New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-05-18

Mr.. John w. Farmer presents in our columns
this morning noble account of the operations of
his Free Dining Saloon during the past severe Win
ter and part of the Spring 1t is not clear in giving
tie plumber of persons fed at his saloon as 1885,
when it means only that so many meals were dis
pensed there during the season-dOubtless as many
as thirty to fifty of them to the same person. Poor
as We are and have been, our City has not yet be-
come so nearly an ms-bouse as the statement of
Mr.. f., if unexplained, would indicate. But he
has given away in all no less than $780, 1913 meals Of
good substantial, wholesome food, at cost of say
"a cents each, or an aggregate Of SlS,3l7 Making
a fair allowance for bis own labor and care, the
total cost of this generous enterprise was at least
$4,000, all paid out of the pockets of single
mechanic of our City for the relief of human mis-
cry and the mitigation of the pangs of hunger.
And this, our country friends will understand,
though the greatest, is bat enc of the efforts to
that end of the past Winter. II addition to the
burden of our public provision for the destitute,
the private charities Of citizens during the late
season of distress must have largely exceeded One
Million Dollars.
Mr. Farmer has done noble work-one of the
noblest-but when he indicates a preference of
Individual over associated effort for the relief Of
human need, and hopes there may be Free Dining
Saloon in each Ward of our City next Winter, we
are obliged to dissent most decidedly. Individual
ams.eyiDg is and ever must be Substantially inds-
cIiminate-in Mr.. Farmers own case, it was
emirently so. He fed all who caae to him hungry
and among these were, inevitably, thousands Of the
incident, the druDhen, the reprobate, the vile.
There are always tens of thousands in a city like
this who prefer the bread of ialeness to that of
industry. and who, when begging money is
difficult or overdone, would live at Gree Dining
Saloon forever, if they could. Now it is not
charity il 10 not philanthropy, it is not benevolence,
to give dinner to begssr who might earn it if
be would You are not truly his friend you are
practically his enemy if YOU teach him that eating
at free saloons is easy and pleas ant way of get
ling along. Charitable organizations have their
aults, but they do make SEINE inquiry into the
character and hsbits Of those they aid and the dis
solute and devil-worshipng don't like them half
we'll as Free Dining Saloons. In or judgment,
such Saloon in each Ward of our City next Win
err would educate formidable army of beggars.
The best feature OF Mr.. Farmers report is the
statement that III of bis customers fouI} work
on bis premises from employers who cana thither
to seek them. If he had opened Free Exchange
between thOse wanting labor in any capacity and
those wanting employ ment, opened books and kept
them up by competent clerks, advertling widely,
and giving a meal or bed when needed to those
waiting to be hired, he would have done IN re
good than he has actually achieved at a smaller
cost Yet he has done nobly; though We protest
against Dining Saloons free to all as permanent
| Institutions. Let US at least have one com2rehen-
rive, well appointed, well advertised Free Employ
ment Office before opening any more Free Dining
| Sale obs.