The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-11-08
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1889.
THE POOR

THE POOR.
1.-The poor yehave always with you"
This is rs true now as when spoken
ninteen hundred years ago, aud will
be Us true two Thousand years hence,
liz the world last and human nature
remains the same.
The problem of the support of the
weak, the sick, the helpless, and the
shiftless so that they shall be properly
cared for and yet contribute as far as
possible to their own support is yet
unsolved.
In savage nations, the barbarous
solution is to treat the sick to such
heroic treatment that they either die
or get well quickly, and the old or
otherwise permanently disabled people
are knocked in the head rs one would
All old horse who had outlived his use.
fulness. Civilized people however have
made it law and custom that the
poor are entitled to life and u certain
share of the necessaries connected
Herewith.
While here in Dakota, we have but
a small percentage of paupers yet
there are enough to cause grave dis.
cussion rs to their proper and eco.
nomical care; and this question has
been brought into prominence by the
election of this week. At the pres.
ent writing. it appears that the ques.
tion of buying poor farm has been
overwhelmingly defeated; that in it..
self makes but little difference us it
was experimental anyway, and 10.
body can say whether it is really better
or worse for the county to buy OF not
to buy. 1twould take circumstances
and time to develop its good or bad
traits, and there is no doubt that it
will be brought before the people at
some future day. But during the
discussion, we have found wide.
spread and deep.seated distrust, as to
the present methods of taking care of
the poor; and the average voter be-
lieves that the charges for support of
the county poor are exorbitant, that
many unworthy persons are being sup.
ported, that certain merchants are
favored with the trade to the exclus.
sion of others; and so wild and suspic.
ious have some persons become, we
have heard it charged that merchants
who have allowed poor persons to run
a hill which they cannot collect, send
their bills in to the commissioners for
collections. Ihe PIONEER EMPRESS
does not s,ose AS the defender of the
commissioners. hut rs we have had
occasion to he with the board IL great
deal. in various capacities. we wish to
testify that we believe the commiss.
toner's as Il board, have acted honest.
ly aud faithfully between the necessi.
ties of the poor and the treasury of
the county. The system on which
they run the poor business is this;
each commissioner takes personal
cognizance of the poor of his own dis.
trict. Between the meetings of the
board, the resident commissioner
grants relief according to his Judge.
ment and ut the next meeting of the
board reports OH the case for the APP
prevail of the board. The paupers are
rarely granted cash, but are given or.
ders on neighboring merchants for
goods, itenized to each lauper. are ex.
amined and o. KID by the commiss.
Toner giving the orders, before being
passed 10y the board. and it is stand
ing rule, that no bill for a panper be
paid unless previously ordered by 8
commissioner, and it is only in excep-
tional cases, such as sickness and death
at distance from a commissioner etc,
that this rule is departed from.
The fault of the commissioners
seems to be that the proceedings as
printed do not give the taxpayers a
chance to judge for themselves as to
how their money ia being spent. The
proceedings show only, that certain
bills involving large sums, are paid to
various merchants. doctors and others,
ION account Of poor" or at best in al,
indefinite manner.
We would suggest that the com.
missioners would satisfy the tax.pay.
ers much better, and save themselves
from much criticism, if they would
publish the names, residences, and
weekly, monthly or temporary allow
ances of all paupers, either at regular
meetings or annexed to the quarterly
statements of the auditor.