NOTES AND ABSTRA CTS 127
a "system of poor-relief as bad as any that existed in the worst days of charity in Europe." He states that "this relief, coupled with the philanthropic tendencies of the community, will secure relief equal to the standard of living," and that while assurance of this relief exists, the laborer "is not likely to work unless his wages give him a profit over the standard of living," unless he gets more for his work than poor-law relief will give him."
But not only does this system of relief keep up wages, it also worse than needlessly burdens the farmer with taxes. The heavy taxes also tend to destroy the value of his land. While this problem of out-door relief is not the only problem, it is one of the most important problems affecting the western farmer, and, while its solution will not solve all his problems, it will afford him great relief. The "remedy" is to abolish absolutely all out-door relief." JAMES, H. HYSLOP, in Forum, June 1897. M.
The Pauper Problem in America. "Our social structure is ablaze with pauperism." If asked the cause of this, "I should say that it is the natural, logical, and philosophical outcome of the unwise handling of the problem of the poor by a policy which, in seeking to obliterate the disease, has only driven it into the vitals of society, thereby aggravating the evil and endangering the very existence of the body politic." " . . . . nine-tenths of the present strained relations between the classes and the masses .... are due to the unwise and unphilosophical handling of the problem."
But while this is true, it is also true that the origin of the evil is in the depopu- lation of the country districts. The " natural and self-evident " remedy " is a res- toration of the balance of population from the city to the country." This is prac- ticable and sufficient. The Salvation Army scheme for accomplishing this includes : (i) large western settlements, (2) farm colonies, (3) Pingree "potato patches," and (4) city colonies with cheap shelters, temporary workyards, labor bureaus, and homes for the fallen. F. DE LATOUR BOOTH -TUCKER, in Charities Review, April 1897. M
Municipal Conditions in California. A new charter is being pressed for San Francisco. The city has suffered from divided powers and responsibility. Recently the legislature has given the veto power to the mayor, to be overcome only by a three-fourths vote of the council. The early indifference to the city government which is gradually giving place to a sense of civic pride, has produced two curious results : ( I ) The city has created no public debt and is without bonds, an experience not paralleled by any city of equal si/e. importance, and rapid growth. (2) The same short-sighted thrift has prevented the city from owning any public utilities, all of which are owned by private corporations. The result has been the creation of powerful monopolies, the imposition of high rates, and suspected corruption of public bodies, all of which practically amounts to the imposition by private companies of a highci taxation of citizens than that of the city itself. HON. JAMES 1). Pin i AN. Arena, June 1897. 1 r.
Arraignment of Organized Charities. The two principal objections to charity organizations are : (i) as to their methods. Organized charity has almost become a fad. Indiscriminate giving is generally discouraged 1>\ .students oi the subject. The mode of labor or partial pavment is only an evasion and exerts the same degrading influence on the standard of living as does indiscriminate giving, besides instituting unfair competition with legitimate business enter, : -malic and per-
manent character of organi/ed ihuntv that makes it the most dangerous form of relief distribution. (2) Charity organizations by mliMing tin- sympathy and o.ntn- hutions of the rich toward charity relief divert their attention fumi the means of poverty-prevention by social improvements. The evils of poverty arise fr<>m our social conditions. The remedy cannot U- found in any system of private chanty, but in some means of making the care of the dislocated an involuntaiv and inseparable part of the productive system itself by some system of industrial insu Gunton's Afagatine, June 1897.
