Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1889-10-30
The Town Poor Law.

We observe in recent issue of the
Sun very weighty article anent the
Town Poor Law. While the TRIBUNE
can scarcely expect to say anything
which will ut all meet the extraordi-
nary exhibition of brain power which
is shown forth in the article referred
to-and we certainly do not wish to
approximate even ITS entire lack of
honesty and truth-still we do pre-
tend to know something ABOUT this
law, and from that knowledge state,
that q "Town Poor Lawi' for the
county of Stevens was introduced and
passed the House by the representa-
tive from this district, at the request
of majority of the citizens of this
county, and that when it reached the
Senate, the distinguished friend OF
Bourbon Democracy in this district
he whose highest. ambition is to
smash the Republican party in the
And district, saw so much good In
the bill that he caused it to be
amended SO rs to include the county
of Grant. We also state as result
of our knowledge that the town sys-
tenn of caring tor ike poor has been
largely adopted throughout the
United States, and where adopted has
been found to he successful and ad-
visab!e; successful because 1T re-
duces the number of poor to be sup
ported out of the public fund and a
consequent reduction Of tax to be
levied for that purpose upon those
who are called upon TO pay; reduces
the number, because more people are
likely to impose upon the county
commissioners vi a county than up
or tie supervisors OF their own towns,
who know all about the poor and
their condition when applying for
aid; advisable for the reason that it
keeps the dependent poor scattered
pro rata with the other classes of peo-
pie, and prevents their congregating
in favorable localities for them, where
they can sooner or later, as they
surely will, form the nucleus for a
center of crime; and this can be pre-
vented ouly by the town system oil
caring for the poor which gives cen-
tiers like Morris the authority to send
back dependent poor to the places
where they properly belong; and the
sESun's objection to this and the
negative assertion that the law i:
not good because it will not be en-
forced, is simply absurd.
: We do not by this article wish tt
| approve or condemn the course ou
= representative pursued relative to Thu
, law, but we do believe that h
| acted honestly at the request of
| majority of tie people of this county
/ which, however, we presum
= would have 10 influence will
3 the SUMS ilk, which is wei
3 known to be of that party which
= does not scruple to overthrow til
true Republican principle of the rul
of the majority, and to establish il
+ lien thereof the supremacy Of tn
e minority, by the aid of the shotgun
+ necessary.
s But Notwithstanding the existenc
n of the law itself, if the Suns serb
v had taken the trouble of informin
e himself as to the law now in force i
f this state, he would have found tha
e one-fourth of the voters of this coun
n ty can call upon the county commits
y sioners at any time, to submit til
e question at the next election of re
turn to the county system of carin
T6r CLo poo.I "i,en me nIajuIlty Ges
ii can be exercised, and pursuing such
o course and laying the matter fairl
o before the people, instead of attempt
e ing to mislead, he would not hav
!, laid himself open to the charge {
o ignorance or dishonesty as a news
e paper editor.
o Now if the Sun erred through is
e norance, and knowledge was impo:
n sible or very difficult to obtain, W
e might feel some charity; but whe
g the truth could be as easily ascel
tanned as in this case, ignorance is a
most greater crime than positiv
a dishonesty when knowledge exists
y particularly with the power which
d newspaper has to mould public opir
ion, and the Sun can take either hor
- of the dilemma it pleases.