The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1878-10-05
Organized Charity.
lEGalyeston News. ]

lSolaIed instances OF 1Hdlvidual
misfortune and distress may be
| properly and safely left, as gen.
eral rule, to the spontaneous Offices
OF private charity. Calamities of
Il purely foriuitous nature, and
confined to single victims, or at
most TO "a few, seldom present oc-
casiuns for public agencies of sue
/ cor and relief. Many of the TRACE
dies OF private life are too deep for
sympathy, transcend imagination,
and utterly a9afiie the ordinary re-
sources and expedients of humani-
ty. Bnt there are calamities due
/ to natural conditions or general
causes, and widely diffused III area,
involving thousands and even rHif.
lions Of victims. Whether they
come iii the form of tempest, food,
fire, pestilence or famine, they may
properly be described as epidem-
les, for they atflict extensive popu-
lations and concern whole nations.
Such is the general character and
| comprehensive sweep oil the afflic-
ton Of yellow fever in the Missis-
sippi valley. Gov. Hubbard by
no means exaagerates its claims to
pubic attention in the proclana-
iion which he Issues -desigaatir 9
the 22l Of September as a day of
humiliation, fasting and prayer.
His re commentator THAT collec-
tons be made on that day throueh-
out the state at all places of meet
ing, for the benefit of sufferers, has
a sRggestiyeness Elm logical and
moral force of which should survive
the present emergency. While il
is quite fitting for Gov. Hubbard,
| as u high public functionary, to in
terest himself for the victims of
this mighty scourSe, it is obvious
that what lie does Or can do In that
relation is insufficient, and that the
charitable expeddent which he pro-
poses is not only tardy, bat must
have fallen, if adopted At an ear
her stage III the progress OF the
sconrge, almost infinitely short OF
the emergency. From these and
eoinciding circumstances it may be
inferred that one Of the most mr.
gent problems for the statesman
eSiEp u ts4o future is to provide ia,
organized charity capable of meet
ing, promptly and efficiently, the
requirements Of epidemic calani-
ties of whatever origin or nature.
A most melancholy fact connected
18th the rayages of yellow fever III
New Orleans and Memphis has
been tile apparent impotence Of
the state Oh maigfeipal authorities
in either city to render help to their
own afflicted communities. Dis
ease and famine found allies, it
woald seem, in Legislative omis-
sions or organic deficiencies OF
government, and some of the COM
mcnest offices of humanity Were
delayed until the distress became
so tremendous and its cry SO loud
as to move the public heart il aail
directions to exteinporlze charity
tbrosgh sach imperfect agencies
as could be hastily contriyed. Ger
tainIy such charity, however dila-
tory, is better than none. But the
charity intended to cope with great
public ealanaities should be marked
by foreshoeght, providence, prepar-
atiop, timely organization. This
method is recommended not less
by considerations Of economy than
by considerations OF humanity.
Public charity should never be
without contingent fund ard an
adequate machinery.
A lady, returning froaa an nn-