The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-05-06
THE WORKINGS OF PUBLIC CHI iRITY.

THE WORKINGS OF PUBLIC CHI iRITY.
| To the Editors of the n o. Bulletin:
The calamity that is on a large portion Of
this State is matter OF great interest III
more than one respect One point of grave
considerations is, that large pc rtion of our
population are held up to the eyes of the
outside world as objects Of charity; our au-
thorites have undertake to app al to this
outside world for assistance, and money and
provisions are flowing in. Have not those
who have assumed to distribute the same
graver responsibility If they admit that
they have, then will they not pause to weigh
facts presented them and to retrace false
steps? We have no desire to dictate or to
present empty theory. But has not every
! Louisianau sufficient concern III the matter
to insist that hard and unpleasant facts
shall command even total reversal of any
system of distribution that may have been
adopted, if that system is working badly
and to our general discredit.
| What is the present working plan of the
central committee! A printed blank shows
rs that this committee appoints sub com
mittees i'll various portions of the overtlowed
parishes, and that these latter are the real
distributors among the people
| What is the calamity that is on the large
portion of these people Why. that their
employers lands are overlooked, the crops
destroyed, and work and wages, (and, con
seqnently, bread and meat) stopped. The
comparatively few are the owners of the
land, stock, etc.
What is the dearest act of charity that
can be desired for the first named Clear
ly, to place them just in the position they
were before the food came upon them, viz
on the dry ground of some other employer
| oil
food for their work, but wages besides.
Have any steps been taken towards such a
ilse of the means we have begged from
strangers No. Have any been taken cal
culated to defeat mere individual effort at
utilization of labor now every day lost to
the iaborer and the State at large! Yes,
the system of feeding the occupants of over
flowed plantations simply because they are
there has been and continues to be the
worst imaginable Very many efforts have
been made to employ the class referred to,
laborer replies, 90 am fed, and | will not
work while | am fed" Those people have
been offered free transportation, food, shell
ter and wages "No, am fed" And there
they lie in cabins almost atloat, or III sugar
houses ur barns, huddled together like pigs,
and the committee continues to feed.
| Can there be a greater abuse of charity
Can there be a more complete diversion of
the funds contributed from the legitimate
channels Is it right, is it honest. to beg
money and waste it thuss Is not such use
of the mo.cy doing both present and pros
pective harm ? Will there not be a pause,
little reflection, and a change of tactics
How would plan like this work: Let the
committee call publicly on the planters in
want of labor to come forward to the sub
committees and make known their wants.
Then let the laborers be offered the work
and wages and free transportation, and if
he or she refused then stop rations. Thus
would a little money go a long way, i'm
mense relief be afforded, imposition be
stopped, and justice be done to those who,
whether rich or poor, have responded to the
appeal for relief.
Mr. Editor, if a man stops at my door to-
morrow and tells me he is hungry because
he had no work by which to make bread,
which is nearest charity-to give him work,
food and wages, or to G i've him food while
he refused to work! The first is not pure
charity, because | get a qaid pro quo; but
the last is further from charity, because |
wilfillly foster one of the worst sores on So
ciety, and intlct a present and prospective
injury.
| While | write case related by a friend
rises before me. In one of the neighbOr-
hoods of district presided over by one of
| the sub committees there are several hun
bred able-bOdied laborers. Within two and
half to ten miles are plantations out of
water, fields grassy, laborers wanted, and
food and wages ready. But no. 81 am fed
by the Government
Who can defend such system?
| | know full well that | touch a tender
point when l even intimate that those now
distributing the great fund flowing in are
not doing so on the proper principle. Ex
perience teaches that 10 man is more sensi-
tive, none more difficult to approach with
hard facts, much less suggestions, than him
who is dispensing public charity. But it
is just because the charity is public that We
all have a right to speak.
Suppose the committee announces pnb
| licly that they are distributing the funds
contributed to those who are offered work
and vet will not work, will funds continue
to flow in We think not: and yet it is only
right that the world shall know just how
things are working, for it is a public
charity
The London ,Trespondent of the Dundee
advertiser writes Town is laughing very
heartily over Dean Stanley's text when he
preached on Friday to the Duke and
Duchess of Edinburgh. 1t was Father
forgive them, for they know not what they