POLITICS IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS 233
This meeting could not exert a more salutary influence than in the direc- tion of a protest against the plunder of such institutions for political purposes.
Dr. Searcy quotes the following sayings of General Brinkerhoff :
As a hospital flag on every battlefield of civilized warfare is an emblem of neutrality and a sacred guarantee of protection to sick or wounded men, so, and more so, in political warfare the asylums for our dependent and defective classes should be sacred from the attacks of contending parties.
Generally the appointment of the members of the boards of control of state hospitals for the insane, and other state beneficiary institutions, is made by the governor. Sometimes, if not often, he is influenced by previous political obligations, necessitated in his election, so that he is unduly constrained to appoint persons who are not acquainted with or interested in the duties of the place or are inclined to control such places, not for the good of the patients, but for selfish or political purposes.
CONCLUSION.
There is a very general conviction among superintendents that an examination is superfluous. Avery capable manager of a boys' reform school in Pennsylvania writes :
Appointments are made on the ground of efficiency, not by written examination, but after personal interview and careful investigation of the antecedents of the applicants by those who are responsible for their conduct. No political or other influence seems to be exercised in this matter.
Another able superintendent (of Wisconsin) states that four of the five members of the board must be of the same political faith as the executive.
The board never experiences any trouble in finding competent men of its own political faith (/) to fill these positions.
These replies show how far our most intelligent men are from appreciating the elementary principles of a permanent and professional service.
Another says :
I do not agree with Hon. Philip Garrett in the idea of any fixed rule for appointing subordinates in the public service. 1 believe in selecting compe- tent and conscientious superintendents, hold them accountable for results, and give them the helm. An excellent cook may not know the multiplication table, and I have one now who writes her name " X."
But this excellent gentleman proves in the very next sentence of his letter that his principle breaks down, and that to " give the super-
