842 KEPoni— 1892, 



£5. Ler/islation in Am3rica and ElseivJtere on Itehalf of Destitute and Neglected 

 Childnn. Bij RosA M. Bakratt. 



The object of this paper is to show what rrreat advances almost every country, 

 except England, has made in recent years with regard to legislation on behalf of 

 neglected children. 



The Chamber of Deputies in France has under consideration very wide-reaching 

 proposals on this subject, of which a part became law in July 1889. Under this 

 law certain associations, or rassistrmce publique, or private individuals may be 

 appointed guardians of children under sixteen years of age — (n) if the parents from 

 destitution or other causes voluntarily give them up ; (6) of those children whose 

 parents are legally deprived of their control through being criminals or habitual 

 drunkards. 



As to America. The laws of Michigan as they concern neglected children have 

 been so successful that they have been copied, with but slight diflerences in detail, 

 by the States of Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Ehode Island. By these laws any ill- 

 treated child under the age of sixteen may be removed from its parents and placed 

 under the protection of public authority. New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, 

 Connecticut, Indiana, California, Colorado, Illinois, and Ontario partially, have also 

 most stringent laws as to neglected children ; in most cases the Governments give 

 grants in aid of efl'orts to rescue them. 



In Italy and Germany also great efforts are now being made to consolidate 

 charitable efforts on behalf of the poor, and to give increased authority and power 

 and State aid to such workers. 



Voluntary charitable elforts in order effectually to check the increase of pauper- 

 ism and crime must have Government aid and protection. 



4. A Flea for the Study of Railway Economics. By W. M. Acworth. 



Railway economics is a recognised subject of instruction with a large literature 

 of its own (see 'Economic Journal' for June for list) in other countries. Here 

 the study is non-existent. And yet railways deserve study, both from their pre- 

 eminent financial importance, from the fact that the transportation industry lies at 

 the base of all other industries, and from the extreme difficulty of the problems 

 involved. The position of English railway statistics is at present simply dis- 

 creditable, and, in the absence of information, the subject has become a happy 

 hunting-ground for the crotchet-monger, and England, which invented railways, 

 has dropped out of sight among the railway experts of the world ; is, for instance, 

 practically ignored at the International Kailway Congress now meeting at St. 

 Petersburg. Three subjects of immediate practical importance are suggested as 

 requiring special study : — 



1. Tiae reduction of passenger fares begun in Hungary, extended to Austria, 

 Holland, France, and expected in Germany ere long. How far does this afford a 

 precedent for England P Reasons are suggested for thinking that Ireland might 

 with great advantage copy the Hungarian example, while in Great Britain such a 

 course is out of the question. 



2. The question of goods rates is commonly understood to have been finally 

 settled la&t session ; but there is reason to believe, on the contrary, that it is only 

 just beginning. There is great need for the guidance of trained economists with 

 no personal interest to serve. 



3. The construction of new railways, which ai-e urgently needed, has been 

 practically put a stop to by the extravagant standard of construction and working 

 demanded by English public opinion. On the other hand, cheap railways are 

 making very rapid progress in Holland, Belgium, Italy, and elsewhere, and accord- 

 ing to the testimony of the Prussian Minister of Commerce, given on moving the 

 third reading of a Light Railway Bill for Prussia, they have proved of inestimable 

 value to those countries. Is it not possible that we in this country had better 

 have inferior railways in remote districts rather than none at all ? 



