The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-02-25

were responsible as CltlzenS. Inc board
is required to inspect all public and prl-
vate penal, charitable or correctional M
stitutions in the State regularly each
year and report conditions to the gov
ernor and general assembly. 1t IS re-
CURED as a board to inspect each such
State institution twice year and is so
doing.
The speaker called attention to the
wonderful improvement at the State hos
pital for the insane. Urged by DR.. Bah
cock for years, and made possible with
in Tie past year. at least in the way of
a worth while beginning, through the
awakened sense OF obligation on the
part of the legislature and consequent
" increased appropriations He paid a
high tribute to the State board Of re-
-nts and especially to DR. {. Fred Will
liams, under whole leadership wonder
ful strides have been de He cited
til crowded conc on of the Florence
Industrial school, "a reality reforma-
tory, and said adj s;ate support was
lacking there. More than two hundred
and fifty boys are crowded into space
10. one-third that number He called
attention to the lamentable state of al
fairs discovered in many aims houses,
many OF them lacking sanitation, proper
food or anything calculated to pro-
mote decency.
He touched definitely on the needs Of
various State institutions and declared
in no uncertain terms that any system
which ran them for profit was out OF
keeping with the experience and pro-
gress of social service experimentation
..nq generally accepted economic dicta.
BETTER JAlLs IN SOME.
The people need to know great deal
more about some of the chain gangs in
the State, and when they do they will
speak in 10 urtertain tone. He cited
the fact that several counties had been
led to build decent jails. He called at
rention to the fact that a Jail is primari-
ly a place of detention for people yet
20 be tried, who wer too poor to give
bond. Some care of their health and
moral surroundings is due by the State.
He cited the case Of one county jail
where two boys, l. and IS years of age,
were found incarcerated on the charge
>tealing brass. Their parents were
too poor to give bond. The grand jury
turned them out after months of that
sort of environment because there were
not facts enough to make up prima
facie case and result in a true bill, even
after hearing only the States side Of
the evidence.
The speaker declared the powers of
the board were simply visitorial and ad-
visory and practically everywhere their
suggestions were hartily welcomed He
deplored the failure to provide for a
study of'the feeble minded and said spe-
cial care should be taken of this class,
to be found in large numbers in all Of
the State and county institutions
CONFIDENCE IN THE PEOPLE
"The people do not know the facts.
When they get them and the best an
swer known to society at large so far
as the problems to be met are concern
ed, there will be long steps forward. We
must find out the causes of crime, fee
poverty and insanity,
and then these causes must be eradicat-
ed. The story of the work of the
board of charities and corrections just
begun, appeals to every man and wo-
man in whose breast is a love of hu-
manity. We want the people to know
what is being undertaken and the con-
ditions which exist and we do not have
to guess what their verdict will be. You
can always treat the people on fun
damental question like this"
The many stories of concrete cases
of improvemnt, Of appalling conditions
and of wrong systems in vogue, as we'll
as the splendid work done in some quar-
ters made deep impression upon every
man present.