Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-10
Shall the Aged Poor, Possessed
of Small Homes, BE Sup
ported In Theme
NEW RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
Results of Investigation Made by
Clarence A. Wassam, a Graduate
Student in the State University Do
partment of Sociology and Eneonom-
les Draws Favorable Comment.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Iowa City, Nov. 10.-One million dol
lars was spent last year by the state
of Iowa for the relief of the poor. And
to this huge sum must be added une
expenditures of private charity organ
izations to arrive at the total cost.
Such ia the statement made by CLAIR
ence A. Wassam, graduate student IN
the department of sociology and econ
omics of the State University of Iowa
who during the past year mas oeeh GU
gagged in research work along this Line
under the direction of Professor Isaac
A. I,ous. head of the department of so
GEOLOGY and economics. ana Prodessor
Benjamin f. Shambaugh. head on the
department of politics in the uhaVer-
spty and official editor of the pupiica-
tions Of the state historical society.
Data was Sought by letter from every
city in the state with population ol
more than 500. Upwards OF five hum
bred letters were written to the $40
cities and towns investigated. Ihere
were in adj 1876 replies. but the resuits
are considered satisfactory since OF tne
$50 towns not replying lOb contained
less than 1000 inhabitants and Oh lhe
rest none more than 2,00O. Inc Iac's
brought out in regard to the private
charity organizations are therefore
thought to thoroughly reflect the con-
ditions existing a the state since II Is
we'll known fact that In the smaller
towns 10 organized charity reldef Is
necessary. since they very rarely con-
tain families or people that stand IN
need of actual support.
OF the 1876 cities and towns answer
ing. but 90 were shown to have cen
trail organized public charity, and on
the % that had such an organization
but two, Des Moines and KeolSuk, pre-
scented anything like ideal conditions.
Sioux City is rapidly approaching their
standard, but at the present time they
stand alone. In many of the larger
cities Of the state the work is consid-
cred to be almost failure, and espec-
tally is this true in Dubuque, Waterloo.
Burlington, Nuscatine and Davenport.
Cedar Fails was found to maintain the
most unique system and one which Mr..
Wassam declares to be almost ideal for
cities Of about 10000 to $4,000 inhaIbd-
tants or smaller.
In Cedar Falls at the beginning OF
winter, an overseer Is appointed each
fall for every ward in the city. These
oyerseers, with the officers of the As
socialted Charities, constitute the exec
utive committee, They have the COM
plete charge of the work during the
winter months and in the spring the
entire organization dispands. since 1t
has been found THAT 1t was not needed
during the winter months.
Mr.. Wassam advocated in his con-
clusion:
/. A closer organization Of the prd-
vate and public charities which he was
certain would result In great saving
of money SO expended.
2. Investigation and determinations
in giving to the poor.
3. Less giving and more effort ex-
pended toward securing employment
for THE poor. Less "complacent gem
crosby and more intelligent investi-
cation"
4. And perhaps the most Important.
recommendation Of Mr.. Wassam's was
the suggestion that the aged poor
possessed of small homes, should be
supported in those homes on a small
income from the state or county. The
present practice of the state is to re-
move the aged poor from their homes
to the poor farm and sell the houses
Mr.. Wassam claims that 1t would NOT
be more expensive and much more
kind to allow them to remain In the
houses they had lived In all Of their
life.