Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-05-07

done at the diecrstion Of one or more m ernbers
Board with record thereof, followed by eoniTsct
nled or recorded for the inspestion Of the pub
lie ~ the Statute direcis is direct violation Of
law, and wbether or not The eounty's Interest
is thereby enhanced can be at best but matter
Of opinion; Il is q bad precedent, and in improp-
er hands, may lead 20 collusions which the
Statutes are intended TO check or prevent.
PooR FUND.
In this fund and In the proceedings Of the In
an aesysyated instance of = policy similar 70
that OF the Commissioners criticised by us In
our review OF the disbursement OF the bridge
fund. We had all the members OF the Board Of
Infirmary Directors before us with their Supt.,
and carefully reviewed the entire management
Of this fund.
We tind that the Infirmary has been well and
properly managed in 80 far as its finances are
concerned, and that with the number and char.
acter OF inmates, has been as economically con-
Quoted as can reasonably be demanded.
In the matter OF relief TO outside poor, we find
much the greater part Of the expense, and the
chief cause flr structures upon the manner ofits
disbursement.
Temporary or partial relief in townships
of counties having an Inhrmary, and
Sections - ct. seq., especially VA and
| g75 provides the manner that bills for such re-
lief shall be presented to such directors and how
| and to what extent paid from the county poor
fund as well as how such relief may be further
| continued ana recovered from SalO lunu, ana
all such relief is 10 be extended by the respec-
| tive townships, upon such terms as the Direct
ors prescribe; the bill therefore to be again re-
viewed by the directors before the payment, SO
| that If any Board of Trustees pay improper or
exorbitant bills therefor. the Directors by al
| lowing only proper amount, may make such
| township pay such improper bills and the ex-
cess Of such as are exorbitant: We cannot pub
l.lish the laws on the subject in this form, but
| recommend them to the careful perusal of Di-
rectors Of Infrmares and Trustees, Clerks and
| Treasurer's of Township. We find that in the
matter of such outside relief the 1nhrmary Di-
| rectors have never dealt with townships at all
but have treated directly with the individuals
hclaiming relief, and this of all kinds, whether
F'medical services, clothing, food or funeral furn.
| ishings, and in two instances with the owner OF
houses which they rented for the occupancy Of
families under the name Of partial or temporary
reliefto them, and this has been OF over two
years duration, and in one instance at least
they have paid each year as rent more than the
| house is worth.
And so with gr0cerymen doctors, and many
Others claiming to have extended relief to the
poor; their bills therefor have been presented
and allowed and paid by the Directors without
any finding by any competent authority that
the recipient was entitled to public relief, or any
of the forms of the law complied with but in
such summary manner, all questions are
grouped into the presentation of the bill, and
all lawfully constituted authority is waived and
consent OF parties vested in said directors. And
such has been the practice for years.
1t is but due to the present Board to say that
they do not claim their proceedings in that re-
gard to be anything more than following of
the traditions of the office, coming down through
a long line of preeedents, and do not claim to
have ever known the law governing the conduct
of their office, and complain to that they have
never been furnished with copy ofthe statutes,
such course is also defended by of said direc-
tors on the ground of eXpedency and economy
your committee knows no expedency or econ
omy in the disbursement of public monies
other than the course pointed out by law-and
by reference to it we repeat herein all that We
have said on that subject under the Bridge
Fund with the addition that in this case, q strict
enforcement of the law would enure to public
benefit, and cast upon Townships the, burden due
to the incompetency or delinquency of their
officials.
This whole subject of relief to outside poor is
one fraught with injustice to the public, and of
which the worthy poor get 10 benefit
This fund, with all the machinery of the law
around it, is liable to be plundered by the pro-
fessOnal reliever of the necessities of the poor,
and the practice adopted is certainly no i'm
provement on the law as protection of the
public interest," nor is it in the interest of the
| worthy poor in whose favor it were well to err,
but the middle men, are the beneiciaries.
1t is proper to say that the Board of Directors
is composed of honest, conscientious men who
inform us that they have already cut off the
rent roll above referred to, and will undertake
to reform this whole subject and require a COM
pliance with the law in all matters pertaining
hereto.
We recommend that the Commission ers fur
nish said Board with copy of the stat utes Al
once, which is respectfully submitted
R..W.CAHILL.
| W. STEPHENSON.
J.P. RAGAN,
Committe c.