National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-01-07
THE POOR AND NEEDY
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITY SOCIETIES
sui Ttrlng TO be Relieved by Furnishing Employ
ment to tho Able.B Bodied Des,itu,c--Heu
the Movement Has Worked
In other Countries.

Charity, like Christianity, had It's origin and
carly development In the Fast. Among the prim-
Tive nations nlmsgivlug was inculcatcd MS re-
ligious observance. For centuries the Church OF
Rome constituted itself the great receiver and dis
pciiscr Of aims for continental Europe, and
through the rich monastcrics and abbeys distrib-
uled doles to the poor with sectarian uninirness.
In European countries the church still continues
to be to larger or smaller extent the public
nlmoner, although governmental provision for tho
poor is now generally being made o. u matter OF
state policy. The observance from the church
and voluntary charity IS hardly enywbe,e so cont
pleto as IN England. The giving of pnuper aid,
church doles, and the severe enactments for tho
repression Of vagrnncy and mcndGclty have all
faled OF their object If they aimed to prevent
pauperism. Statistics tell against the practice OF
almsgvng and of poor house and work house ro-
lief The yearly cost Of paupersm in England il
s50,0cO000 and the proportion Of paupers one in
every twenty of its population. In this country
THERE Is a STEADY INCREASE
of those requiring aid. The number Of aims
houses in New England is Co., and, with popula-
ton of 100000, the pauper expenditures exceed
annually 100000 The city of Philadelphia, with
n pop ulntion of 10000, expends annually 100000
Tor relieving dcstitulion. In the city of New
Haven, Conn., with population of 10000 or less,
tho sum of $1,000 week is about the average
| pauper expenditure during the winter per-
| cctcd system of registration and visitation and
| the giving of assistance In the form of earned
wages only 10 the able bodied Is greatly reducing
| the number applying for assistance and the
| cost of relief for those who make application.
There can be no doubt that careful house.to-
house visitation, to learn the extent Of restitution,
| and the employment Of those able to work Is tho
true policy TO pursue whether It is done by the
authorities or by volunteer organizations for IL
not only relieves the dependent persons In mani
| ner more congeniol to human nature, and cuts OF
the undeserylng, dead. beat class but 1t cpltyates
| n feeling of self-relance and habits of industry
| which cannot be overesmated.
| THIS Is THE DUTY UNDERTAKEN
| by the Associated Charities the title given to tho
| corporation between the managers of official
bureaus and of private charities In the large cities
| TO more judicously give aid to the INDECENT Such
and is receiving the earnest attention of best
citizens Similar effort in Westphalia and Geneva
| succeeds better year by year. In the Netherlands
pnuper colonies have been In successful operation
since 1875 Two government colonies at Ommer-
schaus and Veenhuizen contain about four thou
sand, of which three thousand nre able to work
Qhe balance being boys aud girls less thnn sixteen
years OLD. They are employed at agriculture and
various handicraft. Two thousand acres are un.
der cultivation by them. In the government
| colonies all have been CONVICTED by magistrate
Of begging, and from this class the most encourage
Ing reports OF an improved social condition are
given. At Frederiksoord and Willemsoord tho
colonies managed by benevolent societies extend
| to six thousand 0cres, and the inhabitants can
work as tenant cotters or labor for the company.
THESE COLONIES ARE IN A PROSPEROUS CONDITION
and their homcsarc best described as being models
Of neatness and comfort. They have two Protest.
synagogue. They have schools, and u tenth part
of their product is placed to their credit q re-
living out of the colony at a future time In these
colonies about three thousand persons are made
self;supporing by the Investment Of 100000 in
land. buildings, stock, and utensils. The most sat
isfylng evidence the early and permanent pros
perity and the moral and social growth which
follows judicious effort to relieve the destitute is
found in the effort of the United States Govern
nent to better the condition Of the Cherokee
tribe of Indians. These Indians were in
| 1pplOrabla condition. withOuI tho ruli-
ments of education with no conception of
morality, and proverbially indolent. They were
removed by the Government to n tract of fertile
land in the Indian Territory agents and supern-
tendens appointed to protect their interests and to
plements and cattle and teachers found their way
among them, During the war they were over,
s20OOO0OO but they have recovered without assist-
ance and, besides being possessed of fertile farms
and great wealth in personal property they have
built churches, established schools, and have a
college, MS well as newspapers, conducted in their
own language, and have n deposited school fund
of 81 100000, possess habits of industry, have self.
respect, and are in q civilized and Christianized
condition, and have already paid in revenues
| TEN TIMES THE EXPENDITURE TO START THEM
| on the highway to success. The Associated Chart
ties is the first step in the right direction TO nllevi-
ate distress and prevent that degree of desIiutiou
, termed pauperism, by giving work and wages to
idle but willing persons. whereas heretofore they
{ have been offered work. only under most dis
} courugng and undeseryiDg conditions. With work
and wages always obtainabe not only Will paupcr.
ism disappear, but crime win be diminished, and
directly and indirectly the burden of taxation DO
7 reduced, and good order be promoted in society.
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES OF THIS CITY
have started in the right direction. The GENTLE
! men who are most active in the movement ara
, those who have had experience in the DISPENSE
ton of aims and the relief Of the needy, and 1t is
believed that the plans which have been outlined
at their meetings so far, If adopted, will prove
most cfilcacious in preventing pauperism and al
leylatng the distress which always occurs IN the
\ winter. The cold weather, however has evidently
now settled down upon the city, and the efforts OF
this society should be prompt 1t Is believed that
the associated charities will receive the hearty
CO. operation of our citiZens who have always re-
sponded generously TO calls for the relief of the
u suffering aud the destitute.