Maclean's Defeat

me propnetor oí the Kegister does not feel happy over the result of the meeting of tlie State Medical Society, and takes three columns of his paper, including a made up letter In the Free Press, to let his readers know how glad lie is that he failed in his attempts to elect Dr. Maclean its president. It seems to have been one of those remarkable victories where those whose plans were defeated were better pleased than if they had succeeded. A few plain statements of facts which, we believe, caunot be denied, will enable the reader tn understand the situation, - ineluding "those tears'' - and why the Register tilinta the gnipes sour. The society is composed of reputable practitioners of the State, graduales of more than a score of ditferent medical colleges in this country, Canada, and Europe. It merubCM, therefore, naturally oppose any attempt to manage it for or against the interest of any college or individual. The best men in the society, including many personal fricnds of Dr. Maclean, believed it in bad taste for any man's private or public fjuarrels or law suits to bc brought before it. They did not know anything of the facts in Dr. Maclean's libel suii.whicli they considera! still pending in the coarta, and they did not want to vote on his eandidacy becanse it involved his case. They wouhl have equally opposcd any proposition to eommit the society against him or liis cuse. They wanted nothing to do with it one w.iy or auother, and were incensed at the inetiiods resorted to, to get a professional verdict. It is a fact, somchow not stated in the Kegister, that its proprietor was formerly a member of the society but kicked himself out some years ago, in a fit of anger at not beiug able to bulldoze it then, leaving on record a denunciatory letter, since whlch time of course he has contributcd iiothing but opposition to its maintainance. líow that it has prospered and has influence he had the assurance to go Dto its sessions and constituting him elf its only lobby member, attempt to itifluence its work and to negative the opinions and wishes of its ruenibers, and for personal ends use ils machwery which liad been kept in operation by their efforts and money, despite his witlidrawal and opposition. His interest in its real work was shown by his taking the next train for home after the fallare of his sclieme. His help, added to the active and personal seeking au office in ascientificbodybyacandidate.whenthe office should seek the man, together with the abuse of railroad passes, would have defeated Dr. Maclean's chances had the society desired to elect him. It is a fact that a large number of men who rarely attend the society and some who are not known as practitioners where they live, went and returned on passes. They were understood to be issued in the interest of Dr. Maclean, and those using tuem worked for his election. One genUeman declined to accept a pass because of tlieiinplied obligation aecompanying it. The conductor of oue train stated that he liad abotit twenty-five. Of the sixty-ilve new applicants for nieinbership the Secretary stated that twenty-two failed to complete their raembership by payinent of dues. Of twelve applicants from Ann Arbor, seven failed to becomc membeis after being elected. This show.s the insincerity of such applications. Friends of Maclean, including his faculty colleagues, stated that they Had urged him to witlidraw from the eandidacy, but he declined to take their advice. Dr. Whelai!, the president-elect, was the candidato of the Southern Michigan Medical Society, and had received the BUpport of its members regardless of other liuea. Ile had been the candidate of Dr. Maclenn's friends tor two or three year?, wiien they could not elect him. This year when they could elect him, he was askort and vepeatedly urged to witlidraw in favor of Dr. Mac'ean. It wns very generully underatood that iJte faoulty and thelr friends, who uow rejoice that " it is just hs Ui ey wanted it,'1 Aid tlicir best to have t result in some nther wny, and would have suceeeded in lltMppoiiitiug thenielvcs dieadlully but fui' iIid Mgacity uud detcrinined eflort of tlicir biiemiea " ( ?), who knew so niuch beller vlit Ilie faculty men wantod than tliey thuinselves dld! The pretenso that "enemies of the University or friends of a particular college were favured in the selection of offlcers, is ahown in the tact, that of three delegates to.the American Medical Associatiou f rom Ann Arbor, two of them were taken from the medical faculty. Wliile the president with wliom they seem so wel! pleascd, and who was also an examiner tbr the University, owes his eletion not to thtir help, bat to the fact that they discovered tljat they could üot defeat hira. And now if our friends of the faculty would leurn one other lcsson and notforget it, thej' would save themselves a deal of nnnecessary anxiety, and foolish exhibltion of patent right monopoly of friendsliip lor the University ; if they would cease the assumption so frequently and variously impliel that they are the University- that it can have no friends but thelr friendé - that any one who criticizes thelr management "attacks the University. It miht be worth while tor them to consider that the people of the state who makt Iiegents and Faculties own the University in coniinon with all other state institutions, and while they pay taxes for its support, any citizen who wishes will exerci8e the undoubted right - not privilege or favor - to hold and express any opinión he pleases on lus own responsibiüty, concerning an}' public institution or the official conduct of any employee of the state without asking permistión of any paid servan t of the state. The people will take care of the University, and it will endure and prosper when men whoselfishly seek to use it for personal ends are forgotten.