Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 11.djvu/795

 A DECADE OF OFFICIAL POOR-RELIEF IN INDIANA 779

As a further illustration of the fact that pauperism flourishes, and even grows, during times of prosperity, reference may be had to the address of Mr. J. Mack Tanner, secretary of the Illi- nois Board of Commissioners of Public Charities, at the State Conference of Charities iQcyj. 25

One hundred and two counties in Illinois in 1899 paid out $760445 in outdoor relief. The average per-capita cost to the people of the state was 16 cents, varying from one-half mill in Edwards County to 53 cents in Adams County. It is to be noted that the sixteen counties paying more than double the average (from 32 to 53 cents) are all in the great, rich farming district of Illinois. Possibly the general prosperity of this section encourages the

poor to make their home here That much of our so-called charity is

responsible for the increase of pauperism does not admit of a doubt. This criticism applies with peculiar force to our present system of out relief. Experience has shown that the increase and degree of indigence and misery bear a close relation to the assistance given to the poor from public funds. The plain intent of the law is that out relief shall be given in emergency cases and covering a brief period. By a laxity of administration, which seems inseparable from the system, what was intended as an exception has become the rule, until in some of the counties of this state from 40 to 60 per cent, of the

county revenue is thus expended Statistics from the official records of

Lasalle County show that for the decade from 1890 to 1900 the increase in the expenses of out relief had assumed alarming proportions, notably in the larger cities and towns. The annual expenditure for this purpose increased from $6,500 in 1890 to $40,000 in 1806. The percentage of increase was 416 in Ottawa, 345 in Lasalle, 668 in Streator, and 270 in Peru. It was also found that the supervisors of several of these towns were paying out more for out relief alone than the total amount of their county taxes for all purposes, leav- ing the rural towns to support all the other county institutions.

The point may be raised that the cutting-off of so large an amount of public aid would create a demand for private charity. If such had been the case, it is felt that information to that effect would have been received from the different charity-organization societies, of which there are several in the smaller cities of the state. No such reports have been received, and it is believed that no notable increase of aid from private sources followed the remarkable reduction in public aid above noted.

The results achieved under the operation of these laws may be summarized as follows:

35 Proceedings, Illinois Conference of Charities, 1903, P- 81.