The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-12-29
CHANGES URGENT
AT STATE ASYLUM SAYS SENi-
TOR CHRISTENSEN.
Bc1rcnieOts.

Bct;-rmeuts.
Senator Neils Christensen. j.. oi
Beaufort. chairman OF the joint leg
is,aive committee appointed - IL.
v-s;!sa;e conditions Il the STATE
hospital 70. the insane a; Coluu bia
vas In Charleston a few dayA ago
and was asked 0y a reporter for e..
Evening Post concerning the pro
gress made By MS committee !o the
investigation. Senator Christe1seI
said that tie Investigation had oe-r
concluded add that the eoumit-ee
:s now formulating cepo., for suo-
mission 10 the general assem- by
which conyenea on the eleventh OF
next month.
The testimony taken before the
committee said Senator chr:sten-
sen. lis being printed and viii! be
available IN feu days. Any mem
Der OF the legislature sHd any news
paper interested may have o copy
BY sending a request TO member Of
he committee The most important
matter to be considered At the CON-
ing session OF tho legislature is the
.epor, O: their committee that has
investigated the State hospital for
the insane. Unfortunately. tho re-
port Will not be ready for two D.
three weeks. It will contain several
spec!a. repoTts By experss which are
not yet prepared. These together
With facts gathered By the commit
tee from personal examination OF
physical condition and records here
and elsewhere are perhaps more I'm
oo1tane than the testimony OF wit
2esses referred 20. But ): soult oe
adr.sa ole for legislators and the Deo-
pie generally to aceuaint themselves
with their testimony which throws
a aood o. Hight on the deplorab!e
conditions that are general through
out our State hospital for tho In
sane.
''It Is going to take several hun
i1ed thousand dollars 20 put this ia
st!.utioc IN reasonably good con-
aition. Estimates have not been
made vet, but the total necessary
Is not likely 20 oe uac-=- 100000.
Tnac Is minimum. There can b.
20 doubt that II the facts become
Erown :ais 0. larger sum. II II be
cound necessary. viii he voted. But
there Is danger :hat the facts vii.
rot become thoroughly understood
n time for TIE people 70 make tae!:
wishes felt at this session. Up 10
lis time the facts have been mini
..z.t by certain newy agencies and
Z only 4 few instances have the
newspapers given anything like a
tu.i and accurate accoun; OF the
ieSt!nony So. waat 70 suggest
% ,he press generally that they get
he testimony and read /, foc them
selves
While 1. would De very u1:ortu
aa;e 20 allow such al investigation
rs this 20 become an attack OF in
:ivitua!s. there vii! also be la
nen,able outcome II desire to
shield individuals should ,esu!: IN
covering up conditions. We are
here dealing with matters o. Ne
and dea;h There IS no question
tia; the death ra,e al this !nst!:u-
;Ion is eaaormal!y high and the re
cove,y rate abno.mally low. owing
70 shocking uasan.ta-y conditions.
poor equipment. lack OF proper
treatment and la1 methods through
out all branches OF the Institution
that are dep!ocable. II ia painful!
TO make these general criticisms.
.or there are maay faithful workers
at this hospital struggling with con-
dit!ons that oa!y their slperto:s can
remedy and they are as anxious as
any 20 See them remeci.d. The 70
port will make these details clear.
Meanwhile every tamil! in this
State that Is peculiarly Interested IN
the hospital should demand tina; ali
tie facts be known and r.opec means
taken to remedy the evils. None OF
US car afford 20 ignore the needs o!
,hes. unto-tunstes. whose condition
is now a disgrace 70 our State. We
have the opportunity TO step into the
f.s, rank IN our care OF the insane
and the people are sure TO take II
Il they are given the facts