, 1879-02-23

1t1es for the iberality OF their charities ha
attracted migratory gang OF loofers ant
tra1nps from adjoining towns and counties.
The List Of persons to whom relief ha:
been habltually furnished at public expense
numbers 200, one number in most cases rep
resonting whole family. This list of pau.
pers includes, as Col. Brown reports, several
bosses in quarries; the Town Marshal, who
draws salary Of $40 a mouth; book
keeper or draughtsman Of WALKERS, who
draws pay amounting to 81 day; one man
who owns two houses aud lots; another who
owns farm; large numbers Of able-bodied
| men we'll able to take care of themselves !;
| some dlsrcputable women, and large num-
bers Of names for which the oldest inhabit-
ants could not think of any lawful possessor.
The wives and relatives Of tile village and
town officials also enjoy share of the pub
lie relief fund. Indeed, according to Col.
BRowS's report, Lemont has become prncti-
cally community of paupers, or, MS he ex-
presses it more rhetorica1ly, the delectable
mountains Of Satan,-the 1oafer's land of
tranquil delights,-tho Paradise Of pnupers.
Without pursuing the subject philosopher
ally, IS probably no amount of argument
would induce the authorities to abandon
the system of outdoor relief altogether, it
may be practically viewed in this light: The
exaggerated and outrageous abuses described
by Col. Brown hare grown up under the lax
and corrupt management OF county affairs
that have prevailed during the last three or
four years, and the new County Board
should make it q special duty to investigate
the whole system Of county and town re-
lief, and curtail it to the smallest limit pos
slbte under the system. Perhaps no other
town in the county has so bad record as
Lemont; but it is probable that an investi-
CATION equally thorough in other parts of
The county would reveal something of tho
same kind. The Committee on Towns mud
Town Accounts showed the proper DISPOSE
ton in the matter by practically constituting
Col. BnowN auditor for the payment of
paupor items in Lemont, aud notifying the |
shop-keepers that the orders of the sa-
loon-keeper and Supervisor would not !
be honored except in cases where tile /
persons seeking relief really deserved |
1t. The Commissioners should seek |
the nctive cooperation of other respon- /
sible citizens in Chicago and the county
towns to assist in the further repression of
this growing evil of pauperism. The warm
weather is now approaching, and the impoy-
'rished condition Of trade, and manufacture,
and building, and the transportation inter-
'sts, will furnish more employment and ut
better wages than for many previous years.
Ehe public expenditures under the pretense
IT relieving actual want and suffering ought
o decrease in proportion to tho general im-
'rovement Of the conditions of the working
lasses. Col. Brown suggests q good rule
or Lemont TINT might be applied to all the
ther towns, viz: To cut off the supplies for
utdoor relief altogether, or whittlo them
own to a nominal figure, and in case of
bject poverty aud want to send the appli-
ant to the Poor-House. There is no doubt
ut such rule would force men to work for
aeir living who are now loafers at the pub
C expense, and would induce others to save +
'me of their money for times when they |
re out Of employment. Tt is by no means :
'rtain that this would not be the truest t
aarlty in the long run ; and, meanwhile, it T
ould deprive town aud county officials of
le opportunity for plundering the Treas .
y under the cover of relief for the poor. i