Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-01-05

THE people OF Allegheny county are
desirous of unsettling settlement.
They have complied with the law of
the State by indemnifying the sufferers
through the destruction of property in
the Pittsburgh riots, but they want the
State to pay them back again 2,500,-
900. They also want the laws repealed
which make the cities of Philadelphia
and Pittsburgh specially responsible for
riot losses within their boundaries.
Both propositions are preposterous.
TIE State has already paid its due
share Of expense in putting down the
Pittsburgh rioters, and after protracted
consideration of the matter has refused
to pay more. The latter proposition is
thrust upon the attention of the Legis-
lature wrong end first 1t is right
that the counties Of Philadelphia and
Allegheny should pay for the property
destroyed by their mobs. But it is
wrong that other counties in the State
should be exempted from the same
salutary regulation. If the counties Of
Scbuykill, Carbon, Luzerne and Co.
lumbia had been legally responsible for
the destructive capers of the Molly
Maguires, and of other malevolent
organizations which have set law at
defiance within their borders, the
State would never have been disgraced
to the extent it has. The State paid
the bills. The pocket nerve of county
people was not rudely touched, and
violence finally took on a chronic form.
potency ofthis money consideration
was illustrated in startling form by
the farmers Of Northampton, who
lyncbed murderer on Monday chiefly
because it was cheaper to do SO than
to take the case into Court. We will
gladly join the citizens Of Allegheny
in prescribing for the State at large
the medicine which Philadelphia and
Pittsburgh are obliged to take But
any step backward is against the grain,
and is also against sound canons of
municipal self goverment.-Phila.
Record.
1t was suggested by enc of those
present at the poor-house meeting last
Wednesday, that a committee should
be appointed to examine the county
records for the past few years, and as
certain exactly what it has cost the
people Of this county to support their
paupers, and also to secure the reports
Of different poor-houses in order that
costs might be compared. 1t wouldn't
do to allow the man in the Moon to
appoint this committee, but if it SO
happens that there is to be an election
on this question, we think that the
county Court or County Commission
ers should appoint one or more per-
sons committee to make such investi-
cation, secure the reports, and make a
report, to be laid before the people of
the county, previous to election day.
A person present at the meeting stated
that be had looked over the township
and borough auditors reports filed and
on record for 1879, only %; and that
the expenses for keeping the poor in
these 23 districts, as shown by these
reports, aggregated over $4,000.
There are 46 poor districts in this
county at present. and if the law re-
garding filing these reports has not
been complied with, of cours" no per-
son or committee could make report
OF any value to the people Of the coun-
ty until it is complied with. But
twelve reports for the year ending
April I, 1880. have as yet been filed at
the clerks Office. The act making it
obligatory upon auditors TO file these
reports was passed in "a, and penal
~ Of 500 is attached for neglect or re-
fusal to comply with it. BY the sup
Elementary act passed in '79, the town.
ship and borough auditors throughout
the state are required to meet on the
I'd Monday Of March Of this year and
hereafter, TO andit all accounts except
these Of the schools, and the terms Of
township and borough officers com-
meDee Oh the FIST Monday Of March;