Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-12-22
THIRD EDITION.
THE ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.
The Report Of superintendent Massey
some Exceiisnt Suggestions.

The Report Of Superintendent Massey.
some Excellent Suggestions.
The Board of Managers OF the Asso-
ciatcd Charities held their regular
monthly meeting on Tuesday evening,
when Superintendent Massey presented
Il following report:
1.-THE total number OF applications TO
date have been 1863. There have been
fifty-three coal orders, thirty seven gro
Gerry orders aud twenty medical pre-
scriptions given TO date. The character
OF tho applicants has changed some
what from previous years. The FIRST
winter of the society's existence about
every family that applied contained y
strong, willing, healthy man out of
work, because there was no work 10 be
had. The present season the majority
of applicants are either old persons,
widows with small children or families
In which there is sickness.
"There are, however, still too many
cases In which the cry IL, my husband
has no work They are Of that hand
to mouth happy go lucky catch q
job clsss, who always do, and always
will spend rs they go. These are the
characters upon whom little 'chari-
table severity must sometimes be in
fiicted In order TO teach them q lesson.
I'VE regret that we have not yet been
able TO fully accomplish one OF the most
important features Of successful charity
organization, that of thorough C
operation with all relief. giving sgen.
cies. The Importance OF this must at
once be apparent to all those who have
the good OF the poor, no less than the
good OF the city IL heart. We learn
that there 10 to be another source Of out
door relief In our city this winter, that
OF the Police Fund. We might well
come this ss so much toward relieving
the worthy poor, were we not obliged
TO deplove the fact that they refused TO
cooperate with ne, thus opening
another channel for deception and fraud
on the part Of those who may. by mis-.
representation, obtain relief from both
sources.
"This, and all similar Implications
could be avoided IL all the reiief-giving
agencies OF the city would register their
relief with TIE Associated Charities.
and thus make our association = sort OF
clearing house OF charity information.
This not only applies to general out.
door relief, such as that given by the
Trustees of the Poor, City Council,
Ferris Fund and the like, but also to
church societies. Its beneficial effects
have been fu lly dsrnons.rAted IN the CO.
operation ex istins between ocr society
and the Provideut and Female Benevo
lent societies. The following is an IL
Illustration of the bad effects OF not
working together. A woman, well.
known 10 us s. an utterly undeserviug
character, begging under an assumed
name, came to Us for coal, which we re-
fused to give. In day or two after
ward we ed that she had obtained
half-ton from one OF the sources
named AbCYs.
"Such cases as this, IL the facts were
known, could be multiplied many fold.
Doubtless many pastors know that
families will distri butte themselves
among various churches during the
winter in order to obtain relief. They
will send one Child TO one Sunday
school, another to different one, and
perhaps attend third emselves, and
continue to get assistance from all. BY
registration OF r3lief ut this office
repetition of this could be avoided. AS
the reports would come in from the
different churches We could readily
discover the deception and notify the
interested parties.
1Ic NhAuS Vi tOOpcIdblOu III CDhrlLY
cannot be overe Htim aied, as 1t insures
the speedy and adequate relief of the
deserving Rod the exposure Of the un.
deserving. 1t hlso, in O measure, 70.
moves nom the path Of the applicant
the temptation 10 lie and deceive, which
is the first step downward ia pauBer' 3
career An iuc. easing pauper!sm in
turn means an inore asing population in
the almshouse, with heavier taxation
upon the eCple for It's maintenance.
We thus see that every argument, both
from the standpolI Of benevolence ami
economy, lie in IA or OF thorough and
hesrty cooper alton.
eve hope the n liet-giving agencies
of the city may early see the import
ance OF cooperate ION and registration
so that all tbs gen eral relief of the city
may be found upon cur private record ;,
to be used only by those who may or
cbaritnbly interested in any special
CAGE, We would urge this, not for the
glory OF our own society, but simply
from our dtsire for the permanent In
provement OF the poor, and the rec NC
ton Of taxation upon the people a"
Since Mr.. Massey Wy te the above ht
has learned that the Trustees OF TIT
Poor have decided TO adopt bis sugges
ton in reference to outdoor relief fur
nished by them. and that hereafter al
such cases will be reported TO the Asso
ciated Charities.