Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-10-03
Democratic Institution management.


Democratic Institution management.
| The various public institutions of the
State are in a desperate strait to make
''ways and means" to meet their ends, or
to make s'both ends meet" Stewards and
others now in office are making great pro-
| fessions of economy in the present man
| agement over their predecessors that are
not warranted by the facts. As a rule,
with only possible exception, the man
agement of the States charities under
Republican auspices has been with an eye
single to the public good and the welfare
of the institutions. The political COM
plexion of officials and employees was not
considered. Now, as a rule, all this is
changed; the institutions are run in the
interest of the Democratic party. The
well being of the inmates, their health,
education, and discipline are of minor
Importance. How to do all this, to plum
der the funds and at the same time keep
up the pretense and make show of econ
omy taxes the ingenuity of such men as
David W. Brooks, who wags the Column
bus Asylum, Robert Bell, Steward, who
runs the Athens Asylum, and others.
Mr.. Brooks made his specious statement,
a short time since, in reply to the inexor-
able logic of Captain Cope's facts, and
lately Robert Bell has published, over his
own signature, statement of his finan-
cial management of the Athens Asylum,
as compared with that of his predecessor,
R. E. Hamblin "a good Democrat, by the
way now co-partner in the American
House. Mr.. Bell takes the three months
ending August Is, 1877 and 1873, and
makes the following exhibits:
Disbursement by Mr.. Hamblin-
For month ending June 10, 1877. IS $3.50 %
For month ending July Is, 1877 $500 q
| For month ending August Is, 1S77...... $3.50 so
Total l.................... .S27 63S 40
And by Mr. Bell
For For month month ending ending JUN JUNE F.
For month ending August Is, lS7S.....,. 9,0S1 Al
Total, ,........,...... .$2I,sl1 Is
Saving in three months :...... :: $5752 u
This all looks very well. Now, what
are the facts? We thought it must either
be false statement or susceptible of some
| explanation; and went over to the Audi
tor of States office for the truth, and got
it-and found it stranger than fiction. If
there is not committee of inquiry plying
| Mr.. Bell with questions, it will be because
they don't want the facts. Mr.. Bell gives
the first three months of his management
of the Athens Asylum, and demonstrates
to his satisfaction (?) his ability to save
some twenty-three thousand dollars a
year in the current expenses of that in
stitution. We find, on the contrary, that
I In off1 In ocI1
turned over by Mr.. Hamblin, that he re-
ceived from the State Treasury sc, 900 dur
ing the first month, and $4,000 for the
month ending August 15 last; he reports
only 9,081 Al disbursed in the August
| statement; what has become of the So 900
/ Can it be possible that it is being used in
| the vain effort to defeat Van Vorhes, or
helping the desperate condition of the
tried and doomed Converse, who will be
defeated by the very same agencies that
prevented his nomination for Governor
last year? Rise up Mr.. Bell and explain.
While at the Auditors office applica-
1 ton was made for payment of the ex-
penses of a Trustee of one of the benevo-
lent institutions, and the discovery was
made that the appropriation was exhaust
| ed a month ago. Mr. Alexander, the
great financier, cut down the estimate
largely, Notwithstanding the large in
crease in the number of Trustees. The
Trustees of the Blind Asylum alone have
already incurred travelling expenses of
upward of five hundred dollars for four
months, against twenty-five dollars and a
half for the whole of last year; and be-
z;S1 EhoT int foI
/ September IA, 1873, and for $52.13 for ex-
penses incurred in travelling and pur-
chasing a team for the Institution for the
Blind. Here's reform indeed. The law
provides that the trustees of the several
benevolent institutions shall render SER
vice gratuitously, but shall be allowed
their necessary expenses while in the dis
charge of their duties; an appropriation
is made for paying such expenses. In the
interest of buncombe, as illustrated in
the legislative career of Representative
Alexander, this appropriation was made
for half the amount needed, but the Trus-
tees of the Blind Asylum, making it con-
venient to travel at the expense of the
State, spend the above sum and have it
charged to the Current Expense .fasad for
the support and maintenance of the insti-
tution-a clear infractiOn of the law. Bad
spelling and false syntax can be freely
, excused when attendant upon sound sense
, ,, and stern integrity, but when Democratic
Trustees, blatant in their hypOcritica
cries of economy and reform, pay them
selves twenty-five per cent commission
: for buying horses for their own use, it i
: time that they were kicked out of the off
q ces they disgrace. There is no more sa
= cred position in the construction of ou
= Government than to take in trust tn
p" oversight of one of our mammoth institu
. tions. ..s. .5..st -,.1 ta,,s 7H1 g.
h ... . AQuaint city.