Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-10-13
TO HELP THE POOR.
Almsh0use Directors Discuss QueS-
tions of Public Charity and
WRANGLE OVER A PROPOSED LAW.
How immigration Adds to the Army OF
PauperS and Migrants.
STATE CARE Of INSANE ADVOCATED
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH.

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATcH.l
ERIE, Pa, Oct 12-The second days
session of the State Association of Poor
Directors, with its auxiliary, the Children's
Aid Society, met this morning in the
chapel of the Soldiers and Sailors Home.
The subject first taken up was the Chill
dren's Aid Society, and the association be-
came enlightened upon the exact relations
OF the two associations, the ladies showing
the Poor Directors that, according to the
law Of 1883, the directors were obliged to
send children out of the almshouses at the
age of 2, and that the Aid Society was their
handmade.
This afternoon the Committee on Revision
of the Poor Laws of the State made its re-
port, and the convention got into terrific
iangle. The proposed law contemplated no
interference with the special poor laws in
the several counties, but was only to govern
where adopted; but it contemplated the
appointment of a poor commissioner in
Harrisburg, who would take charge
of all poor affairs. 1t provided that
the Poor Directors should take
exclusive control of building poor
houses, and of other buildings now falling
sioners. The law contemplated dispensing
with overseers, and the sale of the mainten-
ance privilege of the poor in some of the
counties. 1t also would reduce the number
OF directors to three to each county, and
that was bugaboo to counties like Lam
caster, where they have six. A motion to
postpone further action till next year pre-
vailed. A synopsis of the bill will be
found on the sixth page of this ISSUE
The Officers for Next Year.
The committee on place of next meeting
reported in favor of Wiliiamsport instead
of Philadelphia, as first mentioned, and the
report was adopted. At the election of
officers the following were chosen: Presi-
dent, E. P. Gould, Erie; Vice Presi-
dents, Henderson Supplee, of Mont,
Chester, George Worst, of Lam
caster and j. Blakeslee, of Crawford Re
cording Secretary, William P. Hunker, of
Allegheny; Corresponding Secretary,
Robert D. McGonnigle, Allegheny; Treas
urer, John S. Hope, of Coatesville. Dur
ing the afternoon President Louis G. Col
born was taken so seriously ill that he had
to be taken to his hotel, where he now
lies critically i'll under the care of physi-
clans
At this evenings session John D. Carr, of
Il
that the association should insist upon hav-
ing the Soldiers Orphan School properties
in the State turned over to be converted
into industrial institutions for INDECENT
children. He urged that it should then be
the duty of the State to take charge of
these schools. The association Endorsed the
sentiment.
A. B. Reiser,, of Berks, discussed char
liable institutions. Charles Lawrence, Su-
perintendent of Blocksley Almshouse,
Philadelphia, made an address on "How
immigration has affected paupers and va
grancy in Pennsylvania. He reported that
the Middle States got the largest share of
the unworthy immigrants in 1882, but got
better class in 1890. Statistics showed.
however, that the Western States sup
ported but one out of 200 immigrants,
while in the Middle States one
out of every 80 becomes INDECENT, showing
that the better class go West and the worse
class stay in the Middle States. In 1882 the
percentage of Americans in the Blocksley
Almshouse was rs, and "a per cent were
leans and the balance foreign, showing by
the increase of American indigents that
cheap foreign labor is putting American
labor into the almshouses.
MIR. Linderman's Pleasing Paper.
Superintendent George Lindermau, of
the City Farm, Pittsburg, read delightful
paper on the duties and responsibilities of
Directors of the Poor; and his lofty ideals
were in keeping with his career as an
official.
Resolutions were passed this evening de-
claring it to be the purpose of the associa-
tion to secure legislation ior another school
or hospital for weak-minded children. Also
providing that the State shall take under
70 nfrnl lal1 fha irco ; tloo