The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1882-10-11
FoR THE CLARION
Prohibition in its Relation to Pau
perism.

i perism.
When in the house Of Simon tine leper,
Bethany, the woTshipping woman poure
the very precious ointment on the hea
of eur Saviour, it was remarked by b
disciples that it might have been sold 70
much and given to tho poor. The presen
thought was that the ointment was waste
and that there were paupers in the land Q
Judea whose wants could have been relieve
in part by lis sale. But while announcin
that the woman had wrought good worl
upon him in that she had poured the oil OF
his body for his burial, Jesus coupled tn
statement with another of great significance
eye have the poor always with you.'
Wherever the Gospel is preached and tb
story of woman is told, the injunction
to care for the poor among US impresses itsel
upon the human mind.
Antedating this period of time, we find ii
recognized by all civilized or semi-civilized
nations as duty, that the State should make
provision for the infirm poor. They were
provided for out of the public treasury
among the Athenians as early IS the time:
of Pisistratus or Solon. In Rome, during
the historical period, the relief of the poor
was commonly one of the most important
functions of the State, as it is now in Eng
land and other European countries. The
favorite method for performing this func-
tion was by cheap sale or an actual gift OF
corn to the people under the 'corn laws, y
first formally enacted at the instance OF
Caius Gracious in 123 B. G. Large sums
of mon ~ are annually raised by taxation
for the relief of the poor in every civilized
State. In England in 1870 there were
1000, 900 paupers; and the cost of main
tanning the paupeIs in the United Kingdom
equalled the sum of SAT 100000. In the
United States with a population one-fouth
greater, the st paUperism during that
year did not exceed $l5 900, 900 or less than
a third part of what was paid in England,
Scotland and Ireland.
The proportion of paupers in Belgium in
1870 was one to every u inhabitants; IN
Eo,laud one to every I; in Baden one to
16; in Switzerland one to 193i in Great
Britain one to %; in South Germany one
to 25 in France one to 293; in North
Germany one to 80; and in Prussia and
Austria about one to 81. In the United
States the proportion of inhabitants to pau
pers is nowhere less, according to European
modes of computation, than rs or 100 to
one, and in the whole country there must
be at least 100 Inhabitants to one pauper 1t.
is safe to say that in all the countries of
Europe, except Russia, Turkey and Greece,
the proportion of paupers constantly sup
ported or aided by public charity is as to
100, and that the pauper class in all Europe
not less than 100000, perhaps
25,000,000. 1t is not probable that the
same class in the United States exceeds
400, 900. In England during the year 1872
the cost of pauperism was about $40 0000,-
O00 the lowest cost for 10 years was in
1887, about S20,000,000. In 1874 the State
Of New York expended on account of pau
pcrs $4,250,00; Pennsylvania 81, 100000.
While pauper statistics are not accurate, it
abundantly appears from them that the
great body of the American people |
are annually taxed to raise many mil
ions of dollars for the support of the |
poor. Land with US is cheap and labor |
always in demand. But as we increase |
IN population and in the number of our |
towns, and the railroad sys-
,em of our country is perfected, there must |
De large increase in our pauper pOpula- |
ion. Measures ought, therefore, to be de-
7ised now for the prevention of pauperism
Is far as it can be done. If intemperance,
n the open saloon system, promote the
growth of pauperism, justice demands active
Interference IN this direction, for present
rood and future blessings to the body of
he people.
Inquiry on this subject illustrates the
that intemperance is the parent
f pauperism. The returns from the city
f Boston to the Secretary of State of Mas
for long series of years, show
N average of so per cent. of its pauperism
o be due to intemperance. In 1868 the
Thole number of paupers relieved was H.
42; of that number 1855 had been made
ependent either in consequence of their
Wn or their parents intemperance. The
superintendent of the Deer Island Aims
ouse and Hospital, (Boston) in his report
0 the Massachusetts Board of Health for
S75, declares that 90 per cent. of the in
1ates of that institution are there by reason
f intemperance. But it is useless to null
iply instances; the truth may be said to
e selfevident. Indeed in the causations
f pauperism the traffic in intoxicating
quors is more important force than all
ther forces combined, and its I'M jurioUs eff
,cts upon the public health are as great as
hey are lamentable. 1t is the one great
uty of the State to legislate for the pre-
ention of crime, pauperism and insanity
0 protect human rights, and secure human
appiness; to make glad tie homes of its
eople and promote the growth of race
rec from vice and shame, so that each sue
eeding generation may be an improvement
hysically and morally upon that which
receded it. What use is it, in this view,
,r the State to burden itself annually with
normous taxation for the support of the
oor, the insane and idiotic, when it has the
over to remove the cause which renders
le the taxation necessary? 'Is that not
1e wisest legislation and the most in con-
,rmity to the ends and purposes of gov
rnment which furnishes the maximum of
for the minimum of taxation?"