Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-06-22
CURE FOR PAUPERIsM
COLONIZATION vs.. CHARITY.
Massachusetts Has Spent 03B. ZOO. 900
In Supporting Paupers-It Would Have
Given Homes to 100000 Persons.

According to the official statistics the
state of Massachusetts, Inst year sup.
ported entirely 1G,s25 paupers and par
TALLY supnacted 73,072. OF the latter
%, 400 We're under sixteen years f.age;
41,074 had fixed residences in towns
and cities; 1O,S7S had fixed residences
in the country: 20,214 had no fixed resi-.
dence. In addition to these, 232,64G
persons were reported rs vagrants by
the police. The census of paupers,
taken on the LIST of July, 1878. in the
state of Massachuae it's, showed total
of 1851. OF these il, ,222 We're entire.
ly supported by the state, county or
municipal authorities and 1900 were
partially supported. The expenditures
for the support and relief of these peo-
pie amounted to 50, 400, ,206.
During the last year, according to
the official statistics, 146,473 persons
were supported more or less time In
the county almshouses of the state OF
New York. OF these 1898 were ell.
tirely supported and 127, ,5IO were par
TALLY supported. In the city of Great
er New York 1S2,395 pauperS were re-
ported, G3,GOO being wholly supported
by municipal institutions and 11S.795
partially supported. The expenditure
of official appropriations in the city of
Greater New York, which, rs every
body understands, includes Brooklyn,
for the relief and support OF pnupers.
was S3,251 ,SO2. The counties outside
of the city Of Greater New York spent
81 ,69S. S.I35. Of which $TS9.GSS was for
permanent inmates of almshouscs an,l
S9O9.OGI for the temporary relief OF the
suffering.
Nor do the reports above given from
Massachusetts and New York include
anything but purely official expendi-
lures. If the truth were known
the expenditures Of private and relig-
ious charitable organizations would
doubtless equal those of the public au.
thorities.
was led into this inquiry, said n
correspondent Of the Chicago Record,
In connection with the colony which
Booth-Tucker Of the Salvation Army
has established In Colorado. He has
been able to provide homes with ten
acres of ground. n team of horses, a
cow, two or three pigs, twentw-four
chickens and n full outfit of farming
implements and machinery for twenty
six families at the rate of S6OS n fam
lily. This was during the experimental
period and he believes that he can
hereafter establish them Mt an average
cost of $500 n family. 1t naturally oc.
ours to one who is studying this sub.
ject that 1t might be profitable for
some of the charitable societies. IL not
the municipal authorities. to attempt
this experiment. The state of Massn. /.
chusetts since 1878 has expended S35..
S9S.3S4. or an average of S1,969.323 n
year. for the care of paupers. Suppose
one-half of that amount, or say S15,-
100000, has been expended In the re-
moval and establishment of those pau
ners upon the farming lands of the
West. Mt the rate of cost now paid by
the Salvation Army, 25,COo families or
perhaps 100000 paupers who are n
public burden would have been given
new chance in life and placed in n
position where they could contribute
to the public wealth and the public
welfare. This suggestion is at least
worth talking about