Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-10-29
| ~ N u . y 10 7
Ladies' Union Relief.

HOW SHALL We BEST HELP TIE POOR?
This is great practical question OF the day.
The rrobem is, how really to help tho poor TO
help themselves.
Splendid charities iriudiciously Administered
pauperIzs more of the poor than they relieve.
All sensible observers nu5t see that there are
two classes OF the poor; one we may call the
deserving poor, the other the undescrcmg-
The first desire work By which they may caro-
On honest living. The stc5nd wish TO live il
idleness 90 the labor of others. TO help the
first ia their efforts to get work is real
christian enterprise 70 help the Others 10
their avoidance Of Hclk IS giievoas wrong 10
society and an iljury to themselves.
1t has occurred 10 thoughtful observers. that
possibly 10 former years the liberal beneGcencc
OF the friends of the poor 10 this city may not
have been SO wisely administered as IS desirable.
and practical experience of the difficulties q
the work has suggested changes 10 the methods.
We desire 10 this brief notice 10 call the at.
tention Ct the charitable to some efforts 10 this
| direction goiDg 90 in cur city, which as it
seems to US. have 50 happily met the Difficult
ties CT the problem with which We set our, a.
to commend them to the encouragement and
support OF all !nteiligen. ifierd5 Of the poor
Some OF these onr cogsgei in this work
| have conducted he following experiment dur
| iug the past year.
| They ob:aioei loan Of $1,000 wi!boutis L.
terest from q wealthy aud benevolent ute
| map; ais, donation Of $50 from an euioe1t
| citizen OF ashrgtoa-aud other donation.
| from cit ,us Of Alexandria anouutIng in al! to
SLID.
With this c,1i;si they purchased uate'
| rial for the manufacture Ut bigS fer grain aud
fertilizers. TIE making ct thess (about 3d..
| 000) was given to the poor women CT our ely,
merchants 81 fast as they could be delivered.
| Fer this work, there YVES paid out Sl49 10
the womcn
The 1000 50 kindly loaced has been re
turned and there IL besides sDall surplus ou
hand, part Of which it is designed to put Into
more mstcilll for woik, acd the rest TO invrst
10 fuel aud bvcadsiufi- to DC sold 10 tie work
women this wintcr at wholesale prices.
| This is the years wors, CT the experiment.
| What is now needed is the meats to keep "
The work during the winteT, the time OF gr'a,
est want among the poor. so as to have SUI
6cent Dunb Der OF bags by he next ason, 10 sup
ply not OILY our owG met chants, as has beem
|
moud, Lynchburs ana Georgetown.
Loaus. ike The one above mentioned, from
| four or FIVE persons, would turtI,h the r,rans
to do this, and the bags could be mO!tpagaj AZ
security for the money uoiI sod, whco the
loans could be ralurocd
Now wo put the question 10 the benevolent in
our city who have inc mcsuE 10 AID IN such .
work Docs not this enterprise commend ltse.!
| to your judgment a. one conducted on wise
principles, snd Kill 40. your hearts respond +
| This sppesl for aid 10 tho poor nt your vary
door? And are there not more than four or i've
of our citi2 ans who viii come at once to the help
Of the Christian women who have so faithfully
and successfully iDais this experiment: and de-
Iuonstrsted its prGc:icsbil!ty.
The facts here stated arc given on the author
ty of Mrs. Jno. j. Jameson, acting President.
| and Miss Lucy Dorsey, Secretary and Treasurer
| of tho Ladies' Union Rebel under whose su-.
pieces ard direction this work has bean conduc!
cd, A FRIEND.