The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-10
The EIberfeld System.

Elberfeld is district of Prussia not far
from the river Rhine. near Cologne. In the
year 1852, through the influence of one of
the most distinguished citizens, the banker
Won der Deydt, the present system for the
relief OF the poor was adopted in this district,
1t has already by its success attracted atten-
tion, and is now being adopted in other dis
tricts. The general idea of the plan is very
well stated in the words of the founders of a
still older system, which was introduced in
the city of Hamburg in 17sS. "Actual relief
was the first object; but the moment this pro-
vision was made measures were taken to pre-
vent any man from receiving a shilling which
he was able to earn for himself 1t was our
determined principle to reduce this support
lower than what any industrious man or
woman could earn; for if the manner in
which relief is given is not spur to industry,
it becomes undoubtedly premium to sloth
and profigacy."
The system briefly is this: The general
administration of relief is entrusted to a
Board of nine citizens. These men are
chosen with reference to their wealth and
standing in the community. The town is
divided into good many districts, over each
of which is an overseer. These districts
again are sabdivided into sections and each
section is assigned to visitor. The sections
are so small that no visitor is allowed to have
more than four cases of need under his con-
troll. All these officers serve without pay
and are said invariably to be men of some
position and education. Il has thus come to
be matter of honor to serve as an officer of
the poor, since none but citizens of known
worth are selected. The district visitors with
their overseer have fortnightly meetings. In
difficult cases there is appeal to the fort
nightly meetings of the Town Board at which
all the overseers also are present. "Of the
efficacy of the Elberfeld system there can be
no doubt. The figures are remarkable. In
1852, before the adoption of the system, out Of
apopulation of $4,000 there were 1000 paupers
costing nearly $45,OOO year; in 1869 there
were 1902 paupers costing something less
than $4,000. Meanwhile the direct diminu-
tioh in pauperism had stimulated the general
thrift and prosperity of the poor" The ex-
cellencies of this system are quite apparent.
In the first place it secures direct investiga-
ton. No one can easily elude the visitor,
whose whole responsibility is limited to a
few houses. The Elberfeld pauper is not
likely to dine on beefsteak and coffee with a
nice dish of apples, as in case which re-
Gently came to tie knowledge of one of our
benevolent societies. The able bodied man
is not going to have regular work and ''re-
lief" at the same time from the poor-fund.
The applicant cannot possibly be drawing aid
from several benevolent sources at once.
Secondly, the plan is economical. Every
dollar spent is made to go as far as possible.
Relief consists of only the barest necessa-
ries. The only poor-house provided is for
old and infrm people without homes or fam
lilies.
Thirdly, the assistance furnished is ade-
quate. 1t is noticeable that, while the num-
ber of paupers has been reduced nearly to
one-fourth, the expense has only fallen.
little more than one half. The idea seems
to be to refuse assistance to all who can pos
sibly get along without it, but where real
need exists, fully to meet it. Thus fewer are
assisted but somewhat more can thus be
given to those who require.
Fourthly, the worthy poor are properly
and discriminatory cared for. One of the
worst difficulties with most systems is that
they are wholesale in their nature. All, good
and bad, are in danger of being treated very
much alike. The officers, too, are generally
either so inferior in education and percep-
ton, or else they have so large number of
cases under them, that they make no proper
distinctions.
Filthy, the system gives constant stimu-
lus to the poor 10 take care of themselves.
The visitors follow them up, and when people
are found to be lazy or vicious, they make them
uncomfortable by their visits and questions.
In the majority Of cases of incidence it is said
the pauper sis heartily glad by resorting to
industry to free himself from the visitors, sur
veillance." Moreover, when drink, play or
idleness reduce people to need, so as to re-
quire relief for their families, or when they
refuse work, or when they cannot prove that
they have fairly tried to earn livelihood !;
these Elberfeld poor are liable to imprison-
ment if they still continue to apply for pub
lie assistance. How this threat would work
in State where, we are told that the in
mates fails are wont to have themselves re-
committed for the sake of the pleasant life
which we furnish criminals, it is hard to say
Doubtless the Elberfeld prison is made less
attractive than some. of our jails in Maine
have been.
Next, the ElbeIfeld officers are men who
command the respect of the poor. The SER
vice rendered by this close personal contact
with n en- of character and who, serving with
out hire come to their poorer neighbors with
something of the sense of friendliness, and
who having but few under their care natur-
ally become interested in their welfare, is in
calculable In this influence exerted towards
virtue and industry. The poor man, if
worthy at all. knows thas his visitor, how
ever stern he may be, is his friend. Public
relief is thus made to take on some of the
spirit of private benevolence.
Lastly, the burden which falls 20 any one
visitor is very slight. If you imagine our
city of Portland divided into 10 districts, and
then if each district were subdivided into 10
sections, so that each of the 200 visitors had
the responsibility of whatever destitute fami-