Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 September 1903 — THE POOR FARM. [ARTICLE]

THE POOR FARM.

Let us urge the friends of The Democrat to patronize the firms that advertise in The Democrat. And tell them that’s where you saw their invitation.

“Are there any butter and eggs being sold from the poor farm? If so, why are the receipts from this source not included in the superintendent’s reports?” asks a reader of The Democrat. No doubt the superintendent can answer this question.

The state fair this year, so far as exhibits was concerned, is said to have been the best in its history. Had the weather proved good the attendance would also have been a record-breaker. As it was the board will have a small balance left after paying exponses.

The resolution adopted by the Commercial Club directors shows that the day of the street carnival is passing. Street carnivals have been “good things” for the people who are always after “good things,” but they have never been good things for the people who want good things.—lndianapolis News.

Hon. Leroy Templeton has refused to “cougji up” to Tax-Ferret Workman and hie crowd over in Beuton county, and it is safe to say that this will end the matter. From the experience in this county with the same “ferrets” it seems only to be necessary for the proposed victims to emphatically refuse to submit to a re-valuation and re-assessment to send the ferrets to other and greener pastures.

The poor farm report made by ez-Sapt. Clark on his retiring from the enperintendency of same was not approved by the connty commissioners, for the reason, it was stated, that the report was not sworn to. The last report of Supt. Bine, containing ail that long list of expenditures published by The Democrat last week, Was likewise not sworn to, yet it bears this endorsement: “September Term, 3d day, 1903, examined and approved. Abraham Hallbox.” BPK.-V* eHr - J- ■ r *

Fowler Leader: lam in favor of Frank Hanly for Governor providing that Rider Haggard of the Lafayette Journal is sure of being nominated for Lt. Governor and Dan Storms for secretary of state, and further providing that if there is any other person from Lafayette who wants a state office he admitted to the combine. Commenting editorially on the action of the Indianapolis Commercial Club in resoluting against street fairs and carnivals the Indanapolis Daily Sun says: The commercial Club is right in declaring that street carnivals are a nuisance. The history of the street fair and carnival business shows that these concerns are demoralizing in more ways than one. In the first place, the general make-up of the crowd that composes a carnival outfit is generally of the rougher sort. A carnival leaves behind a trail that no city cares to see. In the next place a carnival attacts a crowd that assumes a license to do as it pleases and be as rough and loud as possible. Such crowds are breeders of evil and vice, not because it is a crowd, but because it takes liberties that are bad. Anything goes with a carnival crowd. Nothing seems to be barred, no kind of action or language is held back. Therefore, its influence is bad. Again, the blockading of a street is a violation of the law and no one has any right to commit the violation or permit it to be done. Such a blockade is a danger to life and property. Indianapolis has bad enough of carnivals. It has seen what they are and has felt the effects. It wants no more of them. A carnival leaves a bad taste in the month of any city.

At the end of the first month of his reign at the poor farm, Mch. 1,1903, Supt. Blue’s report showed: Bxpenaea *129 36 Receipt! 12 98 Deficit $126 38 His next report was for the full quarter, ending May 31, and it showed: Expenses ~sßl6 40 Receipts 344 12 Deficit... ..$472 28 The last report, for the quarter ending August 31, shows: Expenses , $1,094 14 Receipts 086 07 Deficit $ 406 07 It will thus be seen that the net deficit for the last seven months has been $1,006.77, or abottt $l5O per month. During this time there has been from eight to ten inmates of the poor asylum, and the net deficit during this time would have paid the board of each one at the best hotel in Rensselaer and left a small balance for clothing. There is, also, less of almost everything on the farm than there was last February. Mr. Clark left 2,500 bushels of oats and 1,500 bushels of corn, practically all of which has disappeared, and yet the total receipts from all sources since Mr. Blue has been in charge is but $1,043.17. The corn and oats alone left by Clark were worth $1,400! Clark left, among other things, 27 head of cattle, 63 head of hogs, 2,500 bushels of oats, 1,500 bushels of corn. Now there are but 17 head of cattle, (including calves) 73 head of hogs, (including pigs), 1,300 bushels of oats, 200 bushels of oorn and 869 bushels of wheat