The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-11-26
Spirit OF the Press.
Hunanity's Cry.

Elizabeth City Economist.
In last Fridays issue of The News
and Observer. Josephus Daniels. edi-
tor there is a leading editor headed
"a Disgrace 10 the State" which does
credit to his wise head and his warm
heart.
1t is a subject that rises above our
States honor or disgrace; il IS q wall
OF humanity over the sad fate OF the
unfortunate stepSOns of Nature, when
deprived Of the anchor Of reason and
man, made in the similitude of God, is
transformed into a brute below the
beasts that perish, without reason,
without self-love or respect, and with
out responsibility and without regard
for the prophecies of life or the rights
on others.
When Miss Dix, of New York. came
To Raleigh about the middle of the
last century to plead with our leglsla-
tors for the unfortunate outcasts of
humanity, of which, it was said, she
had been one of the afflicted, she
found the guardians of our State deaf
to the cry of humanity, and a State
without a lunatic asylum for those be-
reft of reason. But Woman'S work
of charity and patriotism is a divine
gift of power that Will ultimate pre-
vail, and Miss Dix at last accomplish
ed her purpose by the aid of voice
from the dead.
Mrs. Dobbin the wife of James G.
Dobbin, who was n member of the
Legislature. was sick unit death. Miss
Dix who was at the hotel with her,
nursed her tenderly in her last illness,
plead with her husband for the insane
and sought and obtained from the sick
wife that she would use her influence
with her distinguished husband in pro-
curing bill providing for the insane.
Oh 4 Il - I'd h
bin made his appearance in the Cenate
and with the burden of his great be-
reayement. introduced a bill of appro-
pliation fu" 81 asylum Tor the insane.
1t was the fulfilIment of promise
to his dying wife. and the voice from
the tomb echoed from the bereaNed.
passed the bill unanimously.
Before that time the unfortunate
"stepsons of Nature" were confined in
felons' cells in the common jail. or let
out to the lowest bidder. to be cared
for as the bidder pleased, often con-
fined in log pens and subjected to
crueties at which humanity shudderS.
We recall one when we were boy.
An old man. over seventy years, who
had seen better DAYS. became poor
and insane He was put to the lowest
bidder to be taken care of. and was
bid off by a VIGOROUSLY mean man,
who took him home. put him in
strong pen of logs and fed and watered
him like a dog through the cracks in
the pen We lived as a boy with a
kind uncle. Thomas Benbury, who.
having heard of the old mans i'll
treatment went to see for himself. We
recall his accounts of it. given TO his
family when he came home.
The old man was in his log pen. He
was almost naked. having torn off his
clothes in his fits of violent mania.
His food was thrown on the ground to
him in the pen, and his drinking water
pushed to him in a dirty pan through
the cracks between the LOGS. The
county officers, shocked by the bar
barity of his custodian, had him re-
moved to the county Jail.
The story repeats itself. Joe Daniels
tells a pitiful story of a pen and its
insane victim in the county Of Allie
ghany, A young woman in that coun-
ty had been confined in pen for ten
years Her pen has top to shut out
the sun, but its top is so low that she
cannot stand erect and her long con-
finement has added to her mental de-
rangement bodily deformity
Some kind poet has said:
mans inhumanity to man makes the
angels weep"
In the name of a common humanity
we give thanks to our brother beloved
-Josephus Daniels-for exposing this
blot uDOn our State.
He is entitled to the public graft
tude also for calling attention to an
other feature of our insane asylum
management-the custom of giving
preference to the opulent insane be-
fore the "indigent insane for whose
benefit the hospitals for the insane
were originally established.
The son of rich parent or member
of an influential family. or one "f in
fiuential friends, is accorded a kind
welcome and seated at the guest table
clad in wedding apparel while the
poor fellow in rags and Indebtedness.
is turned away or received with
churlish hospitality.