Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-10-15

There will be abundant inducement to cor
tinUe during the approaching winter the sys-
menatic charity which has already been in this
city so fruitful in good results. Money, prOviS-
Ions and clothing have been sent southwark to
relieve. as far as possible, the sufferingS from
the pestilence. But this Is not sufficient. The
deStitution that will follow the death of the
plague furnishes call for aid that will not
cease to sound in our ears for months, and the
sympathy aroused Will no doubt find practical
expression in organized measures of relief. And
in our charity towards the afflicted among our
more distant neighbOrs, we must not forget
those in our very midst who will freeze and
starve if winter comes and finds them entirely
unaided. There should be no tagging i'm the
enthusiasm for good works. Entertainments
devoted TO charity and private subscriptions of
all kinds should and will furnish sufficient
funds. Their proper application must be Secur-
ed by concentrating them in the hands of a
responsible organization for disbursement The
greatest efficiency of contributions intended to
be charitable can be obtained only I'm this way.
Personal relief of suffering is what goes farthest
towards arOuSng In giver and recipient tine
emotions that makes benevOlence an agent for
moral improvement to both; but it is only
when such labors are performed in con-
junction with those of others, and in
tual relief OF suffering is effected Dis
elimination between deserving and unde-
serving applicants for charity is necessary in
order that the aid intended for the former shall
not De Inverted: and the power to decide where
relief Is most needed can only be possessed by
an organization which covers the whole ground,
The persistent petitioners for assistance who
appeal most successfully to individual charity
are only in rare instances the most deserving.
But there is little need to point out at length
what every one comedies, the benefits of Orgdn-
zation in measures Of relief. The societies Of
the Red Cross exemplify them perfectly. A
central bureau is established in each country
whose government is enrolled under the ensign
To 1t all charitable associations in the nation
are subordinate, and report. In time OF peace
training schools for nurses are established. and
organizations to make and gather supplies are
fostered in every town. In time Of war the
government has the benefit Of all the resources
of the society Its gathered supplies, its thorough
knowledge OF the best methods Of applying its
powers, and Its complete organization, which
enables 1t to carry out every wise measure of
relief, make it a valuable auxiliary In the case
of great fires such as those which have devas-
tated several OF our cities, and In the event of
pestilence, such as that which Is now raging,
the society with its numberleSS branches be-
COuCo ltSpoHolUit anu eIlClenU agent
for the distribution Of the gifts of the
people; and benefactors are guarded against
the misapprOpriation or misapplication OF de-
mated money and material. We have no national
Red Cross organization. But we can reproduce
1t in miniature in our city, and profit by the ex-
perienced advantages OF such plans OF relief In
the winter campaign against restitution in
washington, organization Is as much needed as
in warllke operations OF a less commendab;e
character, in which the destruction and not the
saving of life Is sought. Our best citizens. in
whom we can trust, must stand forth as leaders
in the movement. Those who have ALREADY done
so much in this direction will not of course
break ranks until their services are no longer
needed; and those who have not up to this time
taken active part in relief measures should re-
solve TO do so. The showing OF interest in a
general plan OF relief by prominent citizens the
encouragement OF their presence at delibera-
tons on the subject, and their active service in
the distribution of collected funds will be OF
more benefit 10 the deserving poor OF the city
than the largest money contribution.