Telegram-herald. ([Grand Rapids, Mich.) 18??-1892, 1891-01-05

A Brief Resume of the History 81 Its
Development.

A Brief Resume of the History 81 Its
DessiepsmssI
The bArrenness of the Joint efforts of
the council Committee on Charter
Amendments and the Committee on
Poor, IS more than ordinarily signifi-
cant. IL shows that there is one subject
upon which the modern science of
government has made very little ad.
vance upon the ancient. Changed con-
ditions often settle intricate problems
without the exercise OF human effort,
but the poor We have always with us.
and the consequence IS that We can
never hope for . solution of the diffi-
culties or caring for the poor, except
by the wisdom and courage of each
generation seizing and solving its own
SPECIAL problems as they arise. There is
a recognition by the Committee Or
Charter Amendments that the care OF
the poor OF the city Is one OF the most
serious matters that confronts them,
and the fruitless discussions that have
already occurred are evidence that the
best wisdom OF the city will be re-
quired TO arrive att wise conclusions.
The discussions have already brought
out the fact that the administration OF
the poor Office has been shameful
through all the past, and the TELEGRAM
HERALD has published number of the
specific proofs of this. Under our sys-
tenn, many worthy poor have been neg
lected and left TO suffer, while pauper-
ism and fraud have been encouraged
by the extension of charity" to the
utterly unworthy.
Since this matter has been before the
committee the TELEGRAM-HERALD has
been at the pains to make summary
OF the best opinions attainable In the
city on the subject. Many aspects of
the case are regarded by the various
persons with whom the Err
AID has Conversed, and the conclusions
which naturally arise out of an histori-
cal review OF the subject, presented by
a citizen who seems TO have given some
thought to it seem worthy of consider
alton. Said he:
The Anglo-Saxon race has made the
best history i'll respect TO the care OF
the poor. Yet even that history, as It's
most distinguished legal writer has
said, has been shameful" Previous
ly to the reign of Henry VIII, the
Kingdom of Great Britain made no
of the poor as class simply
for it. The monasteries and religious
houses were the great aimoners OF the
kindom- previously to the sixteenth
century, and the crowds OF sturdy beg
gars daily fed at the gates of these IN
stltutions were more a source OF de-
morallzation than of assistance to the
weak and unfortunate, yet there IS al
ways certain proportion of deserving
among those fed by indiscrim;nate
charities, and the fact stands that the
religious houses of England were
blessings TO the poor and improvldent
OF the kingdom.
After the suppression of the monas-
tarles by Henry VIII, mass of
poverty, both Of the impotent and the
sturdy sort, was left upon society,
which created the problem which has
not been satisfactorily solved down to
TINS day. Yet there are many historians
who believe that the very first effort
that was made to meet, by statutory
remedies, the deserving poor, was
better than any that has since
been devised. After the suppress
SION of the religious houses,
the hordes of the poor of the kingdom
We're left entirely TO their own vagran-
cy during the remainder of Henry's
reign and the two succeeding .reigns,
aud far into the reign of Elizabeth. A
statute of Elizabeth finally recognized
the needs of the deserving poor, but
was careful to shut out from its pro-
VISIONS the underserying. 1t reclted
two purposes OF its enactment: first, the
relief OF the Impotsnt, the poor, tue
a seu aud the Intirm, and. second. the
p ovIding of work for those unable to
procure It for themselves. IL was the
latter provision which both England
and American commentators have ap-
plauded IN theory, while il is the one
which has been most neglected IN actu-
al administration. Indeed. lt has been
50 disused a. TO have passed out of the
m nory of men.
1t * this feature of the procuring of
work for the idle and willing TO work,
to which Il IS thought the attention of
the committee on charter amendments
ought TO he called on single
point, there ls good unan-
tthitlty among the NtsfRbeFS OF
tue two committees. tt is agreed that
tie care OF the poor ought to be under
taken by the city with greater serious
ness than ever before, and that the
entire time of one or more persons
should be devoted 10 IL. It's suggested
shat, IN view Of this. there ought tn be
added 70 the common duties Of the
perintendent OF the poor that of as
sasting the willing laborer to find work.
This task would be much easier under
the present organization of industry.
than It was in the dsys of Elizabeth.
Then the industries were scattered.
much OF the manufacture of the world
being done IN the novels of the labor
ers. New. everything = concentrated
and specialized. Is IS thought that ii
the poornlssteF we're less q treasury
upon which al sorts Of lazy, undeserv-
mg folk are permitted 70 MAKE an
RAIDS, and more a central Of
tice % which the unfortunate among
the wiling workers could make known
their desires. the peeuniary burden Of
the poor upon society would De smaller.
fewer sturdy begzars would exist, aad
the really Inpotent and unfortunate
would be better cared for.
Ens song sf sixpenee
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TIE fslTeSt 81 81 estors
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