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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



2. That it discourages habits of frugality. 



3. That it encourages improvident and wretched marriages. 



4. That it produces discontent. 



His own conclusion as to what he had himself seen was that 

 " out-door relief in • the United States as elsewhere tends inevita- 

 bly and surely to increase pauperism." Here are some of his sta- 

 tistics : 



In Brooklyn, during 1877, 46,350 people were relieved at a cost 

 of $141,207. In 1878 no money was given. This immense number 

 of people which had received aid were left to take care of them- 

 selves, or to go to almshouse or to hospital. What effect on these 

 institutions did refusing to give to 46,350 people have ? In 1877 

 and 1878 these institutions contained 1,371 people ; in 1879, 1,389 

 people ; in 1880, 1,199, and in 1881 only 1,171. What became of 

 the people that had received the $141,207, in a single year ? Mr. 

 Seth Low says : " Instead of Brooklyn needing, as the result of the 

 abolition of out-door relief, an almshouse of mammoth proportions, 

 we find at the end of three years an almost imperceptible increase 

 of sick paupers, but a steady diminution of well paupers ; and this, 

 too, in the face of a population in the county growing at the rate 

 of 18,000 per annum." At about the same time similar action was 

 taken in Philadelphia, with like results. Cleveland's out-door re- 

 lief account for six years was as follows : 



1875 to 4,590 families $95,000. 

 ISTe to 3,094 " 85,000. 



18VY to 2,386 " 70,000. 



1878 to 1,568 families $32,300. 



1879 to 1,550 " 22,600. 



1880 to 1,200 " 17,000. 



In March, 1877, was begun a system of requiring an equivalent 

 for the relief furnished. Work at one dollar per day was provided 

 every man who being able-bodied applied for assistance. The offi- 

 cials were thoroughly convinced that pauperism had been fostered 

 and increased by the old system. 



Cincinnati pursued the same course, with good results, except 

 that it issued during ten winter weeks coal by the bushel ; but 

 even that was improvident and demoralizing. People who know 

 that a city issued coal last winter will count on getting it this 

 winter, and will take no other thought on the subject. 



Now we know, by experiment, that the wise thing to do is to 

 visit all such people in July and August, and induce them to lay 

 by a few cents a week for winter's coal, promising it to them at 

 lower prices. If, thus reminded to provide for winter, they are less 

 sensible than the squirrel, they must in all fairness to themselves 

 be allowed to suffer discomfiture in winter and be taught by bit- 

 ter experience. He who gives to the \iOOV under such circum- 

 stances may be very benevolent at heart, but his influence is worse 

 than that of a miser who refrains from giving. 



