The New York herald., 1878-02-10
CHARITY AND PAUPERlSM.

iioN-THE SYSTEM IN VOGUE IN LONDON
WHAT BUFFALO INTENDS TO DO.
To EDITOR or THE HERALp:-
Tho letter IN last Sundays HERALD, over the sigma
ture OF Charity" has doubtless read with great
interest by every who has the slightest regard
for the welfare OF his fellow creatures ana although
the writer has perhaps sheen inclined dsvergc occa
sionay from the point. which all Interested IN
tho poor have taken much ncari no de-
serves the thanks Of The pubc for startinf
question which should be taken up at
once and made n subject OF puoic debate AZ
the best method OF relieving the poor appears to
he now question OF pubic interest shall take tho
liberty OF explaining the system about be inau
guratcd in Bunii ana which has been taken from
the method now IN such successful operation 10
London. II is known the Charity Organization
Society, aud very interesting pamphlet has recently
been circulated in this city that ,Ises vcry iuI
history OF tho society its method aud tho results OBJ
ncd from it's practice. !, started IN London IL
1869 with the clearly enunciacd understanding that
It's object was purely nhiianihropc, aiming only
at tho moral elevation OF tho poor. the repression
of mcndcity by organized action and the prose-
cution OF imposiors, AMI inviiing, as IL did. tho
cooperation OF OF all creeds numbered at its
very start and sun numbers among its champions
meu OF widely different views. At the head stands
the Bishop OF London, and among its vice presidents
Mr.. RusKiu, Mr. Gladstone, the Duke OF Norfolk aud
the Earl OF Snaf.csbury. Its council comprises men
OF every social rank o. every profession aud
isters OF every denomination The fundamental law Of
It's operation Is expressed 10 word, 'nvesigate"
and It's motto Is .'No reIiei tcxccpt in the extreme
OF despair imminent dcatn without previous
and searching investigation The idea is help tho
poor 10 help them which "A expiaincd IN the
foIiowing extract from an Official document
now THEy DO 1T IN LONDON.
"lndustrious persons are aided, whenever possible.
IN .nl. nv a.
during TEMPORARY difficulties oy means OF loans with
interest to be repaid by easy instaimcnts Owing
the committees IN selecting suitable Tor this
form relief. tho loans are. with very few excep-
tions, faithfully repaid. During the year 1876 953
persons families received loans from tho socety
varying in amount from few shilngs to upward u
effects OF this form OF relief TO those who
quire ASSISTANCE only for short time" An
other object OF tho society Is the instilling
into the minds OF the poor sounder and more
ennobing visws of what the word nome" in tho
hgnest sense OF that .orm really implies and TO help
them TO reach this doa. This Is arrived through
the medium OF n thorough and organized system Of
house to house visitation the thorough OF
the home life tho relationships, the surroundings,
aud a OF the home and this they applied nos
only single parishes but TO the entire city Loadon
Ono OF the important features OF the that no
visitor as rule, Is allowed to take charge OF moro
than twelve families. Again, the society grapples only
with the earthly side OF charity, leaving Iho heavenly
side OF charity 10 the ministers oil the Church. Itis
the handmaid OF every creed, tho rival OF none IL
oilers It's services 10 ali alike II Is simply humani.
tartan It's aims. 1t seeks by the mighty power OF
love, sympathy, Kindness toward nli 10 unite all
classes all creeds, IN the bonds Of mutual good will.
1t socks the moral anu social elevation OF tho poor
by the unbending application OF laws by
the cold hand oil Official relief but by sending fortn
the noble ones OF The city 10 visit the dwellings OF tho
poor ana 10 foster the growth or those
which ~i mnke them better men and nober citizens.
WHAT BUFFALO INTENDS DOING
1t 10 a society based u the same principles as tho
above that The people oil Buffalo propose Introduce
.spn m no Of bs ssss
scheme IL tho organization oil societies, &C., already
In existence with view TO corporation so as to pre-
the overlapping ci charity aud tho relief I'M
postors They will invite the operation OF the city
officials Tor the transerrcnce OF from tho
the other, IN accordance with tho rules OF OUCH
for tho mutual benent and assistance OF each. The
society viii discourage indiscrlmnate aimsgivng
tending 10 pauperize the people, aud ask the ctizeDs
before giving tue door the stfeots allow tho
society TO investigate such cases, that mpostors
may not grow lat whiie tho deserving are sent
empty away. The OBJECTS OF tho society
| arc, nrs.. the Repression Of pauperism ~ tue
leading principles tho severance OF relief from
Igon. the severance OF .rcct from politics and the
severance OF relief from nationality. Speaking on the
question OF religion the paragraph rcadss- 'It will
have be understood IRON tho that the of
tho body aud tho care ot the soul bc
tempted by and The same person. IL will have TO
be distinctly understood the hand that tho
position purposes ofv proseytsm or spiritual In.
struction, and on the other that tho religious n
DEATH shall never bc Tho aroner OF material reiot
TINS provision Is absolutely necessary In order both
prevent cant and hypocrisy among tho poor aud to
insure the hearty cooperation OF all oi citizens,
whatever their creed or shade OF reiIg ous belief"
now rHB SYSTEM WILL BE CARRIED OUT.
The proposed system oil organization Tor tho facility
OF cooperation between tho Poormaster and The
cicy to adopt the division OF the city into precincts
Identical In every respect with those approved by tho
Board OF Police, and set forth In manual II Is
also proposed, for facility OF cooperation between tho
and the society to adopt tho su VISION
OF tpc several precincts into identical with
the beats Of nc patromen, approved by the super
ntendent Of Police. II Is proposed that thero shall
ha NM la0 mi cd In Aach ntrh
shall have entirc control OF all tho charitable
OF tho society within tho prccinct-the appoint
framing OF bylaws and the adoption OF any other
measures which the committee msy doem expe-
dent Tor It's efficient working. IL IS proposed
THAT tho Precinct Committee be composed OF
the clergy and ministers OF every denomina-
ns"a ,oa whose places % OF worship , are within ,ns
dntions societies. &c, within the precinct; tho CAP
tain oil police of tho precinct (ex.oilicol and tho
leading citizens residing IN the precinct II IS pro-
posed that precinct nave Office in
tral position. TO which all applications for relief
within the precinct shall bc sent for investigation,
and. through which tho private charitable re-
lci OF the precinct may DO distributed, and
any other precinct be referred the oflcc of such
precinct IL is proposed Tor the general management
OF tho society at large that council bo chosen.
posed OF the representative men IRON cach OF the
precinct committees, and that tins council have tue
general supervision Of tho socictys work throughout
tue eiiy the CONSIDERATION VI all questions OF prn.
cipe, aud every endeavor to brEg into harmoni-
Gus cooperation with cacn other aud with the poor
law officials the various charitable agencies In tho
city itis.proposcd TO have central onlcc and head
quarters of the council to which all the precinct OIL
GERS shall send cacn morning ful list OF all cases
relieved during the preceding twenty -four hours by
the precinct committees; IN other words, charity
clearing house, so AS TO prevent tho overlapping OF
charity and ne relief OF impostors.
Although do lot directly recommend the adoption
OF tho above method OF distributing charity Ithiuk Il
prudent now that the question has bccn mooted to
lay before the pubic the different systems that havo
been the most successful so tnat IN case they
take action on tho subject they may have arrived as
nnin n NH No N % an