The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-13
THE CULTIVATION OF PAUPERTsM.

f
rent number Of the Forum, entitled 'The
Grievance of the West" will be disap-
pointed to find that in the opinion of the
writer, Professor Hyslop, of Columbia Col
lege, the grievance is the increase of tax
alton because of what is called outdoor
relief of the poor and the increasing cost
of local government. including the salaries
of public officials. The writer came to his
information regarding the grievance of the
West while making a few speeches during
the last campaign.
Doubtless the increasing burden of taxa
ton during a period of low prices is the
cause of considerable dissatisfaction, but it
has not eliminated in a formal grievance.
Conventions protest against high taxation
and promise economy, but as rule there
is little change. The last Legislature pro-
vided remedies, as it believed, for some of
the abuses of township government, and
among other things passed an act to COM
pei all children to attend school, This law
contains a provision which may fasten upon
the taxpayer a new lot of officials to look
after truants
Some time ago the Journal commented
on the part of the report of the State Board
of Charities devoted to the wastefulness
ard demoralizing influence of the practice
of assisting the poor outside of poorhouses.
1t is not popular to assail the practice, be-
cause we are all inclined to be very benevo-
lent at the public expense. At first thought,
most of us will say that it is better to help
this or that person than to let them go to
the poorhouse. Experience, however, is
against it. The family which is once helped
by the. township will in most cases be-
come a continual public burden. Nor is
that all; the evil, like most evils, will
spread. When others see that a man re-
ceived aid outside the poorhouse when he
is able to work as are they and that
receiving public aid involves no stigma,
they will gradually come to the conclusion
that it is better to be supported in part
by the county or township than to toll for
their bread
Professor Hyslop has collected the cost
of outdoor assistance to the poor in sew
eral States. The figures are startling both
because of the large expenditure and be-
cause it is on the increase indicating that
that sort of pauperism is spreading. In
1898 Indiana expended $S76,127 for the sup
port of the poor outside of poorhouses; in
1894 the expenditure had increased to $780,
058, and in 1895 to s., O2O, 535. Here is an in
crease of $144, 40S in two years or more than
16 per cent. This means that there was
during those years a large increase of
partial pauperism. 1t may not have been
an increase of the one-sixth in numbers
which the increase in expenditure indicates,
but it does show an increase which is
alarming At this rate, in ten years, the
larger part of the people will be receiving
public assistance, which must come out of
the incomes and earnings of those who
work. AS the number increases, some who
have contributed will see that it is easier
to eat the bread which others earn than
that which they may earn by the sweat
of their own brows. But is not this So
cialism?' someone asks 1t is nothing of
the kind; socialism is based upon the
theory that every man must earn his bread,
while the evil which the indiscrimnate as
sistance of those who say they are needy
means that one part of the community shall
support the other.
Those who may ask what can be done
to check and turn back the pauperization
Of communities by indscriminate aid will
find an answer in the article referred to,
since the author gives several illustrations
of an infallible remedy which is to make
a personal investigation of every applica-
ton for outdoor aid. None of the illustra-
tons which Professor Hyslop gives is more
to the point than that in this township,
which he has made use of. Several years
ago this township was expanding from
$4,000 to 100000 a year for the aid of per-
sons outside the poorhouses. Mr.. Smith
King became township trustee and at once
adopted the plan of official Investigation of
every applicant for assistance. The result
was that the expenditure was reduced to
about $1,000 during the last year of his
term. Those who applied and were found
not to be entitled to assistance were just
as we'll off as they were when assisted,
and the business of pauper-making was
stopped.
The township trustee finds his a very
hard place in the face of this growing tend
ency to increase pauperism at the expense
of the industrious and prudent. If he is an
easy-going person he will not resist, be-
cause it will be easier to yield to the en-
treaties of applicants and their friends,
some of whom desire to exchange mer-
chandise for township orders, and thus be
known as a clever fellows But taxpayers
who see the number of paupers and half
paupers increasing in their townships can
unite in demanding that the efficacious
remedy of official inspection in every case
be vigorously applied. 1t will not only save
millions of dollars, but it will prevent wide
spread pauperism and the Generalization
which it engenders.
ABNORMAL MENTAL CONDITIONS.
Mr.. Gordy, the Delaware wife murderer