NATION'S WELFARE REFORM DESERVES A CHANCE TO PROVE ITSELF

There's plenty of wailing and nonsense going on about welfare reform these days, especially concerning the block grants coming to the states from the federal government. Amid all the cries, some fascinating facts have emerged. Foremost among these is that many states will get more money, and some are even getting more money for fewer recipients. The reason is that welfare payments were calculated on each state's caseload for 1994 or 1995. Since then, welfare caseloads have declined in many states (including a modest reduction in Missouri), either because of tough new work requirements, a generally favorable economy or a combination of the two.

The landmark new welfare bill President Clinton signed in August gives states the option to cut an additional $40 billion beyond the $54 billion in federal spending eliminated over the next six years. Clinton is mulling a plan to restore $13 billion in cuts -- largely for food stamps and payments to legal immigrants, but GOP congressional leaders have warned it won't allow him to substantially alter the new law. This warning extends even to members of his own party, including Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who have said that Congress is unlikely to tinker with welfare.

This is all to the good. There is plenty of evidence that reforming welfare is beginning to change the cancerous culture of dependency it has encouraged for three generations now. In Florida, the welfare caseload has been declining by an average 1,200 cases a month, and since the state passed a strong welfare-to-work bill in October, by an astonishing 5,000 cases each month. Reformers need to give the new laws a chance to work.