The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-05-03
Indiana's Official Outdoor Relief.


summary of which we printed re-
Gently, is worth speaking OF again
for the advance it shows in our
methods of outdoor relief. Civ
ing figures for ten years the show
ing is conclusive. In 1895 the fg-
ures were $500, 16S spent; in 1905
they were $3SO,2S4. That is that
in spite of ten years increase of
population the amount spent for
outdoor relief as decreased as
shown above. Nor has this been
accompanied by any increased de-
mand on private charity, nor re-
duction of help to worthy cases.
Neither does it represent the diff
erence between good times and
bad. All times are alike to the
class that is pauperized. The diff
ference simply comes from a diff
ferent system. Whereas we had
system or lack of system that
gave indiscriminately, and was
actually producing the condition
that it was meant to aid, we have
now a system that helps those
that need help, provides that best
help of all to those that are able,
namely the help they can give
themselves. The report says that
from many townships the word
comes that able-bodied men and
women who have hitherto been
a charge on the State have gone
to work and are today self-re-
l.pecting citizens. There is in
short as far as known no bad re-
suits from our present system
only good ones, and it has been
said by experts to be the best sys-
tenn of outdoor official relief of all
the states in the Union.
Formerly the trustees admins
tering relief under States early
poor laws, gave practically to ev-
cry one that asked with little or
no investigation. The bills were
paid by the County Commissions
ehs with little question, and these
had, besides, the right to pension
certain classes. This sort of thing
went on for nearly half century
eliminating in 1895 with the
great amount above named, when,
according to reports made under
a new law then adopted, it was
shown that S2,235 people in In
G.aaa were being thus supported.
Tlc cost was 25 cents to every in
ha,itant of the state, while in var
iouj counties it ranged from 5
cents, as in Crawford, to "a cents
in Narren. The law that was
passed after .ascertaining the ac-
tual c6rditif of things, is the one
we have now, under which the to-
tai of relief has been so greatly re-
duced, and which has been prais-
ed as the best in the country. As
to persons receiving relief, the
number has decreased from the
S2,235, in 1895, to 45,331, while
the per capita cost to the people
of the State has been reduced
from the 26 cents to 10 cents.
When we bear in mind the in
crease of population il these ten
years, the results of the admins
tration of this law speak loudly,
indeed. Best of all is what they
say or imply as to the number of
|people that have become self-sup-
porting, self-respecting citizens,
INSTEAD of paupers. And this is
| The aim of such laws; it is the
spirit of modern charity, namely.
THAT system shall find out real dis
tress and>shall help in such way
as to build up character, not break
lit down; that aid shall be given in
a way to cause the unfortunate to
take heart and feel that it is a help
toward self-help. So we may re-
gard this reduction of nearly one
half in the number of people thus
aided as great tribute to our
good law and its good manage
ment.-Indianapolis News.
Puzzle For Scientists.
There is one place within pistol
shot Of ruined San Francisco that
the earthquake did not touch
that did not lose chimney OF
feel a tremor-Alcatraz island
Despite the fact that the island
is covered with brick buildings
brick forts and brick chimneys
not brick was loosened, not q
crack made nor quiver felt.
When the scientist comes tc
I.write he will have his hands full
explaining why Alcatraz did not
have any physical knowledge o.
the event. The crash of a falling
city filled the ears of the aroused
island, but no one understood
what It was all about. There wa:
no earthquake that they knew
ltx xo< II. c;txr , fa..v a,, d~a<