Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1906-08-30
THE TRIALS0F THE POOR
RESULTS OF SOCIOLOGICAL STU
DIES IN WASHINGTON.

s& t. 49,
Peculiar Conditions of Living at the
National Observation-Disclosures Con
Quoted by S. e. Forman for the
Bureau Of Labor-DetaiIs Of Domes-
tic Economy in Typical cases-First
Care to Be We'll Fed-Rent, Cloth
ing and Miscellaneous Expenses.
The Washington Cd. CO. corresponds
ent OF the New York Evening Post
writes as follows: S. E. sForman has
made for the federal bureau of labor
an inquiry into "the conditions of liv-
Ing which prevail among. the poor of
the District of Columbia Various
economists, from j. D. Rockefeller
backward, have arrived, before this
governmental maker of decimal points,
at the conclusion that household ex-
penditures increase and decrease with
the income. When the wage-earner
is regularly employed at remunera-.
tive rate, his family has better food
and more of it than when he is idle
and not earning anything. Mr.. For.
man establishes the. truth anew in the
case of 10 families who submitted to
the inquisitien and furnished budgets.
Households in which there was suffl-
clent intelligence to keep correct ac-
count of daily financial transactions,
and which were honest enough not to
falsify the items, were secured. Their
willingness to cooperate. the invest1-
gator thinks, implies a certain good
will toward the world" To the I'M
biassed this would appear to put the
case mildly
This investigation, however, has val
| ue as showing living conditions in the
| capital of the richest country in the
world, where, except for the minor
chores of government, retail shop
| keeping, and restricted field for arti-
sans, there is practically no opportun-
ity for man without education to
earn livelihood. The families in
cluded in the present study were lead
ing hand-to-mouth existence. Their
expenditures in every case equalled or
! slightly exceeded their income, and
it would not have been possible by
even the shrewdest management, ac-
cording to our common standards, TO
have saved any money. Every fam
lily was visibly, palpably, actually poor.
/ The loss of days wages would have
| caused keen embarrassment. ss The
loss of a weeks wages would have
| meant serious discomfort if not suf-
lsfering, while the. loss of months
would have resulted IN anaenforced ap.
peal to charity Here are three spec.
linens typical of them all. It will be
noted that all of the families main
tanned separate dwellings and were
not herded in tenements: ga -
Seven in family: widow and six chill
dren of the following ages; 16, IA, IL
nine, seven and two. The mother is
charwoman fh the service Of the gov
ernment. Her regular wages are $2O
month, but her hours Of labor per
NIT her to earn some extra money III
i private families. Boy also works and
brings in several dollars week, but
amount is very irregular. Food con
suming power, 5.25 adult males. Oc-
cupy small two-story frame building
with four rooms of medium size, 10
Gated on the outskirts. The house is
not kept in repair and is insanitary
Rent, SIS a month. -
Six in family-husband, wife and
four children of the following ages:
II, eight, six, and baby. The hus
band, young man, is the only wage
Garner and is a timer. His wages
are $3.50 day, but he finds it impos
sible to get regular work. Food con
suming power, Al adu1. males. Oc
cupy two-story brick dwelling, well 10
|. Gated. House has four small rooms
and no conveniences and is unsanitar,
in every particular. Water is brough
from a distance. Rent, $3.50 month
Six in family-husband, wife ant
: four children of the following ages
10. eight, six and three. The HUSBAND
| of middle age, is the only wage-earne
J and is employed as a clerk. His wage
: are s12 a week Food consuming pow
] er. 3.95 adult males. Occupy tWo-stor'
brick building fairly well located. Tn
house has five rooms, water In IN