The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-09-04
WHAT THE NEW CHILD WELFARE BILL rs
DOING 49,

The Escambia county commissioners have made
an appropriation of $4,000 to be expended this
years support OF the needy mothers and children
the county. Already two dozen applications
for assistance from this have made and
are filed with the county superintendent educa-
tion History blanks being printed, on which
viii be recorded the circumstances reasons for
seeking support in each case
The bill. passed recent session of the
legislature. provides that each county board
missfoners may tax Of mill on all
taxable property of their respective counties
purpose Of supplying funds to the bill into
effect provided the condition of the allowance of
the said allotment shall be made by the county
missioners upon the recommendation of the school
board In the county in which such mothers reside.
If the commissioners of Escambia county had
assessed the tax Of one-half mill the
secured would have been approximately 1900.
Several counties in the state have larger budgets
for this purpose than Escambia county For in
stance, the Hisborough county budget shows ST.
600 to be spent for mothers pensions for the
ing year.
When the effects Of this philanthropic bill once
are known it will be found many a mother will
have better opportunity to live for children
to educate them, than before. One condition
of the bill is that all children sixteen years
OF who receive support from funds aside for
the purpose. shall attend school regularly for the
entire session Of school in order bills
benefits
A brief summary of the bills more important
points is follows:
The county commissioners of each county are
authorized to include in the annual budget of the
general revenue fund appropriation sufficient to
meet the purposes of the law for the support of
women who have dependent upon them for food raj
ment and education orphan orphans or half
orphan children under sixteen years age, nclud
ing any woman whose husband is dead
inmate of some state institution, whose husband
has been prosecuted for desertion non-support
and has been adjudicated by the court where prose-
cuted to be wholly unable support his wife and
children whose support and the support of the chill
dren depends wholly partially upon her labor.
The allowance per child shall not exceed s25
a month when the mother has but child under
sixteen years of age. Is she has than
child under the age OF sixteen it shall not exceed
s25 for the first child and So month for each of
the other children.
Persons receiving the benefits of the bill must
have been resident of the state for at least four
years and resident Of the county in which the al
lowance is given for at least year.
Children dependent upon female relative
Due investigation of each appeal for support
must be made by competent authorities.
Thus it will be that Florida widows and
orphans have been provided for, of
the other states of the Union have provided for
them. Cases in this county are being inyesti-
gated by competent worker. and Escambia county
has stepped forward in a for which her coun-
ty commissioners and those who worked the pas
sage of the bill deserve great deal of credit