LOCAL AND OUT-DOOR RELIEF.

State. Those few, except certain lunatics, were locally supported by towns and cities; and the State repaid the expense thereof.

In consequence of the increase of numbers and the abuses of the system, the State gathered her dependents into three great almshouses, and gave towns and cities the option of sending State paupers who should seek their aid to those establishments, or to the hospital at Rainsford Island (by special provision), or to keep them at their own charge. Rainsford Island being practically inaccessible by many of the towns which were, nevertheless, taxed to support it, they were obliged to commit pauper applicants summarily to the State almshouses, in order to avoid being burdened with them for an indefinite period. This summary commitment, in all weathers, proved harmful to many sick and feeble persons, and positively fatal to a few. The legislature, therefore, humanely provided that towns and cities might retain and relieve such State paupers as should be sick or unfit to be removed, and charge to the State as much as they would have cost if sent to the hospital at Rainsford Island. Certain conditions, however, were attached to this privilege, with a view to prevent the evils and abuses of the old system which had mainly led to the erection of the State almshouses. This was the first step towards a return to the system of local support, with repayment therefor, to the towns affording it; but it was taken cautiously.

The intent of reëstablishing this mode of local, or out-door relief, was, first, to encourage local overseers of the poor to treat State paupers with due attention and care, by providing that the towns should be repaid for all expenses so incurred, not exceeding the cost of similar patients at Rainsford Island Hospital. Second, to enable the State to discontinue the said hospital, which had proved very costly, but entirely inadequate to the purposes for which, it was intended. Third, to effect an arrangement more comfortable for the poor, and less complex and costly to the State.

The overseers, on the other hand, were held to perform certain duties, and to comply with certain conditions, which are set forth in another part of this Report,

EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT, 1871.

THE STATE ALMSHOUSES.

There were 1,379 inmates of the State almshouses on the 30th of September, 1870. During the year, 2,271 others had refuge in them, making in all 3,650 to whom they have afforded shelter. Some remain a few days or weeks, get recruited, and sally forth upon another venture for free and easy vagabondage; others remain, stranded-hopelessly wrecked for life. The average number of inmates has been 1,556, but of this number only 931 were paupers,—a fraction less than the average for the preceding year. The actual number of paupers, September 30, 1871, was 790, who were then distributed as follows: at Tewksbury 639, at Monson 66, and at Bridgewater 85.

The number and cost of inmates of all classes are thus stated by the Superintendents :

The average annual cost of the whole being $105.73. At Tewksbury, the calculation is based on the money actually drawn from the State's treasury, less what was repaid to it by the institution. It is difficult, however, upon any basis, to ascertain the exact cost of support at this establishment. The labor of the paupers, especially of the lunatics, is adding something every year to the value of the farm. The Superintendent thinks that if this were taken in account, and certain sums not necessarily connected with the support of paupers were excluded, "the average weekly cost would not exceed $1.63, which is less than in any year since 1864."

It is the same in some respects with the other two. The inspectors of the Bridgewater almshouse say: "If the amount earned and paid into the treasury were deducted, the cost per

LOCAL AND OUT-DOOR RELIEF.

week would be somewhat less than $1.86. The amount received for inmates' labor appears to be growing less every year."

The inspectors of the Monson establishment say "the total products of the farm (in addition to what had been consumed before taking the inventory) are estimated at $7,340.12, an amount indicating profitableness in State farming; but when we take into account the amount invested in land, stock, agricultural tools, etc., together with the cost of help (for this is an institution mainly for children who cannot do much at farming), the 'profits' are not so apparent.”

Thus we see that it is not only difficult to ascertain the exact cost of support at the almshouses, but equally difficult to find at which one the cost of support is the least; because the circumstances are not the same in the different establishments. At Bridgewater a large proportion are adults in full health; and not only large consumers, but requiring careful oversight and control. At Monson most of the inmates are nonproducers, but abundant consumers.

It is manifest, however, that considering the cost of the most frugal fare, even in our country towns, and the amount of nursing and extra care required by the inmates of the almshouses, there must be systematic frugality in the administration of all the establishments, in order to feed, warm, clothe and care for the inmates at an average cost of about two dollars a week.

IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.

What is now most needed in these establishments, is removal of the incongruous elements in each. The benevolent spirit of the law which provided the State Primary School at Monson, required that children should not be affected by the corrupt influences of pauperism. But to rear up children in an establishment, more than a fourth of whose inmates are paupers, and declare that they shall not be affected by the evil influences of pauperism, is like licensing slaughter-houses and bone factories in a town, and declaring that the inhabitants shall not be affected by the unwholesome odors thereof. This Board has

EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT, 1871.

more than once expressed its sense of the evil of such associations.

There is almost equally need of a change at Bridgewater, by which there shall be complete separation of those convicted of • crime from those supposed by the law to be innocent.

Until this is done, the needful classification, and the treatment according to merit, cannot be had.

REDUCTION OF STATE PAUPERISM.

There is reason to hope that, by the activity of agencies. now in operation, and some enlargement of their powers, State pauperism, so called, will steadily diminish; or at least that State paupers will be so reduced in numbers that not more than one special establishment need be maintained to provide for them.

A little enlargement of the power of the General Agent will enable him to intercept paupers who have just crossed our borders, at the first town to which they apply for aid, and to send them back, at the expense of the railroad which brought them in; instead of going through the present roundabout, dilatory, and costly process by which the town authorities must send them to the State almshouses, thence to be deported. This process involves delay, additional cost of support, cost of railroad fare to the almshouse and thence to the frontier, cost of time of attendant officers, cost of correspondence, multiplication of accounts, and a great deal of other needless circumlocution.

This method, moreover, lacks that deterrent quality of summary justice, which disgusts tramps, and unworthy paupers of all kinds, to whom the proverbial delays of the law constitute its only charm. To them the opportunity of exploring, and afterwards of exploitering, such a rich field for professional operations as Massachusetts affords, will be embraced with pleasure, so long as it implies only a pleasant sojourn of two or three days at a country almshouse; a journey in comfortable cars to the State almshouse; a short sojourn there within its well-warmed precincts; and then another free ride out of the State. But if they are stopped

REDUCTION OF PAUPERISM.

near the State line, made liable to work out the cost of their board, and further liable to trial for some offence punishable by the workhouse, or, at the best, sent summarily back, they will be as shy of our borders as sharks are of shoal water.

The foreign sources of supply being thus cut off, State pau- · perism, girdled at the root, would more rapidly dwindle. The children and youth would be disposed of by the Visiting Agency, and the Primary School Inspectors, among our industrial inhabitants, and grow up to be self-supporting and useful citizens. The aged, the feeble, the deserving paupers of all classes could be provided for by the Agency for Sick Poor, or in a single almshouse, and would gradually decrease; the vicious and lazy would be driven to parts where they could enjoy the sweets of predatory vagabondage, or obliged to exercise some sort of respectable occupation in freedom, to avoid enforced work, under confinement, in the workhouse.

State pauperism was mainly introduced from abroad, like a virus, into our social and political system. Its fungus growth has not been attacked by rude methods of excision, but kept down by our wise and humane treatment. Resolute persistence in the treatment recommended will not only stop its growth, but extinguish its life very soon. The evil hereditary tendency given to its offspring, may be so far neutralized by culture and good social influences as to furnish valuable social material.

The broken fragments left among us by the great tide of foreign immigration have a claim upon us by the tie of common humanity.

But moreover we must remember that this tide bore to us a multitude of warm hearts and strong arms, which have been worn out in helping us to build up our material prosperity. We owe for that a debt of gratitude, which will not be overpaid by tender care of the unfortunate left to our tender mercies.

DEFINITE RECOMMENDATIONS.

In conformity with the requirements of the law, and with custom, the Board submits the following definite recommenda