Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 73, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 December 1912 — NOT A MATTER OF POLITICS. [ARTICLE]

NOT A MATTER OF POLITICS.

Best Interests of All Concerned Demand Change Should Be Made at Pqpr Farm. Ju’st what means will be taken to remove the superintendent of the poor farm, who has been asked by thecommissioners to resign and has refused to do so, remains to be seen. The last grand jury visited the farm and reported everything in good shape and the inmates well cared for, but the commissioners refused to accept the report. Four of the more intelligent inmates- say in a signed statement made to The Democrat on their own violition, -that no members of the grand jury ask them any questions whatever as to their treatment, which they claim is very had, and that the food is bad. Whether or not this is altogether true, are unprepared to say; but the members of the county board of charities, as wel* as the couniy commissioners think that a feeling exists between the inmates and the superintendent that can never be healed ovet, and that in the interests of all concerned Mr. Nichols should resign—would want to in fact. And Mr. Denham, the republican member of the board, has been if anything more outspoken than either of the democrat members. The truth of these statements can be verified by consulting members of the board of charities or the commissioners. Why, in the face of aif this, Mr. Nichols would want to hang on, when he was given an opportunity to resign without any publicity, is indeed strange. The Democrat knows nothing whatever concerning the reports of ill treatment complained of by the inmates, although we have heard it from several different inmates during the past five years, but the attempt to make it appear that the desire of the county commissioners to make a change in' superintendent is merely to put a democrat in the place is the veriest kind of rot. The fact that the republican member of the board and one republican member of the board of charities are outspoken in favor of a change, gives the lie to any such presumption.