Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1886-02-18

EDITOR EVENING QARIXAB
An effsrt was recently made. aud
advertised ID your paper to form 90
Annapolis Poor Association" Two
meetings were held. but nothing was
done. The good citizens present were
not properly backed by either num-
bers, sympathy or offers Of money.
Some did not see the notice 10 your
paper, others were absent on account
VI sickness, many were prevented by
social and business engagements. The
matter is not yet dead, q few of our
citizens have determined to devise
plans to help the poor, with some de-
gree of system. ~
One of the most difficult problems
of the age is. to supply food. clothes,
fuel, medicines and absolute essen
tials to every needy person. and at
the same time not encourage pau
perism.
This problem has puzzled tho
brains of the best men of Paris, Lon
don. and New York, and the people OF
our city cannot be expected to master
it for q time at least. We should
work carefully and cautiously but
with promptness. When a man or
woman or child, white or black needs
clothes, an agent should be some
where to whom they or their friends
might apply for aid and get it with
as little red tape as possible.
In small city like ours, many of
the poor are provided for by their re
spectiye rectors and churches. These
rectors might confer and see that they
are not all helping the same families.
Ii theiriunds ran low an appeal might
be made 10 the agent, and be through
the press TO the public
From observation and experience
am convinced that many of our SO
called poor belong to the county, and
not to the city. They consist of able
bodied men aud women not willing
to work, and must live somewhere
and somehow. The law officers should
watch and provide for them | am
equally satisfied that there are mum
bers of modest men and women, who
are so distressed and ashamed at their
unavoidable poverty, that they will
suffer hunger before they will ask for
food aud endure pain rather than beg
for medicine. These are the people OF
all others who should be hunted up
by our benevolent citizens and helped
would suggest that an agent be
appointed who would receive cards
and letters from persons who have
clothes and, other things to give
and these be fled for reference
This agent. to appoint an Office hour
daily, to receive applications for aid
and send the person to the house
which had the article wanted
Our city is small, we can soon
know the few needy poor. Rectors,
teachers, merchants, mechanics, fl
GERS of the law. ladies and children
should all be enlisted in the common
cause of helping the deserving poor,
and what is equally important ex-
posing impostors. If there are prac-
lical objections to the plan proposed
| would like to hear them at once,
aud either accept or answer them.
The late meetings so slimly attend
ed were not altogether q failure.
They suggested a plan which will
soon be put into practical operation
by which the poor of Annapolis will
be able to get medicines for their
aches and pains when their phvsi-
clans give them prescriptions, with
out running around Robin Hood
barn" as they do now, and have done
in the paat. Hoping to hear Of some
simpler aud better plan, ! remain,
j M. w.
Valentine Easter and Birthday