Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1869-11-23
Support Of County Poor.

The County Board Of Supervisors
of this County made visit last week
to the Grant County Poor Farm. for
the purpose of investiga ing the plans
adopted there for talxir I care of the
Paupers. The Board u Il meet again
next week to levy and ,.pportion the
taxes, aud for the trans action of 9TH
er business.-Prdirie dn CHEN Union.
Late years much attention has
been paid in neighbour { counties to
the Grant County metL 4 efsupport-
ing paupers, and several County
Boards OF Supervisors t such coun-
ties have visited our County institu-
ton for the purpose OF profiting by
the system and manag ment of our
County. They also have applied at
the Office OF Clerk of tho Board to in
quire into the annual expenditures
in our County for panper support,
and for copying the orders, contracts
superintendent reports, &c. The
same complaints are heard from 9TH
er counties as were formerly made in
Grant County-'sourCounty paupers
expenses are a heavy burden, and
the chief trouble is that the superin-
tendent wrings ia bills for extra ser.
vice, extra this and that not covered
by bis contract. Ifsuch be disallow-
ed he sues the county, and then a
new County Board comes in and COM
promises with him by paying bills,
costs, interests aud even damages. -
He takes every advantage, and our
astute lawyers have failed in framing
contracts to bind the superintendent
to any particular thing. He bar
gains to work the farm we'll and keep
property in repairs. But soon the
fences are gone, the lands in weeds,
or turn TO the commons, the buildings
used up, cisterns leak, barn to be re-
moved from manure pile, and things
gone to wreck generally. And so
here we are, half a dozen law suits,
farm and buildings as if in charge of
Vandals, and the paupers no better
off thar if their keeping were sold
out to the lowest bidder"
1t was formerly just so in Grant
County, and would be so to-day
were it the practice to let the super
tintendeney TO the lowest bidder and
look less TO the man than 10 the sum
| bid for farm and pauper support
Once Grant County let the paupers
support to the lowest bidders in the
aggregate--so much year for keep
| ing them, many or few A doctor
and farmer jointly bid the farmer
| starved them and the doctor doctor
ed them out of the way, and the
paupers averaged that year but two
these both able TO more than work
for their support. None doubted The
starvation and murder, yet there
were many to claim the inhuman
practice as fine success. This prac.
tice was, however abandoned. Next
a county farm was bought and i'm.
proved, buildings erected and rugged
and for years thereafter let to the
lowest bidder with the paupers--n nc
regard as to the habits, record, ante
cedents and integrity of the superin.
tending contractor. Well, in twenty
years there have been two or three
superintendents no more, of passable
uprightness men who respect
their contracts in spirit and word
men above wringing 10 bills for extra
services performed or not performed
men of humane conduct toward the
paupers, and of honorable practice
toward the county and public. The
present superintendent is such man
"a first class farmer, proud of his
profession as such, therefore keeps
the premises in nice order and hav.
ing family of corresponding neat
ness, the poor are we'll cared for and
fed and lodged as if members of the
household and of a common humani.
ty. He wrings in no extras, plays
no saenanegan to head or circumveni
the County, seeks no redress from
courts, and resorts to no advantages
from the changing members of Coun
ty Boards. But we learn he rather
thinks of retiring from the place hs
has SO long and so honorably held
The danger is just about six to one
against finding his equal in any re-
spect for the place. And we can tel
the County Boards of neighborinl
counties that the whole matter o.
supporting the paupers is far less ir
the system than in the man selected
fer superintendent, and the matter
of expense even of less moment that
of the man. You want man fol
uperintendent above small things
and small wringing in of extras
"a first class farmer, spirited anc
proud of his business, having FAM
ly his equal to superintend the house
hold, and both man and family o.
known human feeling and common
decency. Boards and contracts dc
not bind men not possessing in them
selves high degree Of moral integ
rity and responsibility. Contracts
q between the people and a depraved
man are rather helpers for him tc
take advantage-espeeially under
our system Of electing new supervi
sors every two years who feel them
selves not bound by their predeces
sors. Look then to The man, not tc
the contract-still less to the lowest
| bidder. Still less trust to any system
of pauper support, unless the super
intendent be the right man.