The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-15
WHAT SUPERINTENDENT BAR
NARD SAYS.

In an interview with William r. barnard, super
intendent OF the Five Points House oil Industry he
expressed himself AZ being strongly opposed to
relieving the poor through the medium OF soup
gitchens, and said
II do not believe that the public soup kitchens
viii be productive of any good. They will foster
loaferism and pauperism, and viii only be resOrted
to by those who win fnd in them ready method
TO shlrk the necessity OF working for . livelihood"
"But do you not believe there IL a large class Of
people in the city at present who are respectable
ana willing but can find no work to maintain
themselves and who will readily resort to charity
so general as tnisY"
II do not think that such a class win resort to
the soup kitchens and incur the publicity OF It's
poverty in such manner. That there is a great
deal OF suffering in the city--more than usual In
years gone by-I am hardly prepared to deny; but
this can be relieved by the already established
charitable institutions which are in existence Tor
specific purposes OF relief to the needy To 60 out
side Of these Institutions TO relieve the poor /
believe TO be unwise, for the reason that you will
help class which is not deserving OF It."
"You would not, however, refuse TO give food to
a human being who was starving even though he
did not deserve 1t ~
''No, should not: but should establish restrtc-
lions. l would not allow such being to come
three times day and expect each time a bowl OF
found would not help themselves. In this institu-
ton we feed and lodge 267 children ana forty
nine women (the latter do the work OF the house)
but we have city missionary who visits all cases
and nrst nds out II they are really as they repre-
sent themselves to be. Without such system we
should find our charity going to those who were
quite undeserving OF IL. We put no conditions and
as they are not professional beggars. This class
Is large, and 1t Is marvellous how little 1t
takes TO make II larger. There are many who only
require the slightest incentive to become beggars.
As long as they eel certain necessity oil doing
something they do it; but the moment you open
they will take advantage OF it, no matter how
miserable it may be- This class will De encour-
aged by the establishment OF public soup kitchens,
and will take al 1t can get These kitchens Will
have the tendency to attract Migrants and beggars
YORK as soon as they learn that here they can be
'sWhat manner then, would you think the most
feasible In which to reach the deservingT
ANY one having large or small sum OF money
to give in charity would advise to distribute it
through the regular channels OF charty-that Is to
say the institutions which exist for the purpose
present Such one as the Association for I'm
proving the Condition Of the Poor is an admirable
one, and does an immense amount OF good on
perfect system OF visitation. They have the city
aryl In eacn whose duty is TO call upon any case
Of which they are notified and relieve by giving or
ders for what Is wanted on grocery stores. any
body Is at liberty to notify the visitor, and cards
are furnished for the purpose"
"But the workings OF such q society are limited,
as is proved by the misery which exists in spite Of
1t, ana by the cases OF actual starvation which
have occurred in the city, with all Its charities,
and which would be made impossible by the eStab-
lshment OF public soup Kitchens"
81 have great doubts Of actual starvation in the
city having occurred. knew OF one lately reported
in the papers as case Of starvation, where q
woman died OF consumption She had food To be
sure, there are cases where, had people been prop
erly nourished they would not have died OF the
disease which they may have had But OF actual
| cases OF starvation, where the death was the re-
suit purely OF want OF food without accompanying
disease. much doubt that there have been any,"
POSSIBLY your means OF enlightenment are lin
tied. We have come across many very sad cases
where no charitable society had stepped In TO
lend q helping hand"
Charitable societies must have some help they
cannot he expected to WORK alone. Let the person
who comes across such cases notify the institutions
ard 1t Will be attended to. fOu will find that all
men who have practical knowledge Of public char
tiles are opposed to lndiscrlmlnate charity. They
believe In some return being made for help given
Many people, have found who were the lOudest
in clam0rng for work, when they get 1t are the
first to refuse it. found work last week for des-
ttute man, who had been begging me for 1t for a
long time. He remained at work three days. and
then came back saying 1t was too hard. l know
OF another case where our missionary gave man
bread ana he actually went and changed 1t for
rum. There IL nothing In which discreet ton and
vigilance should De so much exercised as In deal
ing out charity.