The star-independent. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1904-1917, 1914-10-26
Number Increased 8
Per Cent. From 1904
to 1910 and AdmiS-
Sions to 8.5 Per Cent.
TWICE AS MANY
MEN AS WOMEN
Almshouse Is Largely Temporary Shell
ter Since Permanent Inmates Form
Minority Of Total Pauper Pop
ulation

Washington, D. c., Oct. 26.-Accord-
ing to a report which is soon to be is
sued by William j. Harris, director of
| the Bureau of the Census Department
ofg Commerce, S4,19Spaupers were emu
merated in almshouses in the United
States on January /, 1910, and SS,-I
S13 were admitted during the year. The
number of almshouse paupers in the
United States increased three per cent.
between 1904 and 1910, and the mum.
ber of annual admissions to almshouses
increased S.5 per cent, while the total
population of the country Increased
12.4 per cent during the same period.
The ratio of almshouse paupers to
population has steadily declined at ev-
erv census since 1880, the earliest date
for which comparable figures are avail
able. The census report, being
confined to study of any other insti'
tutions or recipients of outdoor relief.
Accordingly, the number of paupers re-
ported is not q measure of the extent of
poverty in community, because 1T de-
pends on the adequacy of the supply
of almshouses or the prevailing policy
in regard to outdoor relief, on climatic
conditions. and on the existence or num-
her of special institutions for children
and for physical and mental detectives.
| Age of Paupers
About one-third of the paupers enum-
Grated on January /. 1910. were under
55 wears of age; about one third, be-
tween So and 50 years. and about one
third, 70 wears of age and over. The
ratio Of almshouse paupers to popula-
ton increases decidedly with advancing
age, about person in so above SO
years of age being an inmate of an aims
house, The proportion of almshouse
raupers in the younger age groups, in
fact in all age groups under 90 years,
declined from census to census, lndleat'
ing that Young persons become In
mates Of almshouses in fewer eases now
than formerly. In 1880 more than half
of the paupers were under 90 years OF
age: in 1910 only about one-fourth.
OF tine total number of paupers enum-
Grated in almshouses on January l,
1910, there were 81 .049 males and 21,'
l49 females, and of those admitted
during that year 67,195 were males
and 21.11S females. The ratio of pau.
pers per 100000 population of the
same sex was 1905 for males and
&C. IS for females, among the inmates
on given date.
The ratio of males per roo females
among almshonse paupers increased
steadily from 1880 when it was 116.1
to 1910 when it was 210. Thus the
males outnumber the females to l IN
almshouses and the tendency is toward
an increasing preponderance of males
This probably is due largely to the de-
velopment of special institutions for
the care of INDECENT women.
Single persons are relatively more
numerous among adult almshouse pau
pers than in the general adult popula-
tion.
Immigrant Paupers
The foreign born in 1910 formed
16.3 per cent. of the total white popu-
lation of the United States, but they
formed t2.6 per cent. of the paupers
enumerated in almshouses on January
/ 1. 1910. .and Al per cent. of those ad-
mitted during the Fear 1910. The ratio
of almShCuse paupers per 1OO,OOO pop
ulation of the same nativity was about
four times as great among the foreign
born as among the native whites. This
is due in part to the fact that there
are few children among the foreign
born; also to the greater proportion Of
males among them. When allowance is
made, however for these factors, the
\ ratio still remains higher for the i'm
migrants. this fact doubtless being a
reflection of the generally. lower eco
nomic level occupied by them as COM
pared with the natives.
Among the immigrants. the Irish
show a much higher ratio of almshouse
pauperism G,0S4.5 per 100000 ma
tive of Ireland) than those of any
other nationality. the Swiss being next
with ratio of 410.9. The natives of
the countries from whi,lh most of the
recent immigrants come have by far the
lowest ratios of almshouse pauperism,
the ratio being 754 for Austria-Hun-
gary, 43.7 for Russia, and 31.S for
Italy. The higher ratios of almshouse
pauperism for the natives of countries
from which the tide of immigration was
at its height some decades ago are due
in large part to the fact they COM
prise at the present time large proper
tion of old persons.
Pauperism Among Negroes
The ratio of pauperism among the ne
groes is about the same as that among
the native WhlteS, Wnen the country d.
whole is considered.
OF the men in almshouses whose oc-
cupation prior to admission was re-
ported, the largest number had been an
skilled laborers: considerable numbers,
however, belonged to skilled trades,
such as carpenters and ioiners and
painters. glaziers and varnishes. Most
of the women in almshouses for whom
prior occupation was reported had
been domestic servants. At the time of
enumeration, however, a large proper
tion. about two-ffths of the almshOuse
paupers. were reported as entirely in.
capacitated, and nearly two-thirds of
the paupers enumerated on January
/, 1910. and more than one-third of
those admitted during the year, were
; physically or mentally defective. The
number of mentally defeetive-that is,
of the insane and of feeble minded in
) almshouses, is shown to be declining
the reason being that special institu.
tions are being provided for these
classes
Almshouse Temporary Shelter
Three -fourths of the 59,120 persons
discharged from almshouses during
1910 were discharged to be self-sup
porting. and about onefourth were
: turned over to relatives or friends. The
| proportion discharged in the latter way