The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1909-03-11
The Problem Of Dependents.

Adam Clarke, a, Wise OLD pOHUlcal
economist, declares in one Of his best
works that the greatest problem for
the community to meet is the problem
of the care Of the delinquent, the de-
fective and dependent classes. This is
a problem that is proving source Of
great deal Of thought among officials
in Kenosha today The state has
generously arranged to take care of
the first two classes. She has built
prisons and other schools. of reform for
the care Of the delinquents, has opened
schools for the deaf and blind and
spends a hundred thousand dollars
annually for the care Of the insane
and feeble minded and while there is
a cost to the community for the care
of these people it is a very moderate
one. With the third class-the de
pendents is different No state
legislature has ever been able to work
out law for state care Of the shift
less and the poverty stricken and this
problem is one that must be solved by
the municipalities. AS the population
Of city grows the question Of the
care Of this class becomes more difficult
to answer. Ten years ago Kenosha
had little trouble caring for her de-
pendents and an appropriation of a
few hundred dollars year was suf
fcient to keep them. Thanks to an
almost unrestricted immigration law
and natural growth in population,
thousands of dollars are demanded
annually to take care of this class and
the problem at present is to find way
to wisely expend this fund and a way
to expend it SO as not to encourage
an increase in this class which must
always be burden to the body poll
tic. Kenosha has tried the old fash
toned poor house, has built city flats
and has purchased and stocked poor
farm and yet the bills for the care
Of the dependents mount higher every
year. It is not a responsibility that
can be shifted. It is up to the people
to take care of these dependents.
Theorists visit the city at stated inter
walls and insist that the care Of these
people should be the same that the
thrifty man gives his own family, but
others take issue with this plan and
insist that if the poor are pampered
others who are on the verge of de-
tendency are led by this very fact to
drop their fight against the problems
of life and give themselves over to the
city for care. The element Of pride
enters into the making of pauper, but
when they have once tasted of the free
support Of the city pride is forgotten
and they become dictators as to the
manner in which they are to be kept.
IF the care Of all the dependents of the
city could be centered on one single
poor farm or in one single poor house,
the problem would be solved, for this
pride Of the near paupers is too strong
to permit them to consent to go to a
place which is so publicly declared a.
home Of paupers. That same pride in
such case would become an ambition
to be self supporting. Kenosha must
find way of offering just such a
proposition to the men and women who
seek the support of the public and
when this is found it will be seen that
the number Of dependents will be i'm
mediately reduced. Just as long as
the city makes pauperism easy by pay
ing for private houses to be occupied
by paupers there will be people who
will be glad to accept this aid Of the
city. When, however, the pauper
learns that he or she must become
common with all other dependents the
rush from the ranks Of dependents will
be as rapid as it now is to these ranks
The old worn out men and women
whose children have deserted them to
the care of long suffering public will
remain, but the younger Women-for
they are mostly women-will find a
way to secure a more decent and self
respecting support for themselves and
children.