National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-11-10
SUCOOR FOR TIE POOR.

1t is about the time of year when the
! philanthropic and benevolent should begin
to organize methods for relieving the ne
cessities of the poorer classes. The in
clement season is approaching, employ
ment is scarce in this District, and is likely
to be made still more difficult to obtain by
the threatened discharge of laborers in sew
eral of the various branches of the public
service. Those of our citizens who glory
in the name of "memorialists, having sue
ceeded in stopping most of the public i'm
provements here, thereby depriving thou
sands of the poor of the means of subsist-
ence, will no doubt now charge themselves
with the principal share of the expense for
making provision for their wants during
the approaching winter. The result of the
movements Of these ''memorialists" having
been not only to stop employment but also
to stop pay for labor already performed, it
would seem no more than right that they
should feel a keen interest in providing
against the further sufferings of the labor
ers and their families. 1t is hoped that the
District authorities will soon succeed in
paying off the last Of those for whose labors
Of the year previous the funds were appro-
priated last June by Congress, but it is not
to be expected that they can furnish any
considerable number with employment dur
ing the approaching winter.
1t must be remembered that large num-
Der of men have recently been discharged
from the navy yard, most of whom have
fImilies dependent upon them for support.
The services Of many clerks have been dis
pensed with in the several departments of
the Government by the reduction of force
necessitated by the reduced appropriations,
and the contract recently entered into by
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue to
have the stamps for the balance of the cur
rent year printed in New York instead of
doing it at the Government office, promises
to turn few hundred more poor females
out Of employment just at a season of the
year when they are the least likely to be
able to obtain work elsewhere.
These facts are thus enumerated in order
that the wealthy and philanthropic may
see what the necessities of the winter are
likely to become.
We have no manufactures Of any con-
siderable magnitude in this District at
which employment can be obtained. Even
our clothing is largely manufactured else
where. Fortunately, thanks to the late
Board of Public Works and to our active
and energetic Board of Health, we are
comparatively free from infectious and
malarious diseases. Our system Of drain
age, of abatlng, deodorizing and cleansing
cesspools and other nuisances, has in a
great measure prevented the seeurge Of
chills and malarial fevers from OBJ
tanning their usual foothold among
us this season. The poor are there
fore only threatened with the priva-
tons of cold and hunger. Let all remem-
Der that cast-off clothing, remnants of cloth
and food and all kinds of fuel will be in
great requisition. very soon. Let nothing
be wasted which can clothe the naked or
feed the hungry. 1t becomes the duty of
all in these hard times to assist each other.
Capitalists should devise such means of en-
ployiDg their wealth as viii afford the
largest means to the poor of earning sub