The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-26
Rrnthar Gardner ami Oharitv.

DrOt43f Qdrun6T on Ouarlbys
s'De Good Book speaks of charity
thousand times, an big sheer of de
people believe dat de word as used in de
Bible means dat we mus open our
purses to de poo! In de fust place, L
Bible means lookin' lightly upon de
faults of our feller-men. 1t means dat
we must oberlook, excuse an forgive.
Charity covereth a multitude of sins!
Does dat mean loaf of bread passed
outer de kitchen doah to beggar, or
does it mean dat he who oberiooks de
faults of others shall have some of his
own condoned? / hold to de latter
but let us admit dat de charity of
de Bible means adm de poo. If l
airn ten shillings day an work in cold
an heat an rain-if my wife economic
es an am keerful-if we go slow an
dress widin our means an manage to
lay up few dollars, what man or wo-
man ON airth has de right to tell me dat
l mus pass any part of my savin's out
to people who am poo frew their own
fault? Whar' L have worked they have
loafed. Whar' [. have pinched dey
have squandered. Whar' / have denied
myself dey have cut loose wild a free
hand.
DdE ALI uOb All stDttF DOtltl man III
America who can't arm sufficient to
board, clothe and school family of six
and send his wife to church on SUNDAYS
OAR am not wilder in dis kentry who
cant arm at least dollar day at
some occupashun. OAR am not an or
fan who has de shadow of n right to
ask any man fur a nickel.
Our public charities am so many
frauds upon taxpayers. De $4,000
raised by tax in Detroit falls into de
hands of people who have no bizness
wild one shillin' of it. 1t goesto drunk
ards an idlers an pretenders, who
make it duty to live upon charity from
one var to anoder Idefy de most ard
ent philanthropist in dis kentry TO show
me one case whar' city poo fund dealt
out to. paupers has lifted anybody above
akin agin. DE city which raises de
moas' money has de moas paupers.
Figgers prove it, an yet philanthropists
won't admit dat Improves anything.
LET me start out tomorrow an han
S. each to 100 solicitors of charity an
how many would have dollar left by
night? At least half would spend a
portion for beer, whisky or tobacco,
and not twenty of de lot would buy
wood, flour or clothing.
IIc WHO OlhC ~ d IL y CAiJOtNi ttS2t9
loaferism, thicving an a dozen crimes.
HE who gives to man or woman
able to walk de streets am a supporter
of vice an idleness.
Oats whar' stan on de one side OF
de qucShun of charity, an each passin'
day turns up somethin' TO convince me
dat / am correct. But ROW whom do L
feel fur, an 20 whom Kin a give? If
assist an able-bodied man 10 arm his
own bread dat am charity. If l kin
prevail upon a father who am wastin'
his money in drink or at cards to put II
into his family, dat am charity. If my
poo naybur loses his horse l have a 50
bill fur him. If he loses a child have
ten. If he breaks leg or an arm TIL
sheer my meat an taters an wood wild
him until he kin work agin If father
falls sick an has muffin ahead my kind
o. charity chips in fur shake purse 10
pull him frew. If stranger comes
among US an am i'll let US make MIN
well. If fire or flood devastates a sec
ton, let US send relief. If widder am
left helpless let US fill her coal bin an
flour bar'l.
''In twenty years America has raised
up class numberin' tens of thousands
who shirk work, who make saloons pay,
who have doubled the number of police
and iails an prisons who steal, rob and
ravish-who infcst street corners an
prowl frew alleys who add nothing ex-
cept to nliteracy an vice, an she has
raised 'em up by her system of mistaken
charity. Philanthropists may squirm
an women make wry faces. but de
preaehins Of de one an De sympathies
of de odder have Enade B. word charity
synonymous w5A ysoe and Wickedness.
Let Us now asszass 81 UssIal program
nv. - Detroit F'rle Frsss.