The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-06-28
State HOSPITAL IMPROVED.
STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR OF
IMPROVEMENTS HE HAS
MADE AT ASYLUM.
Patients Have Been Made More COM
Portable, He Says in One of His
Campaign Speechcs-Place Has
Been Made in Truth Hospital and
Not Prison.

Not a Prison.
Columbia, June 25.-If any be in
doubt about the immense improve
ments in the conditions at the State
Hospital they should visit it and see
for themselves.
The people who have kindred or
friends in the institution know.
Ask them.
The following Is a brief statement
of the case from one of Gov. Man
ning's addresses:
Lawlessness and factionalism and
ignoble politics go always hand in
hand. A cruel proof of this stared
me in the face when assumed the Of
flee of governor. An institution, de-
signed in Christian charity to care
for the most helpless, the most hope
less, the most pitiable of our people,
had been made year in and year out.
the football of politics.
I refer to the State Hospital for
the Insane.
This perversion of a mighty mercy
had reacted on every one of the 1900
patients.
These patients come from every
county in the State and there are few
Of us who have not friends or rela-
tives in this institution.
The physical condition Of the asy-
lum was appalling.
The mems wards were filthy and
unhealthful; extravaganza, waste and
neglect revealed absolutely the failure.
to give inmates the treatment due to
patients. Their care and treatment
were worse. than those given to pris-
oners and. copvicts.
The women's ward was the institu-
tfon's best, but that ward bore silent
witness of.. needless misery .heaped
upon hopeless tragedy. In rows
around ID the. walls hung straps for the
Violent Insane and in this ward alone
were 9T hopeless women patients. At
night they were confined in their cells
in a building without a working
hydrant or fire hose and with only
two nurses to care for them or rescue
them'in case Of fire. What would have
been the horror and disaster had fire
brokcii out need not and can not de-
scribe.
One visit TO the asylum convinced
tho legislature that something must
.be-dOHe at once, It was done gener-
odsly and handsomely. according to
the Information then available as to
its needs. But when l came to ap-
ply the reforms authorized by the leg
islature found one serious defect.
was fortunate in securing board Of
regents Of the highest patriotism and
humanity, but the superintendency of
the asylum is likewise work of pa
triotfsm, skill and humanity 1t re-
duires man skilled in medicine and
yet skilled too in business administra-
tion. Such a man 1 could not find for
the cash salary Of $4,000 per year,
but II was incredible that so great
a work should stop for so little a
cause. that so many suffer because Of
an obstacle that could not be remov-
could not change the salary, but
could make up the difference in salary
for the first year; and that / did on
my own personal note, which l hold
in my hand, paid in full by my person.
al check. I feel that I was justified
in making this contribution. No act
Of my political life has given me so
great qualification. 1 have never ask
cd reimbursement, have never been
repaid one cent and will never accept
one cent of this amount from any
source. t..e.- .-l'
The results speak for themselves.
The legislature, on seeing them, by
an overwhelming vote sustained my
Judgment and fixed the superintend-
ents future salary permanently at
$4,000 per year, the figure had been
happy to make possible temporarily.
Now the straps in that horrible
ward for women are gone. Most of
the paten.s instead of sitting idly
through endless days are happily en-
ployed in such light tasks as they are
fitted to perform. This employment
is not compulsory. but is strictly VOL
untary on the part of the patients
themselves.
In the first place 1t Is incorrect to
state that the superintendent's salary
was increased from $4,000 to So
900. For this increase the supcrin