Welfare or Workfare?

There were eight paupers in the Boise County hospital in February 1865, when the Idaho World suggested that they could be taken care of for less money by starting an "alms or poor house," the name used for such an institution going back to England in the 16th century. Relief for the poor had been in the hands of the church before Henry VIII confiscated its lands and property, after which a series of laws provided for tax-supported poor relief, a system carried forward in the American colonies and then in the United States.

In January 1879, the Idaho Statesman urged its readers to "HELP THE POOR. We are told that there are some families in town in actual need of the comforts of life. Several poor families came in late last fall from Montana and the States. The weather has not been rigorous, but we have had a month or more of steady cold weather, work has been suspended, and it costs a good deal to supply a family with wood. Provisions are plentiful and not very dear, but it costs money to buy them. It would be well for some of the ladies to search out and visit the poor families, and see what, if any, aid is needed. All necessary aid will be cheerfully contributed if the wants of the poor are made known to those who are able to contribute."

A few days later the Board of County Commissioners of Ada County advertised in the Statesman for sealed proposals for "the care, maintenance, board, lodging, medicine and medical attendance of all of the indigent, sick, idiotic and insane persons that are or may become county charges in Ada County for one year."

When care of these unfortunate people was entrusted to the lowest bidder, it was certain to be minimal care, and lumping the poor and the ill with the insane seems incredible today. Since Idaho Territory would not open the insane asylum at Blackfoot until 1886, in 1881 the Legislature authorized the governor to contract with Oregon and California for housing and treating Idaho's mentally ill.

On Feb. 8, 1883, an act was passed by the Legislature "to provide for the care of the poor in Ada County. The county commissioners of Ada County are hereby authorized and required to purchase a farm in Ada County not to exceed one hundred and sixty acres, nor to be less than eighty acres in area." All capable of working, as attested by a physician, were to "work on the farm or at some trade or occupation."

Section 7 of the act said, "The poor of the county shall embrace the indigent sick, insane, and all other residents who, from any cause, are incapable of supporting themselves and are indigent and unsupported by relatives or friends." Section 10 said, "The treatment of all inmates of the poor house shall be kind and humane; they shall be supplied with comfortable clothing and sufficient bedding and plain and substantial food, and shall not be required to perform labor to an extent that is detrimental to health."

Ada County's commissioners annually awarded contracts like these, reported in the Statesman on Jan. 9, 1890, "Dr. Collister was awarded the contract for attending the indigent sick at the Poor-farm and at the county jail and to hold post-mortem examinations for the sum of $450. The contract for taking care of indigent persons at the Poor-farm was awarded to Julius Miller for the sum of $800 per annum. A.G. Thompson was awarded the contract for burying paupers for $30 each."

On Jan. 24, 1890, just before Idaho became a state, this headline appeared in the Statesman: "A Cry for Help. Boise's Needy and Suffering (should be) Assisted. Women are called on to organized a systematic effort for care of the hungry and destitute. Many are emigrants who couldn't go any farther before winter set in."

In April 1890, the county treasurer received $650 from the sale of the products from the poor farm and declared, "That institution is very nearly self-sustaining." That fall there were only four men and one woman at the farm, and the hay crop was expected to be about 300 tons.

Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2015/07/19/3901229/idaho-history-providing-relief....

I have always held strong views about the role of government in caring for the needy among use and have always had those on the right tell me that government has no business taxing the people to care for others and that "welfare" was created by the liberals. Well surprise surprise to quote Gomer Pyle, it doesn't seem so. It also adds weight to my interpretation to the words "Promote the general welfare" 

Now that the issue of the origin of "welfare" has been put to bed, the question remains of whether to give handouts which destroy a persons self esteem, or hand ups which helps instill a sense of self worth and a work ethic. I vote for the later. Now I understand that there will always be those who for legitimate reasons may never be able to become completely productive members of society, but they are a small number.

Since election season seems to upon us already, it maybe incumbent on those running on a cutting spending on safety net programs to be reminded of the true history of the Republic.