The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-02-27
Letters to the Editor
To the Editor of The Republican.

10 the EQlCOr Oh ne hepuDllcan.
Since there appears to be so much
anxiety on the part of certain indi-
viduals to get at the facts in the two
cases under discussion in the last
weeks county papers, the relief inves-
tigating committee, believing that this
information might be helpful, have
thought it proper to submit the follow
ing:
The exact information obtained by
the committee is as below stated:
In the case of Mr.. Elliott, he stated
that he had been employed at the Crel-
lin mines for the past ten years, sus-
tanned an injury in the mines last
summer, got caught in a squeeze"
and hurt his arm. Some time after this
an infectious growth developed which
was treated by a physician. He showed
US his arm. 1t looked to be nearly we'll
and stated that he had the doctors
permission to go back to work, but
the foreman at the mines would not
put him back. Elliott stated that he is
four months behind on his rent which
he owes to the Stanley Coal Co., and
that he has received direct relief of
about $4.1O per week for nearly four
months. The other information we
gathered concerning his family has no
bearing upon the subject under dis
cussion. ....
Mrs. Shope stated that she had been
employed at Mr.. Ream's for over two
months but had received no compen-
sation from him for the work. She
said she was receiving direct relief Of
$500 per week. She stated she was in
good health and has no physical handi-
caps. Other information she gave the
committee would have no bearing on
the subject under discussion.
In this connection, we wish to note
some inconsistencies in last weeks ar
ticle. They say that Mrs. Shope was
not hired as Mr.. Ream's housekeeper.
Our committee did not state that Mrs.
Shope was "hired," for the word
"hired" means Engaged for pay"
Our committee stated that this lady
was employed" as Mr.. Ream's house
keeper, which means "to furnish work
for" Mrs. Shope is employed in Mr..
Ream's home, for we saw her working
there and we have her statement to
the effect that she does all the house
work. If our worthy contenders wish
to quote US, we insist that they quote
us correctly.
AS committee, we are not interest
ed in personalities and we would not
have brought these cases to public
notice except for the fact that the
welfare board made it necessary by
referring to them first.
On the basis of population, relief
is costing more per capita here than
in any other county in the entire state
We admit that the system under which
relief is being administered is at fault
because it permits such waste, but we
must remember that it dses not make
waste mandatory. We are under the
same system as Carroll county, which
like Garrett is mostly agricultural
but has a large number of tenant far.
mers. Yet relief here costs $13.41 pei
capita, and only % cents per capita il
Carroll county. Even Allegany county
with all it's coal mines and industrial
plants, most of which were operating
under slack conditions during the
greater part of 1886, spent only SOLE
per capita compared with rural Gar.
rett county's $13.41.
1t is to be hoped that the Legislature
will discard the system that permits
such great waste, but failing in that
the next best thing to do would be t.
| try a new administrative personnel
CLIFFORD FRIEND; 4
T. C. BITTINGER
A. ]. RICHTER.