The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-13
Posey county; Shelton township. warrick
THE LEVIES.

THE LEVIES.
"In 1897 and 1898 quite a number of town
ships had levies ranging from twenty to
twenty-five cents. 1t is obvious that in
some of the more sparsely settled river
counties, where land is comparatively less
valuable, it requires a greater tax levy
to produce the necessary revenue. Conse-
ouently in those counties greater care
should be exercised in the distribution of
relief. 1t is surprising, however. to note
that in some of the better counties of this
State the tax levy is as high as 1t is. In
the richer, more fertile districts, where
land is higher 1T is not necessary to make
so large a levy in order to yield sufficient
returns to pay poor relief. Yet some of
them do not make quite a comparatively
high levy. 1t is to be observed that a
slight increase or decrease in the levy in
townships containing the larger cities
changes the income to a notable extent. In
Harrison township. Vigo county, the levy
in 1898 was four cents; in 1900 1t was re-
duced to one cent. In 1898 and 1899 Portage
township, ST. Joseph county had a tax
levy of fifteen cents; in 1900 it was two
cents. Center township, Marion county,
had a tax levy in 1895 of three cents; in
1900 this was reduced to one-half cent.
In 1897 Wayne township. Wayne. county,
had a levy for poor purposes of six cents;
in 1900 the levy was three cents. In Della
ware county, Center township. the levy for
DOOT IDO "do ISou1Cd 4lOlI v dIu
one-third cents in 1898 to one cent in 1900.
I'm 1900 the trustees of some townships
that had formerly given aid declined to
furnish any relief. Some of these officials
have said that those who had heretofore
received help seemed to get along just as
we'll without it. In other townships in
1900 it is but a small percentage of what it
was in 1898.
THE SAVING SHOWN.
1.-THE saving may be shown by percentage
In Grant county in 1900 the saving was 81
per cent. of the amount spent for official
relief in 1895. In Harrison and Shelby coun-
ties the saving was the same in each,
81 per cent. in Fountain and Elkhart coun-
ties, 65 per cent; in Delaware county, 81
per cent; Miami county. II per cent; Ohio,
73 per cent; Huntington, 76 per cent; st.
Joseph, rs per cent; Kosciusko, 50 per cent;
Porter, 81 per cent: Cass, SO per cent.
Taking some of the townships which
have made the largest reduction, Ii Is OBJ
served in Eel township. Cass county, the
saving in 1900 amounted to over 81 per cent.
of what 1t was I'm 1898. The reduction in
Jefferson township, Huntington county.
Shelby county, 90 per cent; Washington
township, Delaware county, and Lincoln
township, st. Joseph county, 80 per cent;
township, Grant county, SO per
cent; Posey township, Harrison county, SO
per cent; Center township, Porter county.
81 per cent; Pipe Creek township. Miami
county, SO per cent; Portage township, st.
Joseph county, So per cent; Hendricks
township, Shelby county, "a per cent: JEFF
ferson township, Miami county. 81 per
cent; Clinton township, Vermillion county,
81 per cent.
Going over the new law and the reports
made by the township overseers of the
poor operating hereunder, the following
facts are to be observed:
81 great lessening of the number of per-
sons receiving aid.
"A very large decrease in the value of
the aid given.
"A reduction of so per cent. in the amount
Of permanent relief given.
"A general lessening in the amount of
tax levied for poor purposes.
Notwithstanding all these reductions, a
lessening in the population Of poor asy-
lums.''