The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-08-27
English Pauperisln In Is49.
From the Manchester Times, Augu

Board, formerly the Poor-law Commission)
although dated the 3lst December, 1919, has not
been more than a fortnight in priAt, and yet, SO
important is its subject matter, we feel as if we
had already too long delayed 10 notice it. We do
not now intend to NEEDLE with any of the "vexed
questions" which readily suggest themselves in
connection with document OF this kind-such as
the causes and cure of pauperism, and the best
mode of mana ging or employing paupers. On the
present occasion, shall limit ourselves TO laying
before our readers those facts and figures which
must be the basis of all just speculation on such
questions.
During the year ended Lady Day, 1S49, the sum
actually expended for the relief of the poor in Eng
land and Wales, was G5, 792, 1863 during the year
ended Lady Day, 1913, the sum similarly applied
was 96, ls0,765, showing decrease of expendi-
ture in the more recent year of G3S7 SOP, or GO
6s. per cent And if the increase of population
in the more recent year is duly taken into account,
and the rate per head on the whole population
of pauper expenditure is struck, il will be found
that in lS4S every man, woman, and child in
England and Wales, paid Is. lid for the relief
Of the poor, while in lsi9, he, she, and it, paid
decrease of I'D. per head. Or If, instead of
looking at the money expended, we look at the
number of paupeTs relieved, we find still decrease.
In COZ unions, with population estimated TO be
near upon sixteen millions, on the LIST of January,
1919, 9S7 900 persons were receiving relief, while in
the same unions on the lst Of January, 1850, the
number relieved had decreased q, 32i, decrease
which, taking into account the increase OF popula-
ton, amounts TO per cent. Aud, finally, II may
be worth mentioning, that, as nearly as We can
calculate, out of every seventeen persons in Eng
land and Wales, on the LIST of January, 1850, one
was receiving parochial relief either in or out of
the workhouse. As compared with the parochial
year of ISIS, that OF 1919 shows decrease of pau
pers, and of money, spent on them, which IS. SO
far, satisfactory. But our satisfaction is diminished
when we remember that the parochal year OF 1913
is the worst we have had since the New Poor Law
Act came into operation, in lSSo. II we compare
1919, not with lSiS, but say with 1859, We shall
how little reason there is for Sc lgratulation 1889
was a year of prominent distress, the average
rice Of wheat being higher than for any twelve
month lsI9 VIZ. Cos Id. per quarter, and yet
in 1889 the rate per heed Of amount expended in re-
liefto the poor on the estimated population was
only los. SID Ian amount enhanced, no doubt, by
the high price Of provsions), while in 1919, with
wheat ruling so low Comparatively as i9s. Id,
the rate per head was, as we have already stated,
Us. 6td being an increase, after ten years of the
New Poor-law, of 81 per head In 1915, there
fore, the disease OF psupersm may be said to have
reached its acme in Isis, il begirs to show symp-
toms Of abatement, but the symptoms are, as yet,
too slight to found hopes Of speedy recovery on.
Il may be interesting TO know what proportions
the varying elements OF English pauperism bear TO
each other, and the valuable tables and statements
IN the present report afford the means of approxi
mately determining them We do not know what
was the number of paupers or of each class OF
paupers relieved the LIST Of January, 1850, in all
the unions Of England and Wales; but we do
know these details for COZ unions and single
parishes, with estimated population OF l5,9tj,-
eco, number so large as TO afford most satisfac-
population. On the Ist Of January, 1850, there
received relief in these COZ unions and parishes,
924, 672 persons. From the tables before us we
enabled thus TO analyze, with something like accu-
racy, this fghtful mass OF destitution and wretch
edLess -
Total number relieved in round numbers say 92I SEQ
Insane. in round numbers about. ......... 4soo
Migrants, in round numbers, about. 1890. 1000
Able bodied adults finale and female), In round
Male and female adaits tmosiiy aged and in.
frn), In round numbers. about. COS 900
Children under TO- in round numbers about sos 600
Total. .......... .e2i,sVO
In this statement (Which pretends to nothing
more than approximate accuracy, II will be OBJ
served that the number Of children under Ii, and
OF aged intlrm adults are the same, aud that these
two classes constitute the great bulk OF our pau
persm. The number OF able-bodied adults
(Which we have put down at 170,500), is stated IN
the report to be 1000 and OF these the same
authority informs no less than 3d. are
widows receiving outdoor relief! And further,
taking the total relieved as above, s2i eDO-we
will not, calculating from the data in the report go
far wrong, II we thus separate them into the two
great politico-economical divisions -
Indoor. ................ ll5 coo
Outdoor.. ..'''s'.ss' s'''.'.s' soV'i@0V
Total .oAsoo
The report lays some stress on the reduc-
ton in the number Of Migrants relieved from 1871
on the LIST OF July, 1885, TO 1852 on the LIST July,
1919, decrease Of s,O52, or 5sI Ter cents yet as
the expense and amount Of vsgrancy bear very
small proportion indeed TO the total expense and
amount OF pauperism, there is not much TO be said
upon that matter. On this subject, however, It
made by Mr.. H. b. Fsrpall, the inspector Of a
district which includes parts OF the counties OF
Derby, Lincoln, Nottingham, Stafford, and the
whole East Riding Of Yorkshire. "The addition"
SAYS this gentleman, ''of baths 20 the vagrant
wards accompanied by strict search Of the persons
and clothes Of Migrants, proves 10 be singularly
successful in checking mendicancy; for while under
the direction 81 the medical officer, the bath pre-
sents no annoyance but Is rather the TO the
really destitute wayfarrr; u IL destructive OF the
most dexterous exredents Of those who are artih-
csly made up for the profession Of begging, and Is
extremely troublesome 10 those who carry about
them the means Of supplying their own niece ssities
Emigration and education are the other chef
points which the report touches, and lie APP
PeDdix details information. ON the hrst OF these
poinis, the report observes-"While emigration TO
Canada has greatly diminished during the year,
that To- the Australian colonies and 20 the Cape OF
Good Hope has much increased. The aid which
the government affords TO emigration TO the latter
colonies has been the main cause of this increase,
az by such aid, the cost Of the parishes or unions
has been brought below that Of emigration. An
other circumstance favorable TO emigration to the
Cspe aid Australia IL, that II In open d1ring the
Whole year, while that TO the North American
colonies is limited to some months ofthe year only
The total number ofpaupers who have emigrated
at The public expense during the year 1919, is All,
at the total cost Of fI2, 800 As regards edusaiion,
the efforts Of the board to extend and form school
districts, and supply competent teachers and proper
sebcolbooks, are, no doubt, prsiseworthy; bat so
long 90 the country Is without system OF national
education, such efforts serve only TO recall the
melancholy dictum-"The Englishman has two
universities, the workhouse and the Jail"
We conclude with liz, Of seven counties which
stand out in prominent =, leffor the amount Of their
paupefism. The money column represents the sum
erpeuded in the relief Of the poor during the