Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/395

 THE RELIEF AND CARE OF DEPENDENTS 381

This is done through the county, town, or municipal govern- ments.

States are said to have the " town " or the " county system " according as the town (or township) or the county is responsible for the care of the indigent. The county system is prevalent, as it exists in every state, save one, 1 west of the Mississippi, in all south of the Mason and Dixon line, and in Pennsylvania. The New England states, save Maine and New Hampshire, have the town system. In Maine and New Hampshire the town cares for those having a town, the county for those having a county, but no town, settlement. In New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, and Indiana the town, township, or hundred, as the case may be, is responsi- ble for the " out-door,", the county for the " indoor " relief. 2 In the five states of New York, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota there is a "mixed system," the town system in some cases, the county system in others being found. In all these states, however, the latter predominates, and provision is made for changing from the town system to it. 3

Usually some special provision is made for cities. Sometimes the system of municipal relief is distinct from and completely independent of that of the county or town. This seems to be the case in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, where the municipal corporations possess powers like those of ; the towns, and in Louisiana where they possess (in this respect) the same power as the parish. 4

1 This state is Minnesota, which is later given as having a mixed system. 3 If the several counties do not make almshouse provision, the towns have the exclusive superintendence of the poor, and provide for them as in the town system.

3 In New York (n, p. 2258) and Wisconsin (1519) the county board of supervi- sors may change from the town to the county system upon a majority vote. In Michi- gan (1808) it requires a two-thirds vote of the board to change from the town to the county system or from the county to the town system. In Illinois (35, ch. 107) the town system in any county may be abolished by a majority vote of the electors. Lastly, in Minnesota (1984), after receiving the recommendation of the state board of charities and corrections, the county board may, in accordance therewith, submit the question of changing from one system to the other to a general vote.

4 3, ch. 84 and 3, ch. 88 ; I, ch. 46 ; 19; p. 560, vol. ix, Pub. Am. Economic Asso- ciation ; 1517; 1972-1973; and Art. 163, Constitution of Louisiana.