The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1913-02-20
New Law Proposed for Wis
cOnsin Attracts Attention
From KenCsha Men.
WOULD LESSEN POVERTY HERE
State Law Would Take From the Pau
per Committee the Care of Women
Deserted by Their Husbands Plan
Follows One Used in New Zealand.

Mothers pensions, proposed in
bill introduced by Assemblyman John
Schnitzler of De Pere, will not only
be boon to unfortunate mothers and
children, but will be saving Of pub
lie funds. This is averred by friends
of the q Ssure, who say that it is not
even experimental and cite many facts
in proof.
The law is now in force and is be-
ing found effective and beneficial in
New acknowledgement as one OF
the foremost in the list of progressive
countries land in New South Wales,
Victoria, British Columbia and in the
state of Illinois.
The idea of mothers pensions is not
new or original with Wisconsin, but
while the Wisconsin measure is not
the first of it's kind it is claimed that
the Schnitzler bill is far more COM
prehensive than that under which
mothers are being pensioned in other
states. In fact, it is pointed out, peo-
pie in Wisconsin have been benefited
by the experience of those in other
states to such an extern that, the law,
as now drawn for adoption here, is
model product, calculated to do away
with all the defects and inconsistent
cies found in the laws in states and
countries that adopted the plan at an
earlier date.
a strong humanitarian motive
prompted the decision to create a
mothers pension-that of keeping
children at home and out of institu-
tions. While the institutions for de-
pendent children in Wisconsin are as
good and even better than in some
other states, the authorities, it is said,
have had many cases tending to prove
that an institutional childN does not
develop into the highest class Of citi-
zen.
The plan for carrying out the provi-
sions of the law is simple. 1t provides
for the creation of state child pro-
lection agent who is to be the head of
the pension department., but in reality
answerable to the state board of CON
troll for his work. The law provides
for what is known as "visitors in
cities Of the first, second and third
classes. 1t shall be the duty Of these
visitors, under the law, to personally
investigate cases, where families and
children are in need. If the case war
rants they are empowered to turn over
to the mother money to the extent of
$1,000 per month per child, that be-
ing deemed sum sufficient to proper
ly feed and elothe the dependent. In
the event the family has small in
come the officer has power to make up
the difference between tie income and
what is deemed by the department. a
living wage.
1t costs the state of Wisconsin, I'M
der present conditions, $3.50 a week
to care for child in the Home of
Dependent Children at Sparta This
amounts to $21.56 per month or 1886
moth more than would. be expend-
ed on the child under the mother IS
pension law. These figures would seem
to entirely disprove the claim of ex-
trayagance " and prove that on the
contrary the measure is an economi-
cal one to the state. 1t is merely tax
ing the money already used for that
purpose and applying it in better
manner
1t is predicted that the law, if pass
ed, will go long ways towards dis
placing the work of county and town
commissioners at present in vogue in
Wisconsin.
Charges have been made that while
the mother s pension idea is in itself
mcritorlous the law proposed by Mr..
Schnitzler is bad because it necessi-
tates the building of an expensive
machine" to carry out its provisions.
This is an erroneous idea, claim friends
of the measure. In reality, the bill
necessitates only the appointment of
the above mentioned chief child pro-
lection agent and the appointments of
twelve or fifteen visitors in the larger
cities of the state.
Some opposition to the measure has
been registered by the associated
charities. 1t is claimed, in retaliation
to the arguments that these charities
put forward, that the opposition is
based on desire to see anything de-
feated that would do away with the
work of organized charity that turns
over half, or better, of its funds to
paid officers to dispense the remainder.
Mrs. Fred Pettibone of Chicago, and
Mrs Ta11u Mary and donol,For Heel