The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-10-06
Relief.

rate that they forgot there was anybody
else. SO speedily and copiously was the
treasury of the Howards filled, even tC
overfowing, that they felt in honor bound
to announce the fact. This was highly
proper and creditabie. But in their pros
perity and satisfaction they ought not to
have forgotten that there were other re-
servoirs for public charity not by any
means full. They ought to have suggested,
not cessation of the stream, but that its
generous current be turned into other and
drier channels.
We will do the Howards the justice to
suppose that they overlooked the necessity
for any other relief association than their
own But this was grievous oversight.
The Howards, let us say it with modesty,
have not by any means filled the bill this
tUte yellow fever sufferers that they have
not relieved. We mean destitute yellow
fever sufferers who have applied or tried
to apply to them for relief. Whose fault
was that7 We do not for moment imply
that it was that of the Howards. A vast
number of people in this city, not only
colored but white, were not able to make
their application properly. Either they
did not know how, or they had not the
courage and strength to do it. Sometimes
it was an unfriended widow with sick
child she dared not leave him for q mo-
ment; she sent message, perhaps, through
some careless acquaintance who never de-
6n h 4 o;a 81
have notified the Howards Of some neigh
boring case of a&3ction and forgotten to
give the address on his postal card. Some
times the doctor detailed to the sufferers
got sick himeelfor was sent off to Memphis,
and no one replaced him sometimes the
gentleman appointed to supervise certain
district and receive applications could not
be found after many efforts, so that finally
the wearied and disheartened seeker had
to give it up.
We are not finding fault with the motives
and conduct of the gentlemen composing
this world-reuowed society, we merely
say that its organization is not such as to
meet oil the necessities of an epidemic like
this. Perhaps its list of mem bershp ought
to be much more extended perhaps
prolonged experience would enable it to
correct the short -comngs of employees by
some complete system of checks and
balances perhaps in the course of time it
will! attain to the regularity and thorough
ness or good military administration.
But that cannot be expected now, and
during the remainder this epidemic
the Association will have to take things
as it finds them. We republish to. day an
official communication from it's President,
Mr.. Vandergrtf, in which he takes the
position that the Society must be reepousi-
bic for the distribution Of it's funds under
the personal supervision Of its members.
This is perfectly correct doctrine as a gen.
eral thing; but is it strictly practicable
now in the light of true charity7
Whatever may have been the cause,
many destitute people have had to apply
to other organizations than the Howards
for relief. There are numbers of such or
gauizations perhaps twenty, maybe thir.
ty, and none of them have anything like
means enough to meet the necessities
brought to their notice. We suggest,
then, that the Howard Association unbeud
its dignity and its rules sufficiently to
recognize these organizations and distri-
butte it's surplus means through them to
people whom it has not found the means
to reach. Or, if this cannot be done, we
then euggeet that applications for relief be
received through other organizations, that
their reports of deetitution and sickuess be
acted on by the Howards themselves, and
that they thus recognize other societies as
CO -laberers, or at least as reliable channels
of information. We can assure the Assoca-
tion that great many complaints against
itself-perhaps upjustly made-wopld be
si!enced by this course, At p-eeent it
stands somewhat in the position of the dog
in the manger; it has hoard of relief
which it cannot distribute equally aud
universally, bat which it will not turn
over to others that can do it, nor even lis