The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-12-29
A Poor House ImIeed.

The Greene County, Pa, Republican
comes out in its lust issue with ringing
editorial denunCation OF the wayt poor
are cared for in that county. II tho facts
are as stated in It's article, the county is
liable to attain notoriety second only to
that given bya newspaper correspondent
ayear or two ago to county in West Vir'
glnia, Among other statements, it makes
the following
"Ihe institution Is crowded to It's utmost
capacity; there is no provision for the sep
aration OF the males from the females,
with all its consequent immortality, disease,
death and entailment Of lies mseries'
The sane and tine insane eat, sleep and in.
termingle with each other; the vicious and
the worthy poor drag out together an OK
tence from which death would be u blessed
relief. Our authorities inspect condemn
and resolve, but nothing is done when ii
comes to appropriating funds for buildings
and additional improvements. Twenty-Five
or more poor children, heretofore sent 10
the public schools of franklin township
have had this privilege denied them by the
School Directors OF that township, because
thoy recently discovered that charitable
institutions are not taxable and pay no part
OF the tax necessary TO carry on public
schools. In the name OF Heaven, what
kind OF public economy is this, that cuts
OF the last chance OF escape by the young
and helpless children Of tho poor from u
life OF ignorance, misery and possible
crime2
II is hardly TO be conceived rs possible
that the authorities Of any county in n
Christian land would deal in this manner
with helpless children, whatever they
might DO willing do with adults. Certainly
they have not consulted the census
records. 1ithey had they would discover
that shows that the iliteratc class pro.
duces on the average thirty timcpas many
paupors and ten times rs many criminals,
according to their number, MS tho class
having a reasonable common.school oduca.
ton.
Z II has been found by experience that,
leaving out Of the case all questions Of
mere humanity, 1t does not pay county
to grow up children in a poor house, ind
much less to grow them up in the brutal
manner described us prevalent in the
Greene County Poor House. They should
be separated ut tho earliest moment from
such presidential body Of moral death,
and II Is a disgrace TO our neighbors that
they have so long permitted such condl-
ton Of things. In most Of the neighboring
counties OF Ohio the authorities, actuated
by sense Of judiclous public policy, as
well as by humanity, hive provided CHI
dren's Homes, where the young may
be rescued as brands from the burning,
and 90 raised and educated rs to make
them good and serviceable citizens OF their
Communities Thisisthe proper Wow to take
Of such subject, and the proper way to
deal with it practically, and We are there.
fore glad to sec the Republican expressing
itselt determined to start M agitation that
shall not cease until the Greene county
authorities are awakened to a sense Of their
duty. 10 this end 1t serves tho following
notice upon said authorities;
eve intend to din this matterin tho PEG.
pies ears, until this abominablo state Of
affairs shall cease to exist. We shall sec to
Il that facts aud figures going to the bottom
'of this iniqulty, giving names and placing
responsibility where 1t belongs, are pre-.
scented weekly to our readers. LISA crime
against the statute laws OF our State; It Is
hldeous in moral dotortnity and stain on
Christian civization.