Omaha daily bee., 1891-02-01
HOW RELIEF FUNDS ARE USED
There is Apparel tly Room for improvement
in Methods.
TALK WITHA RED WILLOW coUNTyFARMER
a Few Unworthy People Get the Benz
ctits That the Real Sufferers
Miss-The Fault of
the System.

A. NJ. Barton of Indianoa, in recent in
tervicw with BEE representative, offered a
suggestion for the adoption of a better method
OF distributing supplies to the destitute set.
tiers, which is worthy Of general attention.
4 Mr.. Barton is a member of the farmers alli-
ance and man of much cultivation.
ut is true" he said, "that great many
residents of these western counties are desti-
tute as a result Of last summers drOuth,
Many Of them need food and fuel, and many
more will need seed and feed in the spring.
But in this case, as in that Of Johnstown and
other disasters, some people who do not need
aid are getting too much Of il, and some that
need il most get none of it,"
Gould you name any such instancesP' he
was asked.
ayes, "A good many of both kinds, but it
would be unfair to Judge the whole subject
by such cases. | will mention, as an extreme
case to illustrate the point, that OF one man
whom know to have received aid regularly.
as often as twice week. since supplies have
been sent here. He has been among the
y most rampant claimants Tor assistance. A
quiet investigation demonstrated that he is
the owner of 1000 acres of land
free OF incumbrance. 300 hogs, and
seVcnty-five head of cattle He also has 800
ont at interest. He lives in the same
neighDorho ood with people who are pinched
for food and fire, but are dihident about
asking. Now, mind you, this Is no reflection
upon wealthy people, nor SuOulu III lcdu an
body to believe that there is not III uch real
destitution but 1t shows how the relief fund
sometimes mScarrieS."
us there no remedy for itr
mot under the present system Of dis
tributing supplies. 1t is practically imposSi-
for justices of the peace, who now have charge
OF the matter, to exercise a rigid scrutiny in
handling supplies, or even to refuse aid when
they know it is not needed They feel that
they cannot afford to make enemies, and
Oft thnua f.aal IA how off ord IN
neglect good opportunity to make friends at
the public expense. have heard of one JUS
tice Of the peace in western county who ha
gone TO we-to-do farmers and urged them
step up and get their share, rcmarlting that
he was willing to do them good turn and
that they would have plenty of chances to
return the compliment
"How can this difficulty be remededr
"Only by taking the matter out of the
hands of any person who has the slightest
personal, political or commercial interest in
deciding who is worthy and who Is not. |
think it would be good plan to appoint four
men TO handle the matters in each county.
Let them divide districts, each taking a sec
ton where he is not acquainted and can
therefore have no personal interest. The
best men we have would be willing to
do this public service for very small
pay. Many would do it for nothing Let
them personally investigate every case and
let their decision be final They could thus
make the most of the funds available and
the strong would no longer trample upon the
weak. 1t would be no longer necessary %
act on any mans word. The persons charged
with the responsibility would investigate
eacn case for themselves. They could also
, render II full statement of the amount of seed
and feed required in the spring. 1 believe
this method would save the state thousands
of dollars and secure aid for the people who,
though needing it most, are least likely to
get It,"
Mr. Barton said further that he knew Of
several residents of his section who could in
duce friends in the east to forward supplies,
but had declined to do it because they
thought it would be wasted. Ii system il
which they had confidence should be adopted
the supplies could be somewhat increased
from that source