The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-07-29
PENSIONS FOR MOTHERS

have appropriated $13, 900 for the payment
of pensions to mothers who have children
dependent upon them. Before the money
is available Gov. Tener, under the law
enacted by the last Legislature, must name
a board of trustees by whose direction
the money, together with Allegheny
county's proportion of the 100000 appro-
priated by the State, will be expended.
Only the mothers of children dependent
because of the death or desertion of their
fathers are eligible to pensions, and the
mothers must be qualified in the judgment
of the trustees, to administer the pension
and care for their children. 1t was stated
at the commissioners Office that of the
dozens who have1nquired about the opera
ton of the law only small proportion
can avail themselves of its provisions.
The appropriation is in the nature of an
experiment and is to cover one year.
In St. Louis last week a widow
with four small children was
turned out of her house because
she was not able to pay the rent.
The oldest, a lad of fourteen, was
d delicate child and unable to
work. The second son, twelve
years of age, worked sixteen
hours a day to secure bread for
the family. The other children
were too young to be anything
more than care to the mother.
They were without money or
property. In this condition they
were turned out of their rented
home.
In this age of civilization when
men and women are advanced in
thought and are supposed to be
trained to a very high state of in
tellectual culture, when they have
had moral training in the church
and its associated works, it seems
strange that in cities where they
have the largest churches and
which cities are money centers,
that poverty should be allowed to
lay hold of childhood and widow
hood as its victims; and stranger
still that such cities have made
no provisions for the proper pro-
lection of both infancy and wild
owhood. Poverty may come to
the nObleSt and most deserving
and it is a duty of those who are
in comfortable circumstances to
make proper protection for those
who for the time are in need of
protection. And who is more in
need of protection than an infant?
Who better deserves care and at
tention than widow with infant
children at her breast? In the
struggle for bread, what chance
has she to cope with the stronger
and less burdened? Is she not
worthy of encouragement? Has
she not in her travail given to the
world future men and women!
And why should she be permitted
to starve? Why should her chill
dren be thrown on the cold, in
different public as beggars? Their
future will be one of honor il
properly directed; if allowed tc
come up in dirt and ignorance
they will take their places in the
lower walks of life and make
felons and fill houses of disrepute
There is a way to avoid this
Aid to this class of unfortunate
people, given at the right time il
the way of small pensions by til,
state, will bring UP a better rae
of people and fill the state will
men and women who will hell
instead of being a detriment to il
The money spent annually in jai
and penitentiary maintenance
would be reduced fifty per cent
This saving added to the SINAI
pensions would add much to tn
manhood of the state.
In Chicago last winter woman
with small family applied to th
Associated Charities for aid. Sh
was refused until the case coul
be officially investigated. Tim
after time she called but was pu
off until the course of official re
tape was run. At the end {
some weeks and after some {
I, ~ -h; 11,-av, f,.I J:oJ fv<@,.. el-.,-..