The New York herald., 1922-10-25

Inc people OF tTe state VIII nave
difficulty in refraining from laughter"
he added, when they read OF the Gov
ernor's remarks about patronage and the
claims upon me by members of my party
in view of his own record that he VIII
never be able TO explain.
Assuming a high and lofty position.
debating and parading before the people
of the State as great independent in
political thought, as well as political
action. he has In reality been meekly
subseryient to the leaders Of his party
who demanded patronage as their share
of his victory"
Mr. Smith repeated his charges about
of patronage to Ward.
D. .reiner and Aldrdge, who until
the recD-it death OF the last named were
known as The Republican Big Four"
The letter from Mr.. Higgins, dated
October 10. 1929. began:
my dear Gov. Smith: AS a former
riember of the State Hospital Commits
sion and one entirely familiar with the
detail OF the needs of the State institu-
tons charged with the care OF our in
sane wards, Republican though / am.
cannot resist writing you this letter OF
commendation for the splendid work
you are doing in exposing the false
economies of the present State Admin
istration, particularly in dealing with
the insane"
Mr. Higgins went on TO say that 4o.-
coo insane patients were in hospitals
&C, 900 and that since the expiration OF
Smiths term of office their condition
had become more helpless than ever.
lie made this declaration:
II desire to call your attention to the
act that at the lpresent time there has
been not only radical reduction In the
money appropriated for the main
tenance. food and clothing of these help
lsss persons but that there has also been
considerable reduction in the ratio OF
the number of physicians to the patients
and the number of ward employees ana
Il, the number of other general en-
pioyees at these institutions.
Ratio in Prewar Period.
"In the prewar period the ratio OF
physicians to patients of our State hos
pitals was one physician TO 1877 patients.
Immediately after the close of the war
it, 1920 there were 213 patients to each
physician. and at the present time
there Is one physician to 225 patients.
II the prewar period there were s.3
patients to one employee. At present
there are 90 patients to one employee.
1T had always been the object of the
State Hospital Commission during my
incumbency to increase the number or
physicians so as to have one doctor 10
each $50 patients and have one en-
p.oyee to each eight patients. Through
the long war period. when the demand
for physicians abroad was pressing and
when it was impossible to secure suf-
ficient attendants, 1t was impossible. or
course, TO obtain the above ratio
Mr.. Higgins added mo more mis-
leading statement has been uttered by
any public official in the State Capitol
In years than that made by Gov. Miller
when he said that the hospitals had at
TIE present time a better ratio OF phy-
sician to patient than II had In any
ter years His statement is most incor-
rect and misleading.
THE beds claimed to have been pro-
vided for the State hospitals by Gov.
Miller were actually procured with APP
propriations made by you. Gov Smith
and such betterments as have been Sc
cured in the State hospitals during the
last three years are also due to your
efforts"
Mr. Smith will speak in Elmira to-
riorrow night.