right? logica
/ ly right? Listen hut for a momen
and the answer viii come back clea
sharply defined, no, no, noi Like II
sound Of the surf, when the wave
break along the shore These al
facts: this is no assumed condition
not picture of the imagination. 1t
common knowledge itis in the all
everybody knows that this is true. wi
is at all an observer Of curront even