The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-01-28
MANNING TO LEARN CONDITIONS.
Governor Employs EApert for rhu"-
ou9h Inquiry.

Columbia, Jan. ~. order 10
get an unbiased and unpreiudiced
report of conditions at the State Hos
pital for the Insane Governor Nam
| ming has employed DR.. \. p. Herring,
secretary of the Maryland lunacy
| commission. as an efficiency expert.
and instructed him to make thor
ough investigation into conditions at
the asylum. Dr.. Herring is the per-
sonal representative Of the governor
and has instructions to make COM
plete and detailed examination as
conditions are now at the asylum
and to report his findings and recon-
mendations. DR.. Herring arrived in
Columbia today and immediately
took up his work.
The governor desires to get a re-
port on conditions at the asylum as
they now exist. He wants this with
out regard to politics, persons, or
prejudice. He wants the facts. In
setting about the proper way to have
this accomplished, Governor Man
ming consulted physicians of promi-
nence within and without the State.
He spent much time seeking infor-
nation as to where he could get an
expert familiar with Iunatic asylums,
a man with high ideals, but with
good, common sense. After inter-
views with men of national reputa-
tions in this line of work in other
States, the governor consulted DR..
Thomas W. Salmon, of New York
City, who is, among other things,
president of the national commission
on mental hygiene, and one of the
best known authorities in this coun-
try on this subject. He recommend
ed DR.. Herring as the most compe-
tent party to make an intelligent in
vestigation. Inquiries from other
authorities on lunatic asylums added
to the recommendation of DR.. Her
ring, and the governor finally en-
ployed him.
DR.. T. J. Strait, superintendent of
the asylum, was called to the COVER
nor's Office and made acquainted with
the purpose of the investigation. He
approved of the governors course
and offered every cooperation. The
governor telephoned for Mr.. j. A.
Summersett and DR.. julius H. Tay-
lor, members of the board of regents
who live in Columbia, and they, TOO,
approved of the investigation. Col.
Alva H. Dean, Of Greenville, another
member of the board, was consulted
over the long distance telephone, and
he added his consent and approval.
The other two regents, Mr.. ]. D. Biv-
ems, of Ridgeville, and Mr.. F. R. Hun
ter, Of Newberry, were acquainted
with the purpose of the governor by
letter.
With the approval of the majority
of the regents and Of the superln-
tendent in his hands, Governor Man.
ming instructed DR.. Herring to make
sweeping and complete investlga-
ton. His instructions are to abso-
lutely disregard politics, as it was
made clear to him that the purpose
of the governor was not to dig up
old sores, but to get an unbiased and
unprejudiced statement of conditions
as they exist.
The report will be filed with Gov
ernor Manning to be used by him IN
deciding whether legislative action
is necessary, or what plan is to be
followed in settling on a definite poll
cy for the asylum.
Friction between the superintend-
ent and regents under the dual sys-
tenn of government now in force at
the asylum, discomfort and charges
of incompetencey which have been
made have been heard year after
wear. and there has been talk al
ready of another legislative investl-
cation. The governor wants to have
the asylum removed from politics
and to use his efforts to settle on
policy and plan of management which
will remove the asylum from being
used as a football for politics and
make it a we'll managed business in
stitution, where the greatest care is
taken of the unfortunates who are
it's inmates.
w