PUBLIC OUTDOOR RELIEF. 1 I.
EPITOME OF ARGUMENTS FROM WARNER'S "AMERICAN
CHARITIES."
PROFESSOR WARNER, in his book on American Charities? admirably summarizes the arguments for and against outdoor relief:
"Unless otherwise specified, the term 'outdoor relief will mean the relief given from the public funds to the poor in their homes, not including medical relief."
"The following are the principal reasons assigned by those who believe in the maintenance of outdoor relief as a funda- mental part of the relieving system :
"(i) It is believed to be kindly. The poor person is not separated from relatives and friends, families are not broken up, and the receipt of relief is not as conspicuous, and consequently as disgraceful, as it is where resort must be had to an institution.
"(2) It is apparently economical. Many families can almost support themselves, and it seems folly to dismember them and place the children in refuges or board them in private families, and compel the adults to resort to the poorhouse, when a little relief given in the home would keep the family together and enable them to make part of their support by ordinary methods. Those who receive outdoor relief receive usually less than it would cost to maintain the same number of persons in the almshouse.
" (3) There are not institutions enough. The demand for relief always keeps considerably in advance of the supply ; and it would be uneconomical, and in fact impossible, to have build- ings enough to accommodate all who should be relieved from
1 [Compiled by PROFESSOR CHARLES A. ELLWOOD, of the University of Missouri. The purpose of this paper is to present, in the language of special students, the argu- ments for and against public outdoor relief, and to direct the reader to available sources of information. EDITORS.]
3 Published 1894.
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