The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-04
The Relief Of Pauperism.


1t is noticeable that, while for long time
in most civilized countries a good deal of care
and expense have been given to the poor, at
tention is now being turned largely 10 the
prevention of pauperism. The idea, which
time and experience have been teaching,
seems to be not so much how to make the
poor comfortable. as rather how to keep them
from being poor.
Very much thought has been given to thi
subject within few years in many of the
European countries as well as in the United
States. Reforms have been found necessary,
the poor laws have been changed, statistical
reports have been made and comparisons in
stituted between different systems.
The present design is to give only few Of
the conclusions which have been reached by
the widest and most careful investigation.
They seem extremely pertinent to the cir
cumstances of the present winter, when such
unusual demands are made upon the city au-
thorities, the benevolent societies and private
individuals for the relief of the destitute
Great wisdom is therefore required that what
ever aid is rendered, may be economically ad-
ministered. In the first place, then it is
agreed that there is no kindness in helping
people unless they are really unable TO help
themselves. AS general rule the more they
are helped, the more they require and the more
they depend upon the public bounty. They
become more reckless, wastetul and improvi-
dent and they soon lose all sense of pride.
Moreover as soon as it is found that the shift
less and lazy are we'll cared for, or in other
words, when premium is put upon unthrift,
the industrious poor are at once placed at dis
advantage. Every such case is an interference
with tie fundamental laws Of labor. and reac-
ton is simply inevitable. 1t follows therefore
from what we have said, that the conditions
upon which relief is granted ought to be
rigorous. It has been found that wherever
aid has been given most freely pauperism
has been on the increase. In Belgium for
instance, where, though with perfect sys-
tenn of machinery, relief has been made very
easy. recent figures show that nearly 16 per
cent. of the entire population receive assist-
ance from the Poor-rales. But not only this
-WhCAOfOi lhO pun oAO lCu W uCpCuO upOu
charity the natural sense of filial obligation is
blunted. and children, who, if disgrace or
difficulty attended the receiving of aid, would
somehow find means to provide for the sup
port of aged parents, are now very ready to
turn them over to the care of the public. 1t
seems thus very clear that except in cases of
helplessness the conditions of relief should be
made TO press somewhat severely.
In the mex. place the granting of what is
called outdoor relief i. e., the assistance of
the poor at their own houses, is generally
condemned. There are exceptional cases of
course where such aid is demanded; but ex-
perence has shown the great danger which
always attends it. Proper poor-laws there
fore will either send the ablebodied to the
workhouse or else require some equivalent
at a low rate of wages for whatever provision
is furnished. 1t will be seen at once what
check here in Portland would be given to i'm.
position and the increase of pauperisin, were
our City Government willing to devise some
plan for furnishing work to the poor.
Surely there is enough which needs to be
uOuCs anu tuC ldlO VI NdSCo NC 81
fixed that the city could not possibly lose by
such an investment. On the contrary it
might easily be shown how there would be
actual saving to the public purse. besides the
direct relief which would thus be hcnorably
afforded to the really needy. But if he did
nothing more than sweep our streets once a
day, and never laid foot of new sewerage
work or repaired yard of paving, still the
mere fact of applying the labor test would
save us money.
The next point to which we refer is the
need of direct personal investigation. In
England, so vicious has the pauper system
become that the relieving officer of single
district has often had charge of from 400 to
1000 paupers. 1t is no wonder that we hear
Of such cases as the pauper at Guildford
"who possessed garden, pigs. and a horse
and cart" an instance, we are told, (which
may be easily paralleled in other districts.'
But even in our American cities, where such
abuses have scarcely yet had slime to grow
up, it will be easily seen that the organiza-
tion of the Poor department is inadequate
for the most wise and thorough investigation.
Again, experience with the poor seems to
point to denial of their right to assistance.
In some countries, France, for instance, this
right has been SO far denied that the state re-
fuses to levy any special tax for the support
Of the poor. There is no question that it is
in the interest of the poor themselves when
in asking aid they are least able to claim it as
right but are made rather to feel that it is
given in charity. Since poverty is SO gen.
orally the result of folly or wrong doing, it
would seem nard to prove that improvidence
and intemperance gave their victims any
claim upon the bounty of the public.
Hereafter we propose to give our readers
some little account of the "Elberfeld plan,"
a system for the relief of the poor which has
met with considerable success, and upon
which great commendation has been be-
slowed in an interesting article of recent
number of the Contemporary Reciec. It
has special interest for us at present in view
of the plan which has been recently proposed
| for redistricting this city.
|
THE argus publishes in its editorial col
umns and without hint that it is forgery,