New-York tribune., 1873-12-15
CHARITY and COMMON SENSE.

There is no doubt more suffering among the
poor this Winter than we have known for
many years before. The stagnatiOn IN busi-
ness is not 80 general "a it threatened to be
some weeks ago, and in many departments OF
industry there is a remarkable revival; but
after we have taken all alleviating circum-
stances into consideration the fact remains
clear that thousands of workingmen and
women are now hungry and ragged, with no
immediate prospect of employment They
meet us at every step. They besiege our
shops, our offices, and our homes. Wistful
and haggard faces accOst us in the streets.
ThrOngs of respectable looking men stand
idle and expcctant around the public offices
and public works. Those who have never
eaten the bread of charity before now watch
for the opening of the "soup-houses," and
take the dole with bushes and thanks.
If the demands upon the benevolent are
louder than usual, it must be admitted that
the need of caution in giving is correspond
ingly increased. All that private beneticence
is likely to accomplish this Winter will go
but little way towards the relief OF the citys
poor, and while so many deserving persons
are in want through no fault Of their own we
should be especially cautious that our means
are not wasted on the unworthy. Every one
who has taken the trouble to investigate the
stories of the beggars who come to his door
knows that great majority OF the street
meDdicants are inpostOrs, who make COM
Portable living by the kindness and creduhty
of the public; and those who have had much
TO do with charitable societies are but too
well aware that even the best organizations
for relief do not always succeed in reaching
the suffering which they are intended to allie
yiate. Societies az well as individuals are The
victims of vicious and lazy beggars, who draw
aid simultaneously from three or four assoca-
tons and manage to deceive them all
For this reason We look upon tho new
scheme of Clearing house for Charities
with great interest. 1t will enable the officers
of the scores of societies now acting lndepend-
emily of each other to arrange theg . opera &
tons in concert, to divide their work better,
and to distribute their gifts more equitably
among tho needy. 1t will enable them to
keep a general register of all persons recelv-
ing aid, and to guard much better than they
do now against imposition. In the admirable
report presented to the Central Bureau Friday
nlgnt by inc new III lldiiy 10 ID ocaNOu 'i'A'o
the number of men out of employment is
much less than is generally supposed, and that
some 10000 people are now receiving charity
in some form who are not entitled to it. This
fact is in itself justification of the establish
ment of this central clearinghouse, which will
give TO the officers OF the various associations
a better understanding of the real needs
of tho time, and enable them by COM
pairing notes to determine what pressing
necessity there may he for extraordinary
measures of relief. What is not less i'm
portant it will test the value of the societies
themselves. There are some associations, and
there seems to be a popular apprehension that
there are many of them, which waste their
resources on salaries and other expenses of
administration, and accomplish nothing which
could not be much better done by other and
better known societies. These should Lot be
allowed to squander the money of the benevo-
lent and an inquiry into their condition
what they are doing and what they COSTS
certainly in order At all events the more
thoroughly the charities of the city are organ
lied the more they will accomplish, and the
movement for cooperation seems eminently
sensible and timely.