AGENCIES FOB THE PBEYENTION OF PAUPEBISM

By OSCAE CEAIG *

LATE PRESIDENT  OF  THE  NEW YORK  STATE  BOARD  OF CHARITIES.

Poverty and Pauperism—The Four Classes of Our Population—Processes
WHICH Tend to Increase Pauperism—Pauper iMMioiiATioN—Laws to
Control It—The Head Moneys—The Return of Alien Paupers—The
Big System of Out Relief—Organized Charity—As an Agent in the
Prevention of Pauperism—The Charity Organization Society of New
York—Other Agencies of Benevolence—Church Charities—The Jews
—Treatment op the Insane Poor—Management of the County Poor-
houses—The Care of Dependent Children—Reformatories—The Dis¬
cipline of Convicts—The Question of Heredity—Mr. Brace's Testi¬
mony—The State Charities Aid Association—The Factory Law.

POYEBTY and pauperism are words w^hich should not be used
as equivalents, or even as synonyms. The terms stand for
things or thoughts which in some respects are antithesis.
An individual may be both a poor person and a pauper; but the
majority of the poor, when not demoralized by unwise interference
or neglect, are neither purposely nor actually in the attitude of
pauperism, which is that of dependence on public or private char-

* The Hon. Oscar Craig, President of the New York State Board of Charities
(whose persistent and sacriticing efforts for the poor by scientific, as well as humani«
tarian, methods, have been increasingly acknowledged since his untimely death in
January, 1894), wrote the chapter herewith published in the spring of 1892. A part
of it, very much condensed, was published in Scribner's Magazine for July, 1893, but
the present is the first publication in its entirety of one of the last and most mature
expressions of the views of a man who spoke with the highest authority b}^ reason
of his extensive experience and knowledge, as well as by his remarkable clarity of
judgment.    Mr. Craig intended further to revise this paper for book publication.