The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-07-17
CAIIF0EIIi'S BOUNTY.
Statement Showing What Orphans, Aged
Persons, Etc., Cost the State.

SACRAMENTO, July 10 u nder the provi-
sions OF the new constitution the Legislature
is empowered to grant ala to institutions con-
ducted for the support and maintenance Of
minor orphans, half orphans and ADAM
dOned children, or aged persons in INDECENT
circumstances. Such aid is TO he granted
by q uniform rule and in proportion to the
number of inmates of such institutions,
and it is provided that whenever any county,
city or town shall provide for the support Of
minor orphans etc, or aged persons. such
county. city or town shall be entitled to re-
ceve the same pro rata appropriations as
may be granted TO such institutions under
church or other control
The Legislature ia carrying out the pro-
visions of the constitution surrounded their
appropriations by certain Limitation in
tended TO prevent abuse and fraud. By the
decisions OF the Supreme Court in the cases
Of The City. and County OF San Francisco vs..
Dunn, aud the County of Yolo vs.. Dunn.
the scope OF the act was greatly enlarged,
and the result has been an enormous
increase In the amount OF money drawn
from the State Treasury in payment of
those claims. Up to within the last two
years many counties have been slow to
take advantage of The states generosity,
but the oversight has been discovered aud
of late The Claims have been pouring in,
most Of them running back TO the time of
the passage of the act.
During the fiscal year ending June 30
1892, the following counties presented
claims in arrears and were "a d the follow
ing amounts: Monterey County. So 372.-
139; San BernardnO County, 81 1910
Santa Barbara County, s., 693, Oh; Shasta
County. S666, 9tS; Ell Dorado County.
81, $50, 394; Los Angeles County, s.. co. 524
San Francisco County. S7I72. 400; San Luis
ObispO County, S560S77 Marin County,
Sis, $50; Suffer County. 1854, 5i7; San
Denito County, S366917.
Already in the present fiscal year begin
ming July l there ha been paid a. follows:
Memo County. S5J6. 22T: Kern County,
5000. l2l; Tulare County. S1,12l.3f9, and
Alpine County, Sill, while on hle with TIE
board of examiners and not yet acted upon
are the back claims Of Sacramento County,
amounting to about 1900.
This evenings Bee publishes an extended
statement Of figures procured in the Office
of State Controller Colgan, showing the
total amount drawn from the treasury since
the acts Of the Legislature went into effect
The sums paid were for the support of
orphans, aged persons, war veterans. and
for widows and orphans Of Union soldiers,
sailors and marines and army nurses. The
grand total is "a, 32i, 3Sc 81, or an average
annual expenditure of nearly $500 600.
Thirty two private institutions under
church and other control are regular re-
cipients of the States bounty.
The law is very lame in many Of its pro-
visions and utterly fails in its object of pre-
venting abuse. For instance, no child for
whose specific support there is paid to the
institution of which it is an inmate the
sum or $40 or more per month Is deemed
minor orphan or an abandoned child within
the intent Of the act, but 50 90 per month
may be paid and the institution can still
draw the full amount of The State appro-
priation. The amount Of money expended
in Afef IL 81 So.
the increase, and it is rapidly assuming
vast proportions