New-York tribune., 1906-08-17
) ENGLISH PAUPERISM.
Practical Morals from an Old Dur
ham Port.
sunderland. Aurn,s. I

- -7ngiaDd. In1S oi0 Oufn2Iu port at the
- Of the Wear is the outlet for favored
-.-,,n enriched with coal, iron and limestone
- .ruorts Of coal were large during the Tudor
-.-s,s and increased decade by decade until
:. Galleries were pits four hundred fathoms in
- and seams we're worked horizontally for
-. and there was population Of 10000 on
- hanks OF the river. With coal. iron and
.,-s.r supplies accessible. shipbuilding was con-
....a an a large scale in competition with the
- and the Clyde. and three large docks were
-.-.sructed for the development OF commerce
.s.-.,r,es were diversified until there was no
,-.r4 lack OF employment FORCES. lime
80 steel works. paper mills. roperies and brew
-, sprang UP around the shipyards. and an
'.,rs chains and everything required for the
,.vnent Of ships were manufactured with in
-..sss facility. Natures bounty in coal meas
=. and iron beds and the advantage OF a COM
.,s,nR positiors on the coast seemed to offer
--,iss OF employment for all workers. yet Sun
.,,s.nd has always been burdened with pauper-
=, one does not go far from the old church
- Saxon tower before passing quaint aims
..-ses and eighteenth century inf1rmaries. and a
=, Inquiries at the Town Clerks ONCE will
.,a-rn the impression that the town suffers
$50 as n the past from the evils OF pauperism-
nv example. one-quarter Of the taxes levied
q, sunderland IL required 70 meet the expen-
s,,v-ss of warehouses. outdoor relief and pauper
v,utic asyiuns. The poor rate is Is 914d a
--vsa During recent years a large asylum has
t,.n erected for the pauper insane at an expense
J, $4,000 and this has increased the poor
-,,s already high from the maintenance OF
---thcuses Il is one OF the highest poor rates
+ the North Of England, but is exceeded in the
wslands. East Anglia the southern towns and
,ssss the list with 2s 1o1zd. and a score or more
,-ye towns levy poor rates above two shillings.
-ss cost q pauperism in England and Wales
hss risen decade BY decade until it is now about
g-0OG0O annually. although the times are
,,noosed 10 be good and the country. according
- free Trade zealots has never been more pros
,.rous. There has been so marked an increase
,,.b IN the workhouse expenditures and IN out
s,o- relief that there is valid ground for the
.upelusion thar the system tends to discourage
ssF-support and 70 multiply paupers. The costs
n administration have run up until about one
exth Of the poor rate IS expended in salaries OF
e#cisls. and another sixth is required for loans,
interest payments and miscellaneous outlay. Yet
zhen this large sum IS distributed annually for
the relief of paupers by the local authorities pro-
rsssions Of the unemployed are tramping from
ne Mdlands 10 London. or marching from
Wbirechapel % the Local Government Board,
ar sezing public land in Manchester and the
Metropolitan suburbs. Pauperism is one OF the
nest alarming evils IN industrial England, as
srs-v well informed writer on social questions
q constrained u admit; and its rapid growth Is
r-0moted by the current idea among the lower
sssses that the state owes them a living without
,ssrenoe 10 their own shiftlessness and improV-
Hnce Sunderland. like other English towns
rn4es the burden Of an increasing poor rate
IL schools cost the taxpayers a shilling; its
u-pers eat up ufnepencc and farthing in ad-
aa8n 10 the shilling.
What offset is there in municipal industries
I'm excessive poor rate and educational tolls?
A meagre one of I'D. n the profits Of the tram
vav service. There is q margin OF about $4,000
vben The interest and sinking fund charges are
set and This is turned into the town treasury
m ire relief Of the rates. This represents the
NJ profit Of an original investment Of si,3s620O
pnd when applied 10 the rates IL offsets the
rsnny levied for libraries and the halfpenny al
love5 for public baths. This cannot be regarded
as satisfactory proof that municipal trading
rsiuces local taxation The water and gas ser
wees IL Sunderland are controlled by private
oompanies. and the electricity service. while It
supplies moderately cheap power for the tram
ways does not make any contribution TO the
-atss r IS a public spirited town. which has
azs Hbrarv an art gallery. a museum, an ex-
oaasnr system of electric transit, good PUBLIC
Bindings and literally maintained hospitals and
lsyluns bur Il has not mastered the art Of re-
tscng taxation by local investments and in
ics,res The total tax rate is IS. 100, as
against S. Il IN AIiddlesbrough, the centre OF
lie Cleveland iron trade This result is FAVOR
hs 50 far as il goes, although property as
sgsments are nigh and the schools are not so
vel supported as they ought TO be in town or
1900 Municipal reformers. however. cannot
Psnt 70 Sunderland as an instructive object les
s1 II the benefits Of coTectivism- The corpora
I'm undertakings 90 rot yield q substantial
1rlat for the relief Of taxpayers.
While genera lizations respecting local govern
nsnt II England are OF uncertain value when
sased upon single instance. which may be ex-
sluonal IN circumstances. II is safe 10 assume
hat paupertsm has become alarmingly costly
and thai reform in the administration OF the
poor law Is urgently needed What is unmis-
aEabe aot only from the experience Of Sunder-
and. but also from the statistics OF the Local
Government Board Is that a spirit Of depend
s1oe upon the local authorities IS fostered by
Current methods Temperance advocates have
nleh 10 say about the drink evil as the main
Cause q paupertsrn They may be right but it
also fairly certain that the unemployed turn
b The warehouses; and 70 the dispensing Offices
4 loeal RELIEF year bv wear with a diminishing
ssase o. the dignity of self-support and inde-
ssalenee. The American worhngman is more
-s4iole and hopeful. When he is out OF work he
.'@ about for employment and. Il necessary,
MS hand ar something new. The unen-
lived in English towns make less effort and
= eaek upon the warehouses and a lavish sys-
local relief. Socialist agitators assure
- 'aat the state IS under obligation TO feed
Rouse them If II does not provide employ