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188 METHODS OF SOCIAL REFORM.
sensible and praoticable measures advocated by the Licenses
Arncndrnent League of this city. What we want, as it seems
to me, is a carcfully regulated and limited traffic, controlled by
a well-enforced law, administered by a body of magistrates or
other men who will ignore altogether the interests of the
publicans, and look steadily to the infinitely greater object of
the public good.
Among minor measures for the decrease of pauperism I
may mention thoso advocated by Mr. Barmick L. Baker, in a
most valuable and practical papor read to the society last
sossion. Vagnrncy is 0110 of tho abuses certain bo grow up
under a poor-law unlcas it lo administered with tho utmost
care; and I trust that the experience of Mr. Baker may meet
with proper attention from the Poor-law Board. It is creditable
tu our society to draw forth practical information such as this
paper contains.
Another important effort is now being made in this city to
decrease pauperism-I mean the placing out of pauper children
in the families of respectablo artisans-one of our members,
Nr. Charles Herford, being foremost in the undertaking. It is
well known thut those children mho are brought up in the
workhouse almost invariably return there sooner or later, and
thus form a strictly hereditary class of paupers. There can be
no more direct mode of cutting off a branch of the stream of
pauperism than thus to nrrcst it in tho period of childhood,
The scheme, so far as it is yet carried out,, acts admirably,
judging from what I hove heard and seen of it, and I trust
Mr. Herford will shortly give us the result of his experience in
the matter.
IV.
I nom wish to advert to a subject which has not, I think,
received the attention it deserves. I refer to the tendency of
medical charities and the poor-law medical service to nourish
the spirit of pauperism. Considerable indignation has been
occasioned by the neglect of sick paupers which has occurred
in some parishes, and there is a movement for a general and
uniform improvement in the medical treatment of paupers.