Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-10-19
Communicated. /
MR.. CARPENTER, EDITOR =:

It is through your paper we wish to APP
peal to the taxpayers in general, and the
majority members Of the Board of Free
holdersin particular regarding the finan-
ces and conditions of our county as they
now exist. AS committee will to-day be
appointed by the Director Of said Boaid,
we hope it will not be such farce as a
certain committee appointed by Speaker
Avis in the House last Winter to investi-
gate certain charges made relating to the
Morris and Essex canal legislation.
We have no complaint to make of the
Steward or Matron Of the institution, but
of the manner they are compelled to care
for the unfortunates, from what the majority
of the committee defends as economy to the
taxpayers. We claim no taxpayer in the
county wants its wards neglected as to care
and attention for the paltry difference in
his or her tax.
Now this great Republican Organization
Of our county in this campaign is making
great efforts to gather with them the labor
ing vote and tell the workingmen how bit
terly they are opposed to pauper labor
Now the only institution they have directly
under their control, the Steward is COM
PEELED to run, excepting one outside man
on the farm, with pauper labor. At this
writing we have twelve paid patience from
the State, and eight hospital patience, all
under the care OF one kind old man, by the
name OF Tony Ryan, who was regularly
committed under the poor laws Of the State,
and brought to the institution as public
charge. He is old and infirm and is ex-
pected to attend to the wants OF those
twenty sick and insane both night and day.
We have by this time right to expect
that the Director has appointed the COM
mittee asked for by the resolutions adopted
by the convention and referred to the Demo-
cratic members of the same Board Now
we wish to make few suggestions to them
as to what we think is their duty to ascer-
tain:
First. To ascertain from the Solicitor of
the Board if the statute does not provide
how such an institution should be con-
structed, also how conducted as to the keep
ing of the inmates? If the statute is not
daily violated and the members liable 70
indictment and the county subject to a fine
Of twenty dollars day for each and every
day they allow it tosscontinue as it is?
Second. Its their duty to ascertain if the
statute does not say how the insane should
be cared for, when the State pays two dol
lars per week for their keeping.
Third. They should take up the report
of the committee on Aims House, figure
out the number Of meals served to ali the
inmates, be they hale and hearty, indis-
posed or insane. Take the grocery, shoe
and clothing bills, add thereto. and it will
show where the Steward has always been
handicapped, and where the taxpayers
money goes.
Fourth. We would like to know from
this committee if there is such a law upon
bllt Stdbut6 buuhS budb IidkeS IL all lDulct-
able offence to take exceptions to the finan-
cial report of county treasurer or any of
the committees | have before me in
figures the following: Board appropriation,
S650o.0o; from State for care Of insane,
$4,000; from board, $4,000; from sales of
farm products $4,000, in all, So, 700 90
Compare them?
Now, Mr.. Carpenter, Compare them we
hope you will not take the advice of the Edi-
tor of the Constitution and cast this in the
waste basket, as it may have tendency to
better conditions. Knowing as | do, the
Editor Of the Constitution from boyhood, at
any Other time but this, with his machine
wrecked from Bergen 10 Cape May be is
devoting ali his time trying to save some
over this little tokentrom the cyclone that is
to sweep county on November 7th. We have
figares and specification when wanted.
J.T.s.