New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
HOW TO CARE FOR THE POOR.
MIsDRECrED CHARITY - INDIVIDUAL EFfoEr-A
DUTY or COUNTRY PEOPLE.
TO the Editor or TIE Trt6uhe


TO fbs Editor or The Tribune.
SIe: II would be amusing if it were not sad
TO see the attempts often with Inconsistencies of failure
to settle grave questions In political economy In half
column newspaper article Such attempts now appear
when grave crisis is upon us and we are struggling WIN
the problems which months ago were set before
TO do with the poor and the unemployed without educa
Ing an army OF paupers In the nature OF things there Is
less be done in the Summer than in the winter
Our friends in the country have cheap and easy way OF
helping themselves They decided that they would not
have tramps" and tramps were not abolished OF re-
formed but merely driven away to prey upon more heil
less communities They may employ men ana women
in Summer during the busy season. when TINS Is over
they say, "There is work-Go to the CITY, ana
the tramps CO. This may mend matters for the country,
but is it right and how about the eiyf
When one had the measles or some sueh
ailment thoy used to talk learnedly OF "driv-
ing in" the eruption, and IL childish reeohectloh
serves, it very dangerous process Is tnere any
parallel herei Somebody writes earnestly, Make WORK
for these people. set them TO doing this or that Won,
wa tried that once in another city. An earnest and
vigorous committee set about finding useful work Tor the
unemployed. Aud what was the RESULT Created WORK
can only be temporary hundreds hearing that there
was employment, 1ocked in from places where '"e'
could have lived the fororn hope OF Dettcrhg tneh
selves there and the last state OF that city was worse
than the first It is vain to try to create work. though IL
= II
Jobs done during the cold II we can rs wen 40 So
"A 10 wait till warmer time Individual small ehofts
are not Published in the papers
We are overborno with charity. And 30 wen KNOWN
are our habits that hundreds leave their country WORK.
nut their money in safe place, and come here 10 i've OH
charity during the Winter We are at our wits ehd'
pkitchens help some, and confirm others In tner
bccrary Giving food at the door encourages pauef,s
and idcness and giving money IN esreet IL ic tnes
out OF Il a wrong. We had large "rginhcu society
which took in the whole city but u seems 10 nave CONT
to homeless wreck and with the Winter before us now
are we to live \ OF course the millions wasted on rum
ana tobacco are at the bottom OF most OF tIs lhischei
There are too many for the lf"luccrs anu
;bousaufs OF producers made more than useless ny
fhcsc sons that evil beyond our cure ana t uh
~ hone looks rs on what they call the millennium
All of Ms have lived long If not well, ami have never ye
seen who too poor 10 get us cup Vi rum au
his pipe . -, r 4, o, .oo any ,r,v
ou of This Bat help may lie IN much quiet DulVhudi
effort and in hope in our Irlends III the eounts
lei them in tho first place understand that t.re iso
hone OF VOL here for any man, woman or emu i@'
t try 10 find make work for the poor ABOUT thei
an I'm some way provide Tor them. IL Is as bad almost 10
lave mo one To helm as have too many. Ana tney
can uossbly give even work that VIII prONlde l0Oi iog
one or more will be much gain 10 us ana to them
We must nj OF us struggle with idlcness ava Eaperism
~ best we may il is unfair Ia " drive ~ m ~ IuS
,tay ont upon the surface and all the community must
work 10 eradicate IT, IL IS more sign OF i'oIaoh tnah
OF prosperity tie cry. 1--WE have no poor" A.
NeV-l Orh, Nov. -, 1870.