The diamond drill., 1917-11-10


as they certainly had right to do,
and they began diyerting their wid-
owed poor charges 70 the county. The
widows pension began to grow, and
many unjust charges were made
against the judge OF probate who was
simply doing his duty in granting re-
lief. which ought TO have been grant =
ed by the local authorities. In other
words, he was made the goat
The upshot OF this agitation was
that Judge Rite and the supervisors
got together and at board meeting
at which the writer was present, the
probate Judge explained the whole
situation. and told the supervisors
plainly that he would much rather
that the relief should be given thru
the regular channels and that he
would be glad TO have the responsible
ity for granting aid taken OF his
shoulders but so long as il was shown
him that sufficient aid was not given
widows IL became his duty TO grant a
pension; that II the supervisors would
work with him he would gladly refer
10 the supervisor of the township
from which the application came the
request for aid and that he would be
guided very much by the response
from the local poor official in such
cases, This suggestion met with gem
eral approval and tacit agreement
was then and there entered into be-
tween the probate judge and the SUI
peryisors that they would work to-
gether. the Reporter editors state
ment to the contrary Notwithstanding
For the balance OF Judge Rites term
very little was heard OF the widows
pension excepting that the superyis-
ors complained that they were unable
to provide for il in the annual budget
as they never knew just what 1t
as they never knew Just what il would
amount to and as a result the contin-
gent fund was sometimes depleted
unknowingly.
II was not until after Judge Rite
had gone out OF office and his success
or was administering the fund that
there came any more general COM
planning about the widows pensions.
The late Judge Lott relied, as is stat
ed by the Reporter, upon the investi-
cations Of the county agent but wheth-
er his actions in all cases were based
upon an investigation by the county
agent we are unable to say. AT any
rate, he was within his right and
was doing what he thought was right
when he made his allowances.
The specific complaint mentioned
brought out suspicious OF similar cas-
es and when the board was appealed
to by the Iron County Taxpayers as
sociation, it sought iu good faith 70
find some means TO remedy the trou-
Bile and the committee was appointed
as we have stated
This general committee consisted Of
Supervisors Richards Burge and
Corbett and Messrs. Conlin, Lawrence
and Minckler, and they were told 20
have report ready for the annual
meeting
This general committee met and di-
vided into subcommittee, one TO
study the township system and see II
1t could be perfected so as to efficient
ly dispose Of the widows pension mat
ter, one to study the county poor sys-
TENS and their effectiveness in connec-
ton with the widows pension act and
a third committee was appointed 10
gather statistics showing costs, etc,
under both systems
The subcommittee on county sys-
TENS made the report which was print,
ed in the annual meeting and this re-
port was made the report OF the gen
eral committee by the chairman who
pre1ented IL to the board as such. \
The Reporter complains because in
its report the committee took five
months under the widows pension.
This complaint is is own evidence OF
the smallness and OF the naggins
character OF the whole articles. The
committee took what figures II was
able to get at that time and had no
/ thought OF selecting any period OF the
year. It's only object was to get as
nearly as possible the cost II might
have taken seven months in the prev
ious year, but as matter OF fact il
didn't think anyone would be SO plcay-
unish as TO raise the question OF its
not being fairly representative OF the
entire year.