Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/650

This page needs to be proofread.

636 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCSOLO',}

"warn" such a one, whereupon he cannot secure a settlement. 1 In Missouri a person migrating in order to secure public relief cannot become an "inhabitant." 2 However, in this state, in the administration of relief, the court may, at his discretion, disre- gard settlement qualifications.

To avoid being burdened with paupers, cripples, defectives, and others landed by the steamship companies, most of the Atlantic coast states have statutes requiring the captains of ves- sels to give bond for the support of, in some cases all non-resi- dent defectives, in others, of all non-residents, landed. 3 In Rhode Island the law extends to railroad companies. These really form a part of our immigration laws.

The laws directed against the migration of paupers are of three kinds according as they are directed, (i) against bring- ing a pauper into a county or town in which he has no settle- ment, or (2) against the poor authorities and prohibiting the removal of a pauper in order to avoid supporting him, or (3) particularly against "interstate migration." However, they all have the one purpose of checking the tendency of communities to shift the responsibility for the support of their poor.

In as many as nineteen states, 4 mostly northern, we find it unlawful to bring a person about to become dependent into a county or town (according as the "county" or the "town sys- tem" prevails) of which he is not a legal resident with the inten- tion of there securing his support. 5 As a rule the offending

'2142, 2143. '7329-

3 Such provisions are found in Massachusetts (1-4, ch. 84), New Hampshire (16, 17, ch. 85), Rhode Island (2-9, ch. 80), New Jersey (2, p. 2511), Pennsylvania (1-5, p. 1010), Delaware (16, 17, ch. 48), Georgia (769), Mississippi (3164, 3165), and Ala- bama (1470). The bond usually covers a period of years closely corresponding to the time required for securing a settlement. Refusal to give bond is subject to fine.

4 These states are New Hampshire (n, ch. 85), Vermont (2844), Maine (49, ch. 24), Rhode Island (l, ch. 80), New York (46,47, p. 2265), South Carolina (887), Geor- gia (767, 768), Kentucky (3922), Michigan (1767), Illinois (13, ch. 107), Ohio (986- 993), North Dakota (1508-1510), South Dakota (2176, 2177), Nebraska (3941), Wyo- ming (1958), Colorado (3395), Nevada (1591), Oregon (3952), and Washington (1595).

5 The qualification of intent is very important. Bringing a pauper into a county or town or into the state is unlawful only if there is a definite intention to make such