New-York tribune., 1876-12-23
INDIsORIMINATE CHARITY.
"a DEAD CHILD"


THE MAIN SOURCE OF THE PooRs MISERY.
To the Editor or The Tribune.
SIR: With all who are possessed OF human sensi-
bilities, was very much touched by your editorial
of Wednesday relating to the freezing 70 death OF
Julia Deems's babe in It's mothers lap In the open
street, to which she had been driven by drunken
husband. viii you permit me to say, ON behalf OF
public justice and in the name of humanity, that
the principal conclusion which You drew from IL
needs modification, viz: the conclusion that ~ the
people responsible were those who passed her by'
turning deaf ears to her cry for help"
In the first place, the people who passed her by,
whoever they may have been, were all famiilar
with the fact that great numbers Of begging
women hire babies in order that their appeals Tor
aims may be more emphatic and efficient. that they
drug these miserable little creatures to keep them
quiet and that these drugged babies are habitualiy
used as part of the machinery of the lowest Voiun
tary panperism. Knowing that the probabilities
were ten to one against the commences OF TINS
case, what were they to dof That the woman was
poor, was undoubtedly true; but the probabilities
were that she was q drunkard, and that such
money as she might receive wOnld be used, not ior
warming her child, but for destroying herself. IL
is practically impossible for men who are engaged
in winning bread to keep their own families from
starving, either to give to every beggar VINO eA-
tends his hand, or TO investigate each case that
presents itself II the facts of this case had been
known, OF even guessed, the lap OF julia Deems
would have been filed with aims. There is no
lack OF benevolence among our people, but they
have been cheated and practiced upon until they
are sore
So much for them; and now lot me go little
further back and see if there is not responsibility
some where else. How came Julia Deems 10 be IN
the street with her baby on that inclenent day
She was driven into it by drunken husband. How
was il that the husband had become drunkardf
Through the temptations to drink that had been
placed before him at every Of the city, by IL
cense of the city authorities His own degradation
and every woe TO his miserable wife and child that
had come from il were the result, directly and de-
monstrably, of the municipal policy. He bought
the liquor with which he brutalized himself Of n
man who hired the privilege of selling it to him of
the city authorities and paid the money for it, Now,
is il not q little rough upon set Of benevolent
people calling themselves Christians who wonld
willingly give great deal OF money to have the
ouor traffic done away with, to hold them response
bic in any way for the death of this baby Who
ever was responsible for making the father OF that
baby drunkard is responsible for the death of the
child. 1t is not right, am sure-it IS not faT-to
cast the blame of this ease upon anybody who does
NOT suppOrt the State aud municipal pOicy concern
ing the liquor traffic.
am painfully aware Of all the difficulties that
surround this pauper question. They seem to be
nsnperable There Is so much Of dishonest trckeTy
among the paupers themselves, there is so much
difficulty in ascertanng the truth in regard to any
special case there ia 50 much danger oi fostering
paupcrsm in any honest attempt to relieve IT, there
is such abuse and Misrepresentation OF the aims that
are bestowed, especially by private individuals, tat
10, lFrf,k ryIto ia Iu Ar wi ps
OF how to do anything. If these difficulties could
be removed there is mol q soul In New-lork who
vould need TO suffer for bread. AS 1t IL, some
worthy people must suffer. IL IL very lamcniabe,
but il il inevitable in the nature and circumstances
of the case.
OF one thing however, sensible man needs tn
be in doubt. If there were no grOg-shops IN New
York we should have very little paucrsm TIE
amount Of money squaudcrcd by the poor for liquor,
squandercd in a way that leaves them unfit Tor
work and inhcts the most terrible hardships upon
their families, who trained up tor dow.) to pau
perism from their childhood, would give them all
bread. AS city We hold no restraint over them.
We furnish them with all the facilities for wasting
their substance and brutalizing themselves, aud
then call upon Christian and women 10 look
after them and see that they do not sUiier Rum
and panperism have always gone together in the
history of human society; and whoever Is RESPONSE
bic for the rum is responsible for the pnpersn that
flows from it, ] would not abate one jot or little
from the benevolent efforts made on behalf 0f even
the unworthy poOr but would like 10 have it un-
derstood where the blame for large proportion OF
our city poverty belongs. propose nc remedy but
that TO Which the "logic Of events will drive ~,
If we are not all fatally dcmorafzed by the power
which supplies with hand the sdeboards aud
tables of the rch and with thc othoE drives help
less and dcspairng women into the street with
bosons 50 cold that their babes freeze upon them.
Near- York. Dec II 1876. j. G. HOLLAND.
ENCOURAGING PROFESSIONAL BEGGAliS
THosR WHO GIVE MONEY 10 BEGGtRs AND NOT
THOSE WHO DO NoT RESPONSIBLE FOR SUP