The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1861-12-11
THE NEw W YORK sun
MORNING, DEC. II, 1s6l.
The Poor Of Ne,r York.

ding at sI3 '2j % against collections amouat
ins 10 80 SO js leaving 81. lOs 81 due tn,
| Treasurer.
The families relieved during the wear amoun
to S,5j2 In 1853, which was yer Of I'LL sht
ed harycsts 1854 families were relieved; in
1866, 10s'ii in 1860, $. $50, showing that in
tho present year of rebellion AMI civil war
tho average of dc'titution is forty. six
per cent. less than in 1859: thir.
ty-nino per cent. less than in 1857, and thir.
ty-two per cent. less than the average of the
preceding six years. Tho Almshouso statistics
exhibit similar result.
The seeming anomaly Of no increased dcsti
tuition, and yet war, is accounted for by the un-
usual prosperity Of the preceding year, tho
mildness Of the winter, and tho chcapnoss Of
fool, which have erablcd the more providcnt TO
live without assistance, while only tho thrilt
less who usually become clargeaLle to tho As.
to.iation, even in the most favorable seasons,
were reduced to dcstitutiou.
This Report proves that the working cl,ssos
Ct this city are eminenily industrious and con-
scryative; and tho fact that tho Report Of the
Bank Department at Albany show, sum Of
$40, 100000 Invested in III Savings Bank, of
this city is adduccd to show that there is not ONLY
70 immediate danger ofbrcad riots but also that
our mechanics and lalorers form the guanite
base tf sccicty, an1 may 10 -aicly relied on for
tho preservation Of law and order, against the
inroads Of political jisorgsni1a,ion AM anarchy.
New York, 1t tappcay', has fewer pcrsons en-
gagged in manufacturer Than any other Ameri
can city, and most Of our ptupcrs belong to
this class, OF the Industrial and Thrifty class
the report justly says they "arc unsurpassed by
those OF any similar class in tho world, and form
tho underlying element that gives shape AMI
force TO the destinics Of the nation" OF their
condition, It /, stated that they are moro moral
and better fed and clothed than any other arti.
zans in the world, and the average rato Of wages
ior 1861 is not below that Of former ycafs. On
this point some interesting statistics arc given.
Ship clIpentors. machinists and moulor, re-
ceiyc the highest average wages, S1j per week.
Boat builders, carriage makers and blacksmiths
are the next highest, averaging il2 per week
The rates paid ,hocmakcrs and cabinet makers
average (; per week
The lrrilieicnt aud the Impro,ilqnt const-
tuto a class from which springs most 6f The vice
and immortality in tho city, a llrgc p,rti II or
thi5 clas arc skillcd workmcn who clrn high
wages in good times anl would DO included in
the former class were it not for the prodiallity
that keeps thcm constantly oscillating between
plenty and want. Thoy spend as fast as they
earn, and sudden reverse or falling health
make them periodical recipients of the bounty
of the Association.
Tho Immoral and Reckless class include the
Few Of this class work full time.
The Sabbath and the Monday following are given
TO dissipation, and sometimes Tuesday. In
crease Of wages and work to this class only afford
additional means for drunkenness. They are
the last TO be employed, ana the first to DO dis
charged, and their families are always misera-
bly, poor. Mothers and wives who struggle
nobly against the vices Of husbands and sons, at
last yield to despair and become moro dsbased
than thcy-whilc abjcct poverty and tho ruin Of
their children is the inevitable result. Respect
ing liquor stores, which contribute 10 the growth
of this terrible evil, the report says that gov.
ernors of states and legislative bodies order fasts
and enact sanitary measures TO prevent tho oc-
casional rayages Of cholera, but with strange
impicty are Indifferent to tho moro fragrant evil.
from which spring all the dreary catalogue Of
crimes that Gil the prison, the alm5hou5e, and
the grave.
The report states that the general idea that
there is a superiuity of labor in this city is not
sustained by facts. The labor market of New
York, is Of course, subject to seasons of ebb and
flow, but as a general thing, all who are able and
wiling to work obtain employment, and are able
TO save part Of their earnings. For this reason
many societies formed TO encourage emigration
20 the West failed, because they were based on
a supposed condition Of tho labor market which
did not exist.
OftLe children Of the working classes of this
city, II is estimated that there arc forty thou.
sand between the agOs Of five and six teen years,
who are without any advantages of mental or |
moral culture. Tho rescue from vice |
md degradation Of these forty thousand |
hildrcn, who are amongst us and around |
ls, constitutes the great social problem |
IN which tho future prosperity aud great |
loSs Of our city largely depends. If ailowc |
o grow up in vice and idlenoss, they will bo an |
,ver increasing nursery of crime and pauperism; |
while their rescue would produce an eeyating
,hange in the whole fabric Of society. The re
port Of the association says, truly, that though
he various reformatiye societies in the city nc
'omplsh much good, yet their labors bear no |
proportion to the increase of the evil they are |
established to check, and are based upon priu- |
'iple radically wrong-being remedial, rather
han preventive.
The report recommends modification of the |
Truant Act Of 1858, 80 as TO made il preventive |
II its nature, and also relieve it of its present
Unpopular features. The officers of the districts
n which the city is divided under the opera
ions Of that act should be authorized to visit
lie public schools, ascertain the names and re. |
'idences Of truant children, visit them at their
ZONES, or arrest them in the street, and take |
hem D their parents or guardians, who should |
be required to keep them lawfully employed, or |
'ent to school at least four months in the year.
In those cases only whore tho parents arc de- |
nquent, the state should interpase its author |
y, and secure TO every child an industrial, men
tai and moral education suited TO its nocessi- |
lies.
The New York City Press, Yesterday.
The TDiEs thinks that there will be no serious |
difference Of opinion among the members of |
Congress, in regard to the conduct Of the war