The Republican journal., 1877-05-31
The Cause Of Pauperism.

We have before alluded to the thorough
and instructive work which the state of
New York is doing in making invcStlga-
ton into pauperism. The mass Of au
thenIic facts which has been brought out,
tends to show that pauperism is not 50
much the result of misfortune, as had
temper that propagates itselt-like be
getting like. The State Board of Chair
ties, which is pursuing this investigation,
prepared sixty questions 50 constructed
as to elicit answers bearing upon the
whole subject of pauperism, compelling
facts and statements, regarding not only
the inmates of the almshouSe, but their
ancestors for two or three generations.
We are apt to conclude, without previous
investigation, that children and very old
people make up the great mass Of pau
perS, and that therefore pity and charity
for their helpless condition should over
weigh every other feeling, and that the
city or state authorities are only taking
care of those who through weakness or
inrmities are too weak to take care of
themselves. But this official statement
of the committee giving figures property
vouched for in every instance, destroys
that theory and reveals the age and char
acter of Il majority Of the people who
seem to regard the poor house us 4 per
mancnt home, where they may be fed
and clothed by charity no matter how
well fitted they may be for labor.
OF the l2,Gl4 paupers questioned l.,
PSI We're between IT. and 20, and i. :.t221
between 81 and 40. There We're but 9lO
over 20, and only 2,OI2 under 10 years OF
age. Thus the idea of infancy or adj
yanced old age being the cause OF the
great mass Of pauperism must be aban-
doned. only q very few OF the adults
had ever owned any real estate or any
considerable amount Of personal proper
ty, but had lived from ''hand to mouth"
until they had dritted into what seemed
to them a harbor Of peace and plenty
the county poor house. One thousand
three hundred and sixty one paupers
were the children of pauper parents. and
this state with many existed us far back
us the third generation. The men and
women in one county had frequently rela-
tives who We're paupers in adjacent coun-
ties, and the same family name could be
found on the records Of half Il dozen
asylums In one place d young woman
was found with ten children. seven Of
whom We're illegitimatc; in another 4
mother with five boys Of the same stand
ing; in another a comparatively sensible,
young, good looking woman who has had
four paupcr husbands and eleven pauper
children, and she and her two last hus-
bands and eight OF the ot1springs are liz
ing off of the charity of the county. Wu-
men go out into the world from these
places and return again and again, bring
ing with them each time Il new born child
whose life will be passed in the pooi
house, and whose father is either a poor,
degraded wretch, too poverty stricken to
care for his never acknowledged child OF
too rich and proud to desire to aid either
the mother or his illegitimatc brood.
This tainted blood will show itself for
generations - mothers, daughters and
grand daughters walking the same dis
honest, vicious path, and giving to their
children the same propensity for crime
and filth. lntcmperance, either alone on
associated with kindred weaknesses and
passions, is a prolific source whence pau
pers are furnished, and the poverty of 4
family can be directly attributed to the
habitual use of liquor by the father. Ply
Steal disease does not reduce us many to
the ranks OF pauperism as would be i'm
agined, but where it does it is generally
of the most loathsomc, foul description
Accidents and wounds cripple and MAIN
a few of the men and women who are OBJ
liged to ask shelter in an almshouse, but
after while such persons find some oc-
cupation, and prefening labor and priva-
ton to idlenesS and ease, go out from UNI
der the care of the authorities. But the
habitually lazy, idle, vicious improvidcnt
and weak-vrtued, are the common in
mates Of county poor houses, and the
pie will take their places us fast us they
are vacated, unless habits of industry and
thrift are implanted in their minds and
they are forced to work.
1t has been asserted that Il movement
for a new party was inaugurated at Wash
ington, with the purpose of making Sen
ator Blaine the head and front thereof
And then again it has been denied. 1t is
rather early to strike up the music for
that dance: but just wait until Congress
meets, and the fur will begin to fly
Joseph Wood has retired from the pro
pretorship and editorial control of the
Bath Oracle. We regret to lose Mr.. Wood
from the fraternity. His ready pen has
made the Oracle paper much sought
after by those who appreciate genial wit
and shrewd comments.
Lewiston is wondering over thirty
pound salmon from the Penobscot.