Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-02
THE COUNTY'S AIMS.
sUPERvISORIAL CHARITY WHICH
Is NEVER INVESTIGATED.
Nearly $4,000 Year Given to the
Poor, Besides the Cost Of the
Poor Farm and County
Hospitai.

Tho board of supervisors have one
especial power which is susceptible of
great good or almost unlimited harm
the allowing of money and support to
aged indigents, and the care of indi-
gents generally.
Very few people are aware of the
thousands of dollars in coin that are
annually allowed by the board to poor
people who come within the provisions
of the law for the support of that class.
The newspapers have been requested
not to mention the names of the indi-
gents who are helped out of the public
funds, and they have almost invariably
acceded to the request.
Hardly a day goes by without some
allowance of this kind. There are hun
dreds of people throughout the county
who have had the benefit of this unob-
trusive and practical charity without
being heralded to the world as receiving
it, and there are many old people
descending towards the valley of death
who would reach the end of their Jour-
ney very much more quickly were it not
for this timely assistance. The board
is annually expending about SIS, 900 in
this manner.
There are quitea large number of peo-
pie OF both sexes drawing $40 to SIS a
month regularly from the county, and
others who are supplied with clothes
and provisions, without which they
would starve. The pay roll of indipents
includes between 200 and $50 names.
This kind of care of the poor is exclu-
sive of the county hospital and poor
farm, and is direct outlay, designed to
reach the class of poor people who are
not so entirely helpless as to enter the
regular county in stitutions. It is rem
dered possible by the state law which
has provided fund for this especial
kind of charity.
So unlimited is the discretion of the
board of supervisors in the matter that
they may be said to be practically law
unto themselves in their allowance of
aid to the aged INDECENT, and unless
great care is exercised they are liable to
abuse the extraordinary jurisdiction
which they possess.
1t would be good subject for inves-
tigation. The supervisors may very
easily use the means in their hands to
further ulterior purposes, although
some safeguards are thrown about the
distribution of the funds. No money
can be allowed any person who does not
first make affidavit to his or her neces-
stiles. Yet such provision can be
evaded by the board and the applicants
by the recklessness with which an affi-
davit may be given. The names are
never published, and no one outside of
the board and the applicant have here
tofore known anything about the differ
,,,x ,.l I'd, L
given.
this species of benevolence has been
count OF Les Angeles county with the
| state. By the provisions of the statutes
the state refunds to the different coun-
ties certain amount for each INDECENT,
namely ST. Only few months ago the
state refunded $4,000 to Los Angeles
county for money expended in this
manner.
1t is very suggestive thing as to slim
safeguards hedging about the law, and
the carelessness of it's construction by
the board of supervisors that they put
in claim for a much larger sum than
that refunded. Their claim included all
the money which they had allowed, and
did not confne itself within the limit
set by the state. The state board of ex-
aminers sent clerk down to Los An
geles, who went through the records
tho roughly, and as a result Of his inves-
tigation the county's claim was cut down
to the $34 900 mentioned.
1t is no doubt good thing to show
proper generosity for the care of the in
digent, but it would seem to be wise
provision that would enforce proper
scrutiny Of such expenditures. The
state board of examiners found similar
state of the accounts in nearly every
county investigated, and their claims
were cut down in every instance very
materially.
1t is very difficult thing to get at the
inside facts in the matter, because the
books do not disclose anything save the
afidavits of the recipients Of the money,
but it would be very good safeguard
for the board to publish the names of
the people in the county now on the
INDECENT pay rolls. 1t might reveal
some very interesting facts.
Mrs. Nancy Wirts, 1901 Caroline street, Bal
timore, Md. thus gives her experience "We
have used DR.. Bulls Cough Syrup, and have