The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-10
HIGH TAXES.
NUMBER TWO.

$500 u the library 1und. AS THIS allow
ance is probably not very well understood,
we will make few remarks by way Of ex.
PLANTATION. The law in reference to the
organization Of new countie, provides
that the commissioners appointed to locate
county seats, may receive donations in
money and lots, and that 10 per cent. of
such donations shall be given toward the
purchase of county library. In the year
1910, all the donation fund remaining on
hand, which was about $4,000, was trans
ferred to Levi G. Barber for building the
court house OF this sum the library was
entitled to $500, which allowance was
made by the commissioners The library
trustees have occasionally drawn the inte-
rest, the principal not being needed. In
the year 1867, the commissioners ordered
the order, which amounted, at that time.
to $500, of which the library trustees
have drawn $500.
An addition has been built to the poor
house, at cost of 81, 433 SO, which was
the lowest amount that any responsible
man would dc the job for. The inmates
of The poor house became too numerous to
be accommodated in the old building; con-
sequently an addition became necessity.
The bridge, library, and addition to the
poor house allowances, amounting to 81
7O2 AZ, are all extraordinary expenses,
and if deducted from the expenses as set
forth in the exhibit, it would leave the or
binary expenses of the county at 49,
SS1 &c.
POOR EXPENSE.
There were allowed for the relief of the
poor, S3.714 40, and to the families of
soldiers, who have been beggared by the
war, and brought to the greatest destitu-
ton, the sum of 1913, making S4 ,6S7 40.
the amount which has been paid for both
classes of poor. The law allows the CON-
missioners to have the poor kept in the
country when they can be kept cheaper
there than at the poor house. Therefore
the commissioners, through the township
trustees, have provided for all such out
side the poor house The law also requires
that the families Of soldiers shall be com.
fortably provided for, and in no case shall
any OF them be sent to the poor house.
The township trustees are ex-oficio over
seers of the poor. but the law provides no
means for the trustees to relieve the suffer-
irgs of the poor, or to bury one of them
when dead. The trustees had many times
to furnish assistance themselves, or give
orders OH merchants and provision dealers,
which would be taken if the trustee would
be individually responsible. In view of
the great increase of the duties of trustee
in this department. consequent upon the
war, the commissioners passed an order
authorizing the trustees to carefully ex-
anime into all applications for temporary
relief, and take the affidavit of the appli-
cant if they saw proper, and in all cases
where they were we'll satisfied that the ap-
plicant was entitled to assistance, such
trustee was authorized to draw an order on
the county auditor, who would draw an or
der ON the county treasurer, who immedi-
ately cashed the same. We think the
trustees have discharged their duties. in
reference to the poor and the families of
soldiers, to the satisfaction of all rcasona-
bic men, although in some instances they
may have been imposed upon; yet in the
main they have exercised sound discre-
ton, and acted honestly between the poor
and the county. We take pleasure in
saying, in this place, that the three rad
ical trustees we have are not an exception
to these remarks.
1t is extremely doubtful if there is an.
otttSI County III tHe state, III winch the
poor and the families of soldiers are as
we'll cared for as in this copperhead"
county. We are quite sure that there is
not radical county in the north. whose
exhibit of receipts and expenditures show
as much to have been paid for the benefit
of the poor and soldiers families, as does
the Marshall county exhibit.
We feel grateful for the privilege of
living in county which looks after the
poor who are unable to take care Of them
selves.
We have frequently asked the wives
or widows of soldiers, when tLsy would
bring their township orders to get an or
der on the treasurer, if their husbands
were living. They often would say that
that their husbands had been killed, or
died on some battlefield, and never was
heard of afterwards, or had died since