The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1883-02-18
A STRONG DEFENCE

Editor Bulletin;
The question Of a practical application
of the system of "Organized Charities"
seems to be misapprehended by your cor
respondents. No intimation was given
that women fail IN organized societies
the experience OF such societies Ia our own
city, as we'll as all over the couutry, efectu'
ally proves the contrary. Neither was it
asserted that "man should be at the head
of it"-(the organized charity association
and receive the pay, while the women
should do all the work. In my article
said "a board of directors chosen from our
best citizens should have charge of the
work. In Boston aud indianapolis, this
board Of directors is composed equally Of
men and women, who work In perfect Har'
mony for the common good, and have an
equal voice in the management Of affairs
The clerk in the central office acts under
the direction Of this board of directors, and
since call cases of restitution must be re.
ported" at this Office, and from it "investi-
CATION of doubtful cases must be made, the
position will not be snecute by any
means il It's duties are faithfully performed.
As the Office work, the taking Of names,
places of residence and other details OF in
terest, to be kept as permanent record Tor
reference snd further use WILL be cOnsldera-
BILE, so will the time to be given and the
labor involved in looking up OF many of the
cases personally, visiting railroad depots,
whartboats and like places, be no light
and easy task While the ward committees
Of the ladies, who will look after cases Of
restitution belonging to the city and report
and care for the needs of our own poor, will
do great deal; the bulk Of the labor and
responsibility, on account of Cairos pecu.
liar situation, will fall upon the agent OF the
association. Such aperson will have need
not only Of good Judgment, but sIso of "trpe
philanthropy" as it will not no possible
to pay him more than "fair salary
for his services, am Informed
that the SUN known as the poor iund'
amounts to about twenty-five hundred dol
lara per annum should judge that this
AIN mt might be increased, Al u moderate
estimate, by private subscription, at east
a thousand dollars. Doubtless two or three
times that amount is now gwen 10 indis-
criminate charity by our generous citizens,
who never fail to respond nobly to any call
for help. II, Of this sum, thirty-dve hun.
bred dollars, ne.ten.h or three hundred
and fifty dollars, should be paid annually
to careful conscientious agent whose bust
ness il should be to see, that the rem aiming
nine-tenlhs, shall be spent wisely aud to the
best advantage, certainly the salary would
not absorb all the spare charitable means
Of the community Ia mentioning the
above sum, no account Ia taken Of the pack
ages of clothing, household goods, med.
cines aud gratutous service Of our good
physicians, aud other donations that would
be apt to come in literally, to be received
and properly distributed from the central
otiice The work OF the ward comm ttees
of course, would be done gratuitously, snd
| probably would be no greater than is nov
being done by our nobl spirited women, bu
conducted in a less systematic and salts
factory manner, Ia conclusion, | will say
that have spoken OF system with the
workings of which am acquainted and 70
which have given some attention. sys
tenn which has been practically tested II
many cities, and found To be quite success.
full, Ifyour correspondents have eny Other
or better system to offer; any plan that will
do the work m IRE thoroughly and sltsfc
toriy, it will meet with my hearty cooper
alton, aud sincere and personal sympathy
aud assistance. c.