The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1940-01-04

WPA and number OF employables
ON relief in our cities and industrial
are. should alse-exist between
farm incomes and the number of
farmers receiving farm security
grants. That farm incomes are i'm
proving is evident from the fact that
in November, 1897. 5,0l6 farmers
received subsistence grants of $780,
813; in November 1888, 5,067 farm
ers, S114000, while in October, 1899,
1892 farmers were granted $67 1920.
No matter how much farm incomes
improve it is going to be difficult to
squeeze out the Farm Security Adj
ministration with large state wide
set-up.
The agricultural situation is fur
Their complicated by the refusal on
the part of the u. S. Department of
Agriculture to recognize benefits as
relief even though the entire amount
is in the form Of grants paid with tax
money. According to the Montana
Farmer these soil conservation,
range benefit, sugar beet benefit.
and wheat parity payments in 1898
and 1889 will total over $4,000, 900.
The u. S. Department of Agricul-
ture calls this part of the farm
income but to- the taxpayer putting
up the money it is just another
form of relief The same may be
said of the large amount of loans
of federal money for various agri-
cultural purposes.
Montana's Monthly Grants
The average amount of assistance
granted to each eligible person 65
years of age or over in the United
States in August 1889 was S19.43.
Montana's grant averaged $3.50.
which was the highest of the rs
states making grants of $1,000 or
less per month. Montana's average
grant per person is higher than the
average grant in Kansas, Nebraska
North Dakota, South Dakota, Mich
igan, Indiana, Vermont, Delaware
and II other states. Only six states
make an average grant of more than
$2400 OF these California and Col
orado. extending benefits beyond
the Social Security Act, are in seri-
Gus financial difficulties that may
bankrupt their state governments;
Massachusetts and Connecticut have
only half as many aged per 1000
population to care for as Montana
On January |, 1910 the amended
Social Security Act, increasing the
matching of federal funds according
to need on $3.50 basis up to $40
per month becomes effective. AS
the states do not even now have
the money to make grants approach
ing the present limit of $50 per
month, greatly increased monthly
allowances are not likely.
Old Age Assistance Trend
In January 1887, there were 1892
aged in Montana receiving assist
ance. During 1887 approximately
5000 were added to the rolls and
during every month the total in
Increased until in March, 1899 there
were 1857 receiving aid. While
| the 1899 legislature continued with
out reduction the appropriation that
had been made for the two years
previous, the expansion Of the old
age assistance rolls forced the Coun-
| ty Welfare Departments to check
this growth by dropping and keep
ing off the rolls those who had 9TH
er means of support AS result
of this wedding out process the to-
tai number receiving aid in Octo-
Der 1899 was 485 less than in March.
While the total population of the
state has shown little change since
I the Social Security Act was adopt
ed there have been some very mark
ed shifts in population within the
state and as a result a wide varia-
ton in trend in numbers receiving
| old age assistance is noted. mas
much as any figures used to esti-
mate the number of persons per
| 1000 of those over SIS who are re-
ceiving aid in the different counties
have to be based on the 1880 CEN
sus it is hardly advisable to work
| this out at this time for each coun-
| ty. 1t is safe to say, however, that
| in western Montana where there
has been a large influx of settlers
from eastern Montana and neigh
boring states, the trend in total
numbers Of aged eligible for assist
ance will be upward. Also in the
mining cities containing a large
amount of stranded population that
does not easily adapt itself to any
other life when mining activity
drops, the trend will be upward.
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