The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-26

The committee say in their report:
After a careful investigation we find
that the farm has only seven inmates that
are entitled under the law to share the
pauper fund. That the farm is maintain
ing at a heavy expense to the county
twenty-five people in no way entitled TO
participate in the benefits of the pauper
fund. and that the farm is being used as
an industrial home for the benefit of
limited few instead of being used for the
purpose for which it was originally in
tended.
The expense for maintaining the farm
is large largely out of proportion in COM
Darison with the number benefited,
amounted last year to something over
5000
We learn that the County Commission
ers without any legal authority so far
as we-are able to discover, have caused TO
be erected upon this farm an academy
costing at a liberal estimate about SSyO;
this academy is not only patronized by
fhe INDECENT children of this farm but
largely from outside sources, all OF which
we insist is wrong in practice ana IN
principle.
It is wrong in practice, for 1t Is an eN-
| traVagance to erect building OF TINS
proportion and maintain it for the Dur
| nose Of educating the few children that
are inmates of this Institution, When
some spare room -ef the farm builolng
could have subserved the same purpose
It is wrong in principle, in that it
brings in daily contact children of in
dependent parents with those that are
| dependent, and this association is not eal-
culated to lift up to the higher plane the
young and plant minds of the children
whose parents are self sustaining. IT this
practice is legal, the county will be called
upon to erect school houses in all other
districts, that the children of all these
citizens might share the liherality of the
county alike.
We also find that the county farm is
| in no way self sustaining; its expendi-
| lures largely exceed it sincome and the
benefits given. AS 1t stands to-day it is
an octopus that is drinking up the taxes
| of the people and giving assistance ana
suecor TO very limited few.
In the light of facts recited, and Of the
/ further fact that it is costing this county
| more to sustain the paupers Of the coun-
! ty, and only a few participating, than 1t
| did formerly when a much larger num-
Der shared its liberality, we respectfully
recommend that the farm and all prop
| erty incident thereto be disposed of TO
! the best possible advantage, the proceeds
| of the sale turned back into the county
| treasury, and some more feasible plan
taken care of upon more economical
| basis.
There has been much talk pro and con
INDUCED In since the reading OF. the re-
port, and il remains to be seen what
steps the Commissioners will take in the
matter, whether they will dispose of the
farm as directed by the grand jury. or
| continue as heretofore. ignoring the rec
ommme ndation Of the grand jury.
They recommend Judge j. S. Williams
to succeed himself as judge of the city
! Court, and indorse j. Walter Bennett for
solicitor of the City Court that the sal
airy of the City Court judge be changed
from $500 to $500 per annum, and re-
quest the representative to urge the pas
sage OF an act affecting this change.
1t is recommended that the County
! Commissioners donate SIS to the Industrial
Home at Macon, Ga, 10 be paid out OF
the county funds.