Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1884-12-04
A PLAN FOR CHARITY.


As winter approaches and opinions widely
differ as 10 whether il viii be q hard or an
open one, the thoughts of the ehsritably dis
posed go out 70 the poor who must necessa-
rily endure much suffering and hardship.
That this will be winter of unusual hard
ship among the laboring men is already
promised In the fact that great many men
with families on their hands are out of en-
ployment with no prospects of improving
their condition until trade brightens
up and the present depression IN
business is overcome. A TELEGRAM
reporter had a talk with a lead
Ing citizen yesterday upon things In general
and among the themes discussed was the one
limited at above. Il know some families in
this city" he said, respectable ones, too,
who are almost on the verge of
abject destitution. In one family
consisting of five persons, wife, husband and
children, the husband has been out of en-
ployment for nearly two months, and has
about exhausted all the means he had saved
in keeping his home free from cold and hun
ger. He has always been temperate, in-
dustrious man, but owing to the slack-up in
business, his employers were compelled to
let him 60. The family are too proud to
give any hint as to their wants to their
friends and neighbors, and the outlook for
them during the winter is painfully discour-
aging. There are many others that are no
doubt in equally straitened circumstances,
with absolutely no prospects of relief. They
are all anxious and willing to work if work
could be found, but there is about as
much demand for labor at present
among the industries of this city as
there is demand for prohibition
among the liquor dealers. Now the gener-
osity displayed by several citizens in pro-
viding for the poor on Thanksgiving, sug-
gests an opportunity for much nobler char
liable undertaking in the same direction.
There are at present many citizens, mechan-
les and laborers out of employment In this
city with families dependent upon them, and
the probabilities are that they will be COM
PEELED to live if they can do So without work
until Spring, and there are several hundred
citizens who are well-to-do, sufficiently
enough to afford to give a pittance toward
keeping these people from want. Suppose
general poor fund was organized with
especial reference to such cases as have been
mentioned. 1t seems that enough could be
induced to subscribe say quarter, a half or
dollar month to keep in this fund
sufficient means tOprovide for these families
and guard against their suffering from cold
and hunger. believe there are any number
of citizens who are able to contribute each
month such sums as / have named. 1t is not
one 1.-THE of what good many hundred of Us
spend each month foolishly, and if some en-
ergetic person will adopt such a scheme, and
agitate it thoroughly, believe he will meet
with such response as will guard against
anybody's suffering for lack of warmth and
food. This is only suggestion, an idea,
aud believe there are many others If they
| think minute can add such improvements
as will make it respectable and insure its
amounting to something practically"
The TELEGRAM scribe coincided and bid
| the expounder of theoretical charity good
| day, and prints his ''idea," hoping some
may find in it some practical suggestions.