The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-20
SUPERVISING A STEWARD.
The County Boards Expensive Non.
sense---MOre OF the 'Much Ado
AbOut Nothing"

The recent action over the stew ardship
of the poor farm has certainly demon
strated the fact that there is either very
incompetent element in the board or that
the present system is greatly at fault.
Perhaps it is both; at any rate the lime
and EXPENSE consumed in doing nothing
in the recent case is most deplorable and
very annoying to the tax payers. 1t IS not
the purpose of the ARGUS to uphold Mr.
Robertson if he has conducted himself
in a censurable manner in his
management of the poor farm, or
to urge his retention il there be suitable
grounds for his removal. Fair play,
though, is asked and demanded, and if
Mr. Robertson has abused his trust at the
poor farm, he should have been removed
some time ago. On the other hand, as
the board, after a thorough investigation,
has found that the charges have not been
subStantiated, the steward is right in re-
| fusing to shoulder blame and disgrace
which he has not been guilty of. HIS &C
ton in emphatically refusing to resign is
commendable; it is as manly defense as
he could have made; manly defense to
those of the board who have sought to
displace and shame him without cause.
If Mr.. Robertson has done his duty
faithfully, he has right to the office I'M
til the expiration Of his term.
| An investigation of any charges props
erly preferred, and coming from compe-
tent sources. is right, and the board
sought the proper mode of conducting
that investigation by designating com
mittee of its own members for such q
purpose. But it now appears that the
appointment of that committee was q
farce; that there was determine ton
among certain of the members to GUST
Robertson, whether the charges were
substantiated or not. The appointment
of that COmmtte was simply Il blind to
cover up the intentions of those mem,
bers; a committee appointed in hopes
that a report would be brought in adverse
to Mr. Robertson, and thus make thai
committee responsible for his dismissal
lnasmuch. however, as the committee
report was not satisfactory to those MEN,
bers they showed their determination t.
remove him whether or no, by asking hi,
resignation after the committee had re
ported that there was no ground for hi,
removal. The remarkable inconsistency
of Supervisor Ryder was again demon
strated in the committee on the whole
meeting yesterday afternoon Wher
confronted with the fact that he haC
voted in the negative when it came tC
accepting the report of the committee o
which he was chairman, he said that HI
q had voted as he did under misunder
standing, that if anyone had told hin
that he had voted against his own report
he would have called them big liar.
He was then given the privilege Of chang
ing his vote, but strange to say, the recor,
shows no minute of his improving tn
opportunity.
The expense attending this little fool
ishness' will be of interest to tax payers
at least. The petition from the citizen
of Moline asking Steward Robertson
removal, was presented to the board O
the second day of the March meeting
March .. 1t was laid over until the mex
dav and finally it was not disposed of I'm
til the fourth day, when the committe
was appointed. The matter, hover, dir
Enot rest there; It consumed more or les
time during the balance of the session
1t entered into everything that wa
brought up, and intcrfered with the de
liberations of the board upon all subjects
1t delayed an adjournment for three day
and the board occupied week in dis
posing of what they would ordinarily hav
done in four days. The supervisors get
SO 50 per day while the board is in ses,
sion, with mileage at the rate of five cent
per mile each way The county was at al
expense of not less than $65 per day dur
ing this prolonged session of one week
and the three extra days in which tn
cOunty's interests were ignored, an ex
} pense of $l9S was incurred The com
mittee was at work one week upon tn
! Investigation, and the members were al
T lowed the same compensation as when OF
board duty, making the cost $3.50. Will
the incidental expenses, etc, the cost o
this investigation will amount to betweel
800 and $500.
The committee made searching ant
conscientious report, and then one of tn
supervisors who was not satisfied wit
INT ItJOTJ Calltu u u NDlttWaSHtu com
I mittee." The board went into com
= mittee on the whole to in
vestig ate its own committee, an
. came out as wise as before. A gentle
t man this morning called the present boar
: IAN irresponsible body-the worst boar
In the state" Perhaps he expressed i
, little too strong, though the recen
r action has started the public to thinkin!
there is something out of place; perhap
it is the board and maybe it is the system
One thing is certain, and that is that tn
I larger the board the less responsible
is, and it might be wise policy to g
back to the old way of having the coun
, tvs affairs transacted by five commission
3 ers and electing them at large Many O
the members are mortified and disguste
with the recent proceedings. Supervise