The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1916-01-18
Governor To Lawmakers
On Hospital For Insane

Of the patients, maGe IT necessary,
in my judgment, 20 make import
ant changes in the personnel OF the
management of that institution. l
wish to say here tina. was confront
ed with serious trouble. You will
remember, gentlemen, that this ACT
was, passed and signed on the last
night Of your session; therefore,
when the acts were before me in their
entirety, you mad adjourned and gone
to your homes. 1t was not practicable
for me to call you back here to make
provision called for, for what you had
done in part.
Now, 1 want to say there is no
special act of the legislature which
fixes the salary of the superintendent
except that in the appropriation bill
there is provision of $4,000 for the
salary of the superintendent, and of
course that fixed it. Therefore, un
dertook to find man who, by his quail
ifications, and by his character and at
tainment, and his efficiency, would be
able to put into effect the changes
contemplated by you in the acts that
you passed.
l made an honest effort to find a
man for that salary-for $4,000 /
tried to find him for that salary, even
taking into account the pcrquisites
which went with that salary. The
perQuisites which went with it were as
follows: The superintendent had the
use of a house, ne was furnished lights,
water, fuel, he was furnished vegeta-
bles, he was furnished sucn servants as
he needed, from the institution; he was
furnished a carriage and pair of horses,
and a driver, and he was furnished an
automobile; in addition to that, ne had
the privilege of buying his supplies at
the reduced rates that were secured in
the purchases OF goods for the institu-
ton.
A conservative estimate of the value
of these perquisites places it easily be-
tween $1,000 and $1,400 and the $4,000
salary provided for. 1 found it impos-
sible to find a. man, a physician, who
had, in addition to mis- professional
! knowledge, those traits and. Qualifica-
tions of administrative and executive
ability which, in my judgment, would
qualify him to carry out efficiently the
work of reorganization, change in the
treatment of patients, and general
management of that large institution,
for the salary provided.
Procuring a superintendent?
What was l to do under these cir
cumstances, when I thought Of those
1900 patients in that institution, suf-
fering, as they were, from lack OF
treatment which advanced and pro-
gressiYe skill and knowledge in that
line of training gives? felt that un-
! less l got man as superintendent
who had those qualifications, the acts
which you mad passed would be void
and of no effect, so far as those pa
tients were concerned. That was the
situation that confronted me. What
was to do? We knew these patients
would continue to lack those comforts
and cares which an enlightened, ad-
l5anced and progressive knowledge ad-
ministers There were no other funds
available for it. I could not cnange
his salary-there was no fund for 1t,
no provision to pay it, and the ques-
ton then came up, at the same time,
to me, was to let those patients con-
tinue to suffer for the lack of that
necessary skill in this institution; or
should I make personal contribution
in order to relieve their suffering and
improve their treatment?
I determined, gentlemen, that could
not endure the thought Of the continu-
ance of the condition and fhe environ
ment of those patients. Therefore, the
only thing that l saw that I could do
was to go to the bank and see wha-
1 could do about that money that was
needed. was we'll aware of the fact
that the salary of an official of the
state could not be increased during
his term of Office.
Therefore, when I went to the bank
and found it would take s2,375 in order
to secure the services Of a man who,
in my judgment, would ill the posi-
ton, the money was offered to me at
the rate of per cent, so that I deter
mined that I would make that contri-
button to this institution, giving my
personal notes for $2,375, at 8 per cent
interest, so as to pay the additional