The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-01-25
AN EASY WAY TO HELP THE POOR.

This is hard winter on the poor
Livery man who has q comfortable home
and Il good business or regular employ
ment, III contrasting his condition with
that of man out of money and out OF
work, feels IN his heart that he ought to
extend helping ha1d. Any man at all
sensitive or susceptible can picture some
thing of the desperation and misery of
man who stands helpless and destitute
in the presence of his family, and the
impulse to help him. The impulse IS to
help all who need help; but in these
times too many men with good impulses,
and good resolves, have not the where
withal to help any one. They find it
difficult to provide for their own families
and meet their business obligations.
They find ready excuse for not giving
because they have nothing to give. But
there is way to help poor desperate
man outside of this giving of substan.
tial aid. In city where there are so
many lmpostors, people are habitually
forblddlng and often rude to persons APP
plying for work, OF advice, or assistance.
They resent the asking OF question or
the entrance into q room as an unpar-
donable intrusion. If man out of en-
ployment would leave any stone unturn-
ed to secure work or assistance If he
should neglect TO take advantage of every
possible chance or opportunity, or should
hesitate through fear of rebuff OF rude
ness to make application at places where
there was only remote possibility of sue
cess, they would question his earnest
ness and his spirit. But if such man,
hoping against hope, should enter the
Offices of these men of good impulses
and clear notions as to duty, and hesita
tingly ask any question, what heartless
ness Ill manner, look, and word might
meet his advances. He wonld not IN
likely be made to feel that he was less
than man and might meet with such
reception as would argue the absence of
5ensibiity on his part, and the absence
of heart on the part OF the occupants of
the room. Is this picture exaggerated
We think not. But men will justify this
rudeness on the ground that more than
half the people who make such visits are
impostors and Migrants, and that it is
impossible to discriminate and decide on
appearances as to WHO are worthy and
who unworthy. 70 a certain extent this
is true but why not give the visitor the
benefit of a doubt, and seek the oppor-
tunity tc say word of common courte-
Sy WuGEG III ma Nc ncii]IuI, 1ttbI!GI blttll
take the chances OF wounding an already
sore spirit by rudeness and bearishness?
All these men of good impulse and
empty pockets cab help the poor if they
will. They can help them by speaking
respectful, kind, and sympathetic words.
They can lessen desperate mans mis-
cry by remembering that he has man S
feelings, and treat him accordingly
They can ghten the load Of desponden-
cy that woman out of work carries
about in her dreary journeys up and
down the streets looking for employment
by remembering that she has IA woman S
sensibility, and by speaking courteous
words of simple kindness.
All the poor need encouragement, as
well as food. 1t is easy to speak eneour-
aging words. All desperate men are de-
faint. It is easy to irritate them, but it
is just as easy to help them toward a
better feeling by well-chosen speech
Our system of helping the poor is wrong
in that it does not make the use of kind
words imperitive. Even when we give
food and money we often destroy the eft
feet by grudging manners and unfeeling
comments. Little words that go to the
heart of poor man, to make him more
of man, are very precious. They
sometimes help more than money
Inter- Ocean.