Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/707

 PUBLIC CHARITY AND PRIVATE PHILANTHROPY 691

Cologne, Frankfort, and other cities : when, e. g., the limit set for the head of a family is 3 M., for the wife 2.50 M., and for each child from I to 2 M., according to age, a large family will sometimes draw an allowance greater in amount than an ordinary laborer could earn. Besides, it is very difficult, with a fixed scale, to take cognizance of a change in economic conditions, or a change in the scale of wages ; when, on the other hand, the fixing of the amount is left to the wisdom of the visitor of the district, the whole situation, all the facts, can be duly weighed and considered, the various other sources of income, opportu- nities for temporary employment, etc. True, this system is also not entirely free from objections : it leaves room for arbitrariness in fixing the amount of an allowance ; and where it is in vogue it is found that in districts where a large number of wealthy per- sons act as visitors the allowances are too high, in the inverse case too low. In this respect we feel very keenly the lack of any trustworthy statistical reports concerning the domestic economy of the class next above the pauper class, i. e., of the lowest self-supporting class, whose income must of necessity be a little higher than that of those who receive public aid.

Besides giving aid in the form of money and provisions, the public relief furnishes free medical attendance in all cases ; for the calling of a physician, midwife, or nurse, easier forms have been introduced, so that no one, even in the most urgent case, need suffer for want of prompt and immediate help in the hour of need. But the importance of this department of the public relief has fallen off considerably of late years on account of the development of insurance, the majority of workmen now having access to some sick insurance fund. The most valuable means of promoting health, viz., healthful dwellings and good ven- tilation, often, alas! cannot be had, because of the wretched housing common in all large cities. It is an undeniable fact, however, that the various attempts at improvement in this matter have been due, in no small degree, to the participa- tion of so large a number of citizens in the administration of public relief. For the visitors again and again discover wlmt