The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-04-14
For the Gazctss.
The Poor House Report.

Mr.. EDITOR:
SRI observe in the last issue of the Bed
ford Enquirer" an article under the above cap
tion. The writer Of it evidently had a motive
besides his interest in the pubhc welfare. He
professes to be very much exercised about the
Poor funds of the county. He seems 10 think
that every item of expenditure should be set out
with the date, price and all included. His mo-
tves for this. one might be led to think, are en-
tirely disinterested. But, if the reader of that
article viii tura to the "inquirers' terms for
advertising, the motive viii be discovered with.
ont much difficulty. II the report was made
oat to his satisfaction il would swell the amount
Of printing for that establishment of his, not
less than so dollars per anaum-which would,
Of course, swell the public expenditures IN pro-
portion. This supplies one Of the motives for
tie article IN question. Another IS, that, by
Misrepresentation and insinuation he hopes to
make little capital for the forthcoming Abo-
hiion nominee for Poor Director. But the trick
is too transparent and will not work.
1t has never been the custom 10 Sc, out the
day and date, or even the price per pound, or
dozen, Of articles bought for the use of the Poor
House The rule is 10 put all the articles bought
from one person together, as well as all the
charges aud checks for the same individual of
different dates. The reason is obvious. IF this
were not done, the repor: instead of taking up
two columns in the ''Inquiver,' would take one
entire page, and, Of course, would cost more
than double for printing it. Besides this, it is
scarcely to be presumed that the Directors are
dishonest. The presumption, according to all
rules, ought to be the other way. They may
safely be pat down as being rs honest as the
writer of the article in question, ta say the least
of II. Their books are always open for the in
spection of the public. The Report does not
pretend that there ere no old debts 1t simply
says nothing about them, because it Is impossi-
ble 10 tell the exact amount Of them.
As to the Clerks salary, | have bat to say
that four years ago it was only % dollars per
year. but since that time 1t has been increased
to 45. being only 20 dollars more--a great dif-
ference between it and the increased pay of the
enquirer for printing Poor House Report,
that paper having charged so dollars for pub
fishing the same Report, in 1861, that it now
charges 100 dollars for. This bypocriical ed
itor can't see how the Directors can increase
the salary of their Clerk, which is now less
than that paid to any Of my predecessors, but
he is very conscientious about his own pay and
{
for printing the Poor House Report for the last
year, than was paid for the same Report in SOL
Again, he shows his long ears wnen he says that
the Auditors pay is $3.50 per day and the
Clerks for the same time is $2l would ask
any sane man, would he allow MS clerk S2l
per day, when he himself is only allowed Sl.50
per day7 How absurd the ideal One of the in
sane paupers might reason thus, but surely M
editor Is expected to have better sense. Now,
the fact is, each Of the Auditors received for
setting the accounts of the Poor House for
| 1864, 81 so and their clerk the same. There
sore, of the $50 that looks 80 large in the eyes
Of the Inquirer man ~ the clerk received but
| $3.50. If the Points in this matter cannot now
be eeen, il is certainly not because ! have not
exposed sufficient amount of the awkwardness
Of the conceited blockhead who wrote the arti-
Gle referred 10. r. r. GETTYS,
Clerk TO Peer Direcfors.
Beaf2ed, April 8, 1895.