The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-19

! entertainment was very interesting and ap.
PreciabIe to all present
GoUGNG THE PuBLuc.-In the ewes Of a
great many people, the dear Public is an
oyergrown numbskulI, as blind as Justice,
surrounded by troops Of friends and legions
Of servants, and rejoicing in pockets we'll
stuffed with greenbacks, which, by right Of
conquest, belong to anybody who can flch
/ them out. Atleast this seems the view taken
by few whom We might mention, who do
not live q thousand miles away from the
good city Of Rock Island. To "beat7 the
public in any manner no longer carries with
it the odium Of other days, but is esteemed
a very honorable evidence of the possession
Of good business talents, however much they
may border upon those which sent young
Sanford down to our county jail.
The great declarations Of economical IN.
tentiOns in the management of our affairs,
made annually by the radical ring or
clique which mauipustes for and in place
Of its party Of the county, looks very seduc.
tive on paper and are quite convenient with
which to fill out the heavy columns Of the
! Union. But an occasional glance at the
actual work done, may be beneficial to the
public, and have q tendency to check the too
liberal assumption of Roman virtue by our
opponents.
Last evening We published an inquiry in
regard to little bill rushed through the
Board Of Supervisors at the last session, in
favor Of Mr.. Knox. 1t was stated to us that
that gentleman had actually charged the
county $50 for the trouble and physical
fatigue Of expanding $50 for the benefit Of
our paupers. The charge was of such a
character that We very much doubted its
reliability. We did not think Mr.. Knox
capable Of attempting sneh an open.handed
grab at the public treasury, and while enter
tanning a very high opinion of the legisla.
tive abilities Of our Republican Supervisors,
we really did not believe that they could be
pursuaded to tolerate such a piece of bust.
ness, even from a member Of their own
party. After our attention had been called
to the matter, we waited several days forthe
purpose Of inquiring personally Of Mr..
Knox if he had not been misrepresented. |
Not meeting him as we desired, we last eve
ming yenturcd an inquiry in the columns of
the ARGUS. We have obtained little light |
on the subject, which is as follows:
Mr.. Knox, republican Supervisor, propos
es to treat the charge with silent contempt |
Nevertheless the facts in to case are as
stated. Ho .,,oiyed the $50 and the SER
wees for which he was paid that sum, when |
Cooked down. were simply the paying out
ofthe $50 for the benefit Of paupers. In
extenuation, he states that he put in por.
tons oftwenty five days in "huntng up"
and providing for these psupers. For these
twenty five days, or the fractional portions
thereof he charged the county 81 per day,
or $50 in the aggregate. He don't think the
row worthy Of notice, and knows lust
where it originated, THIS is his statement.
As we unders@nd the matter, the office
Of overseer of the poor was abolished
from motives of economy. In few cases did
the pay of that office extend beyond
500 for the whole year. And yet to
reduce the expenses, the charge of the
poor of each township was given into
the hands of its Supervisor. Here we have
a member Of the radical board charging half
as much for twenty-five days OF his term, as
the overseer Of the poor was accustomed to
charge for SIX months application to his du.
ties Surely this is economy with rush,
and unless considerable WITHDRAWING is
done, taxpayers will be disposed to give
this item some consideration previous to the
next election
Mr.. Knox can eXtenuate but very little on
the ground that lis services in Hunting up" Z
Paupers were very irksome. This is the
first intiraton that we have ever received /
that 1t Is necessary for the county to pay !
somebody handsomely for running around
and hunting up squad of outcasts to par .
take OF lis bounty. We had generally sup :
posed it n. business of those who required
relief to d the hunting up themselves.
If in destitute circumstances, and not hav
ing energ, enough to make & cell on the
Supervise, they should be left to their fate.
But we oEne that there are very few Of that
class of PRISONS. They are generally very {
loud in thir complaints. <
The long and short of the whole story is n n
then this. Mr.. Knox has charged the Ii
county an Oormous bill, and the Board of
Supervisors deserving of severe eensure ,
for sliowin. 1t to be rushed through" with.
out PfSSsr EAminstion. Taxpayers should R'
be more Osths alert, and should look we'll