The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-02-27
Charity ia1 NetC York.


James Gordon Bennett, the proprietor
of the New York Herald has gone to xol K
in a thoroughly practical way to relieve
the distress of the poor III New York. lie
has set apart $50 600 and is superinteud-
ing the distribution of that largo sum.
He has erected soup houses at convenient
points in the city, and the chief cook of
Delmonico's celebrated restaurant sees
that the soup is properly prepared. Hun
dreds of poor people crowd to these places
and are fed, while very many cfthe women
and children carry to their miserable homes
liberal supply of palatable and nutritious
food.
This enterprise of Mr. Bennett did not
elicit universal commendation as one might
suppose it would. The gift was made in
the midst of the winter after the panic,
at a time when multitudes of poor people
were out of employment, without the
means of support and without chance to
secure work. There was need of large
! iberality and of promptitude IN adminiS-
/ tering relief. Mr.. Bennett saw what the
occasion demanded and did the best thing
that could be done under the circumstances
But no sooner had his large gift been made
and the manner of its distribution become
known, than an outcry was raised by Ger
tain persons who had been acting the part
OF salaried almOners for various charitable
associations. hese people began at once
to preach about the evils attendant upon
indiscriminate gifts of such indispensable
articles fuel and food. They declared
that the recipients would be encouraged
in habits of idlencss, and that the evils of
poverty would he increased instead of be-
ing diminished. OF course they quoted
precedents and arrayed against Mr.. Ben
nett testimony taken from the efforts OF
philanthropists III England and elsewhere.
Mr.. Bennett did not stop to argue the
question with the tcsty gentlemen who
undertook to sit in Judgment upon his ac-
tioEs. He took shorter method. He ar
ralgned his accuSSrs and summoned them
to answer before the bar of enlightened
public opinion. He took up the pu ublished |
records of various charitable associations, |
and showed by their own figures how |
large proportion of the moneys raised |
for charitable purposes went into the pock- /
cts of the managers of these concerns, and |
how little found its way into the hands of .
the poor. He asked all such associations
to send to the Herald report of their re-
ceipts and expenditures, in order that the
phbEc might be enabled to make up an en-
lighted judgment. OF the three hundred
which were called upon to
open their books to public inspection some
eighty have responded. The Herald rub
fishes list of theEe showing how much is
annually expended for salaries, &c, and
how much is handed over to the poor
The Herald has obtained the facts and
figures i'll relation TO some which have not
voluntarily given them up, and the exhib-
it which it makes in its columns is decjd-
edly interesting. a few examples will
show how wioe discrepancy exists. For
instance
The Roman Catholic House Of Mercy
expends 81 for salaries, &c, and SIG
2S3 upon the inmates, while the Female
Guardian Society uses up SIS, ,S53 in salar-
les and disburses $40, 1J4 for relief The
Childron's Aid Society expends S91, ,2S9
for salaries and SOL $50 upon the little
waits for whose benefit tie large sum is
solicited and obtained. We have not room
to extend the list, which embraces numer-
Gus instances of like character. The re-
suit will be that the Herald will make the
people of New York careful about how
and to whom they give hereafter. If it
shall have the effect of breaking up a vic
lous system, shall drive out of all charita-
bic institutions the drones who live on sal
aries, and the Aminidab Sleeks who grow
Fat npon the most contemptible species of
peoulation if it shall lead to an open sys-
tenn Of book keeping, by means of which
he public will he able to see how moneys /
given for merclful uses are expanded, it
will Increase the flow of charitable gifts to
A great extent. There are few who will
rot give something to relieve distress if !
lcy are sure Ihat their donations Will
ealIy reach proper destination. Most
nen will not stop to inquire how fellow
,reature happens to be in need of help
hey VIII help those who have brought ,
distress upon themselves by their own |
vii courses, bat they do hate to be deceiv- I
d. The exposures of the Herald will do I
much good if they succeed in showing c
'hat institutions are misrnaRaged and Sc e
uring their reformation, and this will no i
oubt be the result.-Lanc1Stsf IntsHi- 1
eRcer.