The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-23

Nf. Oatss-.cso. the county.
 Mr. o'Neai--weli. that is the substi- tute that offered. but % further than you by providing that the state shail take care of all insane people, whether before their admission to the asylum or after their admission. A the gentleman from Mobile has cor rectly stated, nearly every jail In this State has indigent insane people who are poor who are kept there because there is no room in the asylum for them, and I think 1t the duty of the State to build additional accommoda- tions, if necessary,
 MT. Oates-The provision made by the last Legislature converting Mount Vernon into an insane hospital for the negro insane will give much more room, I am told. and greatly relieve tho pressure upon the asylum. but what the Committee wanted to do was to relieve the State of the temporary care of the insane, ts that could be provided for by requiring the counties to do 1t.
 MT. oNeal--I think the State ought to do it even temporarily. Mir. Foster-I want to ask this ques- tion, if indigent idiots would not come within the class of poor without stat MT. OtNeal--Y don't thnk they would. because every county has poor house for the poor and needy. but it doesn't follow. as the gentleman from Pike stated, that every poor man Is an idiot. MT. Foster-But 1t follows in most eases that every idiot ts poor and in- digent.
 Mr. Ashcraft-The amendment of- fered by the gentleman from Lauder dale to the Section as reported by the Committee. would require the State of Alabama to care for insane persons evidently at the expense of the State. no matter what estate those insane per- sons might possess. The Section as re- ported by the Committee provides that 1t shall be the duty of the Legislature to require the several counties of this State to make adequate provision for the maintenance of poor and insane persons. It does not say 'temporar- ily; 1t does no. say flor one year." sons." 1t says the county shall be re- quired to make adequate provision for the maintenance of insane persons, and am quite sure we don't want to im- pose any such burden as that upon the counties. Now, the amendmeRt of- fered by tho gentleman from Lauder dale provides that the State shall make adequate provision for the maintenance
 Of insane persons. It does not sayAhat the State shall require insane persons
 to have property to contribute to the l expenses of their maintenance at all. and am quite sure this Convention does not want to adopt either of these provisions. and I think the amendment offered originally by the gentleman from Pike. striking out the words 'in- digent idiots and insane persons" Is the thing we ought to adopt. It leaves It clear. and the Legislature will still have authority to provide for insane persons under such rules and regula- tions as 1t may from time to time think respond to tine demands that humanity make upon the State of Alabama. Mr. Colean (Greene)-I prefer the amendment offered by the gentleman rom Pike to any amendment that has been suggested: It seems to me. how ever. that we should keep the Legis. iature In full authority over this ques- ton except so far as 1t is limited by the Constitution. If any gentleman VIII consult his Code lying before him, sections 2b49 and 2560 he will regulaf provisions made not onlv Tor the insane, but for idiots also, and the order in which they shall be re- ceived. Now, 1t seems to me, If YOU insert provision here imposing the outy upon the county, you will relieve the authorities at Tuscaloosa. Mt. Yer non. or elsewhere, from a great deal or the duty imposed upon them by the law already. and which they ought to pear when we leave the organic law and enter the domain of legislation, we should be very careful. am sure if you will consult the sections to which
 l nave referred. you will see that the l Whoie question has been covered. and 1 the only reasons why the insane per
 sons are not received is because of want of provision or appropriation al- ready made. At this time, with the additional provision which the State
 would enjoy at Mt. Vernon. there is no necessity, and 1t would be & manifest injustice. as pointed out by the gentle
 man who last addressed you, to i'm
 pose this burden upon the counties.
 when We are making large appropria-
 tions every year for the protection of this class of people by the asylum at
 Tuscaloo3a and Mt. Vernon. I have
 been requested to read Section 265o. | section 2b60: In order of admission into the hospital. when it's means of accommodation are crowded, preference shall be given the recent curable cases over chronic OF incurable. Among those to whom preference shall be last
 given, shall be idiots, or any who have been imbecile and weak-winded from childhood; to those who are subject to epileptic convuisions; and to those
 whose temporary insanity is produced
 by the injurious use of alcoholic drinks or opiates.
 l. therefore. move to lay the amend
 ment offered by the gentleman from Lauderdale on the table.
 MT. Foster-Wiu the gentleman
 withdraw his motion for a moment? MT. Coleman--Yes, sir.
 MT. Foster-It Is true, as the gentle
 man from Greene has said, that that section does make provision for the ac- ceptance into the insane hospitals of idiots. but practically it is of no value. There are at present about 1.600 pa- tients in the Alabama Hospital. The superintendent of the hospital esti- mates that there are over 3.000 persons in the State of Alabama who ought to | be cared for either as insane or idiots. It is true that 1t Is a mere matter of appropriation-a mere matter of pro- viding means for taking these people in. but the means now provided do not admit of taking all those people who ought to be under the care of experts | in that line of business into the Ala bama hospital as the law now it.
 MT. Sollie-Is it not a fact that the Legislature now has ample authority to deal with the proposition and to make all necessary provisions!
 MT. Foster-I think that is unQues-