The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-30
IMMEDIATE RELIEF. DEMANDED.


What is everybody's business is said to be
nobody's business. 1t is the duty OF commu-
nifty in New Orleans to provide for the great
number Of our people who arc now in extreme
distress, to relieve their immediate wants and
to prevent the horrors Of starvation. This is
everybody's business, and it is therefore liable
to be neglected. The men Of means in this
city, whose hands are always open for charita-
BILE deeds, need no prompting other than to
know that distress exists, that help is needed.
and tina. the suffering are at their doors ard
on their streets.
But the relief nov required is so great that
individual and isolated efforts will not avail
to procure it. There must be regular meth
dds Of operation. The donations Of the
charitable must be Systematically and eco
nomcally applied. Not pound Of meat or
meal should be wasted. Relief must be given
to those only who are in immediate and
pressing want Of it. Tho city must be
canvassed to ascertain where the suffer-
ing are and how they are to be reached
with the greatest certainty and regularity. A
numerous relief committee will be requisite,
with branch committees for different locali-
ties. at least one committee for each ward.
An executive committee Of q small number
will be required who will org .nze and direct
the efforts Of the public. The names Of ten
or fifteen able and responsible men, selected
from our weIl-known citizens, will give
confidence to contributors.
It is Of the highest importance to the sue.
cess of any great charity that those who give
should be made morally certain that their
donations will be we'll and wisely applied ac-
cording to their intentions. This assurance
is afforded by the capacity, energy and re-
sponsibility of the agents chosen to carry out
those intentions
The highest and best Of all charity to the
needy is to give them work to do suited to
their strength, by which they may earn sub
sistence. 1t is in all respects better to pay
a needy man or woman money as wages Tor
useful and profitable work than to give the
same sum in mere aims. The chief cause Of
the existing distress is the want Of employ
ment for those who are able and willing to
work.
If our leading citizens can arrange in con-
nection with the Mayor and Council some
important public work, by which the city at
large will be benefited without Partially to
any part or to sectional owners, contributions
for relief might be paid out in low wages by
the day or hour to such very needy men as
might apply fer work. by work on the river
front, in paving, the commerce of the city
would be directly and universally benefited,
and the benefit would be felt by all the prop
erty in the city.
This is no time to consider the cause of SO
much distress, resulting mainly from 50 much
forced idleness on the part OF those who are
ready aud eager to work whenever they can
find work to do. 1t is useless, for present
PURPOSES, to lament the absence Of means
on the part Of the city government to find
occupat on for few hundred laborers
It would be out of season to lament for the
nnblic means which have been absorbed un-
der tyannous State laws, or tor the impover-
;shed condition of vast numbers Of our citi-
zens who, in prosperous times, would De able
aud re ,dv to help in the cause Of relief, or for
the depressed state Of business which takes
from our phiIanthropic citizens the means OF
INDUCING their noble instincts The great
fact is squarely before us, which demands
action at once.