Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-11-14

Eo'tor Ster.-" Toe poor ye have with ylu
always, and whensOever We will ye nav do the
good" This statement and requr-r' or .JasrS
came tOTclbly 10 my mind when visiting lately
our POOR ami work house crmbiDed on the
backs Of the Aracostis. We sbuddeFed to think
q TINS horrid CoInbn alton of crime and nov 4rty
thus virtually making poverty a crime and
thar, too, without any necessity. On the heights
Of Georgetown there Is ample sccoRlmoda 90
IL fhe way Of buildings, situated in a healthy
IOcah'y, on ample grounds that individual
beneFOlence conveyed to the public authorities
LOT thls purpose, IL we are rightly Informed.
Why, then, cOmpe' our unfortunate but de-
serving poor - c0nsSrt with Criminals
In the words of ThOs. CARLYLE, ave think
me old Spa tsns who won d have killed
them Instead had shown moe human
ity, more Of manhood, than we thus do
We call il charity, benefcepce and other fine
names, this british vOTkhOusG scheme of ours:
ara u IL but sluggish heaTt.essuess and insin-
cerlty ana cowaTdy lOwneSs or soul" In all
arrangements Tor these unfOTt1nates, this fact
should ever be borne in mind, viz: we shouI5
6HeT LaetT SsLf-TesPeet as tittie p0ssibls. Hill
burton, IN his book on political and sociaI econ
Omy, says: "As the object OF sll plupsr relief
Is TO save life and mitigate destitution, without
IelaxlFg industry or Withdrawing the motives
IOr iorethOught, It is clear that any defect OF
arrange ment which mais the industrious man
IDLE, or the provident man careIe5 g. would ne
iar more ealamitOus than the payment of an ad-
dltIonGl S3laFied officer. Local authorities nat
uralIy, in the conscientious DISCHARGE of their
functions according 10 their knowledge, see no
Guty above that of exercising humanity at the
SASaES,t Io-SlDit IdJe5 nut blessed L. he who
wisely doth the poor mans case consider" With
The management OF the wOrkhOuse we have No
fault 10 lind. Its officers, we believe, are worthy
men. Our object Is TO divorce from nnder the
same roof the two incOUgruOus institutions. TO
90 this We invoke the consideration and aid Of
every Christian minister in our CITY to create
2 healthy public sentiment on this suhiact
Pubic charities and benevolent ASSOCIATIONS
Tor tie gratuitOus relief Of poverty and stress
are peculiar 70 christianity. No other system
OF civil or religious policy mas originated them
1Aey form It's highest praise and chsracte -istIe
feature. PsgsDs considered poverty a crime
fVeh the divine Plato thought il criminal,
Shail the higher philosophy practically indorse
Ills coCtIBe' We think It the duty OF eysrv
earnest christian 10 aid in dissoIVing this union
OF rl..me and poverty. We would not have
troubled you, Mr.. E;iis;1;, with tn ,.o-,.,,
cation had Ent ono .. our lad inte,frlJ rniers
"a, step IN the wrong direction by bringing
the Georgetown POOR and placing them in the
WoTkbOnse; knowing sS We 10 that at least
one OF the committee to form new government
Tor this District knows and feels in his kind
heart that this great wrong SHOULD not be toll
Grated.
Had We the facils pen Of the author Of Hard
Times, or the clear logical power of the author
q 'PItsOn Etbics,' to portray this matter As it
should be, this much-needed reform would soon
be brought about. TIBRR.