The morning call., 1893-09-23
FOR THE ORPHANS
Good Templars Oppose a
State Decision.
AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.
The State Board of Examiners Reduce
Legal Allowance to Homeless
Children.

A contest of great Importance to chari-
table institutions throughout the State is
about to begin before the Supreme Court.
Many thousands of orphans and old Deo-
pie who find asylums In ''homes" or instl-
tutions of benevolent or charitable char
acter will be affected by the decision, and
for that reason much interest Is felt in the
result.
Papers have been filed in the Supreme
Court on behalf Of the Good Templars'
Grand Lodge. which figures as contestant
in the case. The State is made defendant.
The Templars have an orphan asylum
near Vallejo. where 225 children are given
a home without distinction of creed OF
country. Among the youthful inmates
there are many orphans partly dependent
on the State for support. Their allowance
is made by the Legislature, land specifically
too, a certain amount being set for each.
For years the helpless children re-
ceived what, il is claimed. was their right
according to law, but lately the State
Board of Examiners has decided against
them, and now these orphans get about
half of what it is claimed they should have.
This is the grievance which tue Good
Templars have.
Governor Markham. Z. G. Waite, Secre-
tary of State, w. Ii. Ii. Hart, Attorney
General, and in their absence from Sacra-
mentO. the boards clerk, constitute the
State Board of Examiners. They are per-
sonally made defendants In the case now
pending.
The Good Templars' Grand Lodge re-
ferred It's case TO j. NJ. Walling of Nevada
City and ex-Judge Thompson of this city
to bring it before the Supreme COart.
Both sides announced they would not be
60 I'D wifi ha of N
tribunal. and by agreement it was az
ranged TO argue the matter about N0vem-
Der l, with Attorney Hart appearing for
the Stale.
This is a question of public impor-
tance," said ex-Judge Thompson yester-
day, when commenting on the point at
issue, because a number OF orphan asy-
lums in California have direct interest in
its determination. Ia the Good Templars'
Home there were Dds children last year.
all received on equal terms. Parents are
expected 10 pay whatever they can afford.
and II u child does not get more than $40
month he is entitled to Stale beneflceuce.
A half orphan is allowed SO year, full
orphan 500. That gives one over So
month and the other over SIS. We
claim that we are entitled to that much
from the State. Many thousand children
are in the same position as ours, as all OF
phans entitled to State aid are affected by
LDls ueclSl0n OF the Board or Examiners.
The State examiners claim that if So a
month is paid for SIX months. that makes
$50. or $40 month for three months.
Nothing Is then allowed for the remaining
three months. II is strange decision, TO
say the least. We claim the child is en-
titled to $40 for every month.
The excuse is that the State is short of
funds. Our claim of the last six months of
1892 was SS472 10. In March, 1898, we re-
ceived S7605 9S. and have since been re-
fused the balance"
Tine secret of this whole business is
this" remarked an attorney in the case,
ver-confdently. THE clerk was made
member of the State Board OF Examiners
when other members are away from Sac
lie has a salary, and wanted to
show what a useful man he could be. So
he figured out the scheme and had it car
ried through. Certainly this was never
done before he came into power"