The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-02-09
THE LEGISLATURE.
What Our Law Makers Are Doing
For North Carolina.
PAsSEE HALF WAY LINE.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 31sT.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 01ST.
SENATE.-Things moved smoothl,
in the Senate for while.
The provision of the bill admittin:
inebriates to the asylums was the frs
that met with active opposition.
Senator Travis thought that inebri
ates should be excluded from the asy
lums and 50 moved. Senator Wllsor
asked if the constitution did not de
clare that inebrlates should be caree
for. Senator Speight replied that i
did. Senator Travis explained that !
did not prescribe that they should b'
cared for in the asylums. Senator Je
rome opposed striking out inebriates
Senator Daniels thought the constitu
ton left 1t to the discretion of the AS
sembly when provision should be
made to care for inebriates. Senator
Brown thought the limit of II of each
sex of inebriates at one time was rea
sonable and should stand. Senator
Speight said that IL rooms were eel
apart at Morganton that we're not
available for the care of insane persons
Senator Cody thought that inebriates
should be admitted. There was no
difference between insane persons and
lnebriates. The amendment to strike
out inebriates was lost.
The section providing that the su.
perintendent and officers of the asylum
should not be summoned as witness
in court, unless the subpoena
shall have been served upon the off,
GERS fifteen days before the day of trial
Of the case, was the next to provoke
discussion. It was the sense of the
Senate that no citizen should be alb
solved from the duty of attending to
give testimony in courts Of justice, and
section 81 was stricken out.
The fight OF the day came over the
provision as to INDECENT insane. The
old law on this point, section 2,27S OF
the Code, is as follows:
"In the admission of patients to any
insane asylum, priority Of admission
shall be given to the INDECENT insane
provided, that the Board OF Directors
may regulate admissions, having In
view the durability of patients, and the
welfare of their institution !; Crowded,
further, that said boards may, if there
be sufficient room, admit other than
INDECENT insane persons upon payment
of proper compensatory"
The new law merely omits that part
of the old placed in parenthesis, and
gives the Board of Directors the power
to admit the wealthy patient first if
his chances of cure are greater or If 1t
will tend in the judgment of the board
to the "welfare of their institution" +"
Under the old law, Senator Speight
that it had not been the
custom to refuse any patient admission
because of his worldly condition.
Senator Daniels thought that the
old law requiring INDECENT insane to be
given the preference of admission
should be substituted for the new law.
Senators Speight, Brown and Fields
thought the matter should be left to
the discretion of tie Board of Directors.
Senator Jerome thought the law
should express unequivocal preference
for the INDECENT insane. Senator
Travis said the main difference be-
tween the old and new law was that
the old provided that those who were
able should pay while the new law
does not so provide. Senator Brown
withdrew objection to the change.
Senator Osborne took the position
that the old law did not compel the in
sane who were able to pay to do so.
That there should be preference given
to the INDECENT Insane he thought was
not debatable. The asylums were a
grand charity and those who needed
charity should be the first to receive
their benefits. Senator Daniels urged
that dropping the last proviso of the
old law meant radical change in the
expressed policy OF the State.
The question of adopting the sub
stitute was put and lost by vote of 1a
to IL Four Republicans, all except
one, that were present, voted against
the adoption of the substitute, and fo1
the change In the law. The commit
tee of the whole rose, reported progress
and asked for further time to consider
the bill.
The section of the bill which has
aroused strongest opposition, that pro
yidlng for placing the dangerous in
sane in building of the penitentlary
to be set apart for the purpose, wa!
not reached. When it is, warm de.
bate is likely to occur.
The Committee on Elections re
ported in favor Of Mess. Lambert an6
Eaves from the 31st district. Senator