Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/647

 THE RELIEF AND CARE OF DEPENDENTS 633

eight commonwealths. In the western states having such a requirement the time is noticeably short. In the northern and eastern states it is longer. In twelve states, eleven of them west of the Mississippi, the residence required in a town or county is from one to six months, while in nine states, six of which belong to the north central group, it is one year. 1 In Virginia three years' residence is an alternative for one year's residence without public relief. 2

Eight states, including Virginia already mentioned, have a condition of self-maintenance or maintenance without public relief, in addition to the time qualification. 3 A number of the eastern states have a property qualification. This is handed down from the colonial period, where it had been copied from the English law. 4 In ten states, all southern and western (Maryland,

1895; Ohio, Caique's R. S., 1890; Ore., Hill's Annot. Laws, 1892; Oklahoma, R. S. ; Penn., Brightly Purdon's Digest; R. I., Gen. Laws, 1896; S. C, Gen. Laws and Civ. Code, 1882; S. D., Ter. Code of Dakota, 1887; Tenn., Code of 1884; Tex., Sayle's Stat., 1888; Utah, Comp. Stat., 1888 \ Vt., R. S., 1880; Va., Code of 1887 ; Wash., Laws and Code of 1896 ; W. Va., Code of 1891 ; Wis., R. S., 1887; \Vyo. f Hill's Annot. Laws, 1892. References to decisions and to acts passed since the statutes used were compiled are given in full.

1 In Nebraska a pauper is chargeable to the county in which he resided thirty days previous to his application for relief (3936). In Montana (3209) and Colorado (3392) sixty days' residence is required ; in Oklahoma (3647), North Dakota (1478), South Dakota (2144), Wyoming (1956), and Oregon (3948), ninety days; and in Mis- sissippi (3144), Kansas (4031), Nevada (1987), and Washington (1601), six months. One year's residence is required in West Virginia (5, C. 46), North Carolina (3543), Tennessee (2691), Michigan (1787), Indiana (6070), Illinois (17, C. 107), Minnesota (1954), Missouri (7329), and Iowa ( 2I 39)-

876.

'In order to secure a legal settlement in New York (16, p. 2259), Virginia (8*76), Ohio (1492), and Wisconsin (1500), the person must have been a resident of the county (or town) one year, and have received no public relief during that time. In South Carolina (880), Connecticut (3288), Maine (i, ch. 24), and New Jetsey (Act of April 14, 1891), the same condition is found, except that the period is three years, four yea; years, and ten years, respectively. In New Jersey this period of ten years' residence without receiving public relief may be reduced to one year. Upon entering a town the person may notify the overseers of the fact, and, if they approve, he gains a settlement in one year. The overseers may refuse to approve, and, returning his notice, may remove him from the town at any time within the twelve months. If not removed, a person giving such notice gains a settlement with one year's residence.

4 In Massachusetts (1,2, ch. 83) holding office one year, possessing a freehold