The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-10-24
Tuesday, October "A. 1893.
ORPHANS IN AUSTRIA
THE STIGMA OF PAuPERlSM NEVER
CROWNS ITS HELPLESS TOTS.

II Is the Only Coantry In the World Where
F~oundlings Are Declared From the
workhouse-Their Care Intrusted to the
Refined and Wealthy.
There is only one country in the world
where orphan children and foundlings
are debarred from admission to the work
house. 1t Is in Austria, which maintains
that to place the stigma of pauperism
upon the poor little things is to handi-
cap them later on in the race for life and
bread, and thus to lessen their chance of
ever becoming self supporting and self
respecting citizens. That their reason
ing is just is shown by the results.
Whereas in Paris. London and Berlin
the majority of children born in work
houses return Years afterward to die
there. In Vienna it is a most unusual
occurrence for a founding or an orphan
dependent upon public charity to be.
come in old age a charge upon the COM
munity.
In Austrian cities children of this class
are boarded out in the families Of work
men living IN the suburbs at the e
OF the nun icipality. But their care is
in1usted, Lot to the workhouse authori-
ties. but 10 gentlemen and ladies OF
leisure. fortune and responsibility, who
practically become the guardians of the
little ones.
Their charge is a purely honorary one.
and they are chosen as a rule by the
burgomaster of the city or town from
among the nobility, the retired magis-
trates, the half pay officers, the rich
childless widows and wealthy old maids.
They bear the title Of orphan fathers
and orphan mothers, and SO honorable
N the position regarded by the popula-
ton that the mayor never experiences
any difficulty in securing the services OF
. sufficient number of such official par
ents.
During the early youth Of their wards
the duties of these orphan parents are
confined to visiting them at unexpected
times and to keeping the people with
whom they board up to the mark by
showing them that the children have
powerful protectors. Upon the official
parent devolves the responsibility of de-
Gliding the special calling in life for
which the youngsters show the most apt
Itude. the only stipulation made by the
municipal authorities being that the BOYS
should be taught some skilled labor or
profession calculated to give them later
on a chance of being able to support a
wife and family and to lay by provision
for old age. When these lads go out into
The world. it is to their official parents
hat they turn for a character. and if
vii days come to them they appeal to
heir official protectors for help.
1t is an incalculable benefit for a boy
Who is just starting ont in life to have a
of position TO stand by him and to )
peak to the world III his favor. nor is
here anything in connection between s
he two to rutile the independence of the .
'ounger. for when once launched in life !
elder stands to him simply in the re- :.
alton of an old and tried friend, whose "
dv1ce he may follow or not as he pleases, II
With regard to the orphan or found
ing girls, they are mostly trained for d
Omestic service, which, however. they I
n no permitted to enter before the j
&c of IA. and her it becomes the or 2
nan mothers duty to investigate the
OF the persons who propose to u
mploy her, to see that she is well treat y
! and eventually, when she marries, to o,
out about the mans reputation and a
} to whether he has the means of keen E
g a wife.
Usually it is from her own house that n
le marriage takes place, and at every nc
I'm the girl is made to feel the advan- 4,
gee OF having a lady of rank to whom Oh
e can always appeal, WHO is bound to
'Otect her, to defend her when wrong
lily accused and to guard her as far as
from evil.
Thanks to these orphan parents, heredi-
y pauperism in Austria has been
actically stamped out, and there is
nch in the system that may commend be-
elf to people OF this side of the Attain io'
!. The condition of the pauper orphans 5.
d OF the foundlings now dependent -.
on the public charity of this great
'tropolis would certainly be vastly inn
oved and the future prospects of the lit
unfortunates rendered more promis-
were our leading citizens and their
res to follow the example of the people
amilar standing in Austria, and to add
and useful interest to their lives
assuming the honorary and honorable
% Of orphan psrents.-New York
buno.