The Labor enquirer., 1886-05-15
WORTHY AND UNWORTHY.
The Societies Which Decide Who Is En-
titled to Assistance and Who
Is Not.

L vi LA0 AHA@oAACA'
Since evolution has become popu lar
certain superficial philanthropists have
adopted its formula, perhaps uncon-
sciously. They apply it to the species
known as "the poor" Eminent sociolo-
gists have begun to apply the law of evo.
luton to industry and social forms, as
we'll as to the physical structure of living
beings. But these phiIanthropists
(chiehy officers of relief and aid socie-
ties) have o ened new field for inves-
tigation. This 1 can prove by going
back in history to a point previous to
the differentiation claimed by these
sages. Christ said: "The poor We have
always with you" Now our charity
evolutionist would say: The worthy
and unworthy poor We have always with
you.
The only specialization of function
which accompanies this differentiation,
appears to be that the worthy poor are
to be helped the unworthy poor are TO
shift for themselves.
But how can we distinguish the one
species from the other? No one is 30
expert at this delicate task as an officer
of the societies mentioned above. He
moves about among the poor (when he
is 80 disposed) and vi errngly points out
the elect, and furnishes loaf of bread
per week, and one-fourth ton of coal per
month, (while he thinks of it).
From his reports, and from general
observation, l have gathered the points
which distinguish these two species of
animal creation. A specimen of the
worthy" type must be humble and have
small mental capacity. If he be smart
enough to initiate the methods Of sue
cessful men, he is at once developed into
the unworthy" stage.
Sometimes worthy specimens are
found in gr1ups, con insisting of two
parent poor, and any umber of young
Door. The room containing the group
must be bare or nearly so. If chair or
table is seen, it must be broken. No
picture or other ornament must be vlsi-
BILE, for they have been hvpothecated at
5 per cent of their value to some actual
member of society who will again sell
them for 900 per cent profit.
Remember this infallible rule If any
ornament is seen, avoid that dishonest
group until they sell it and become
worthy" The male parent of worthy
group will have rheumatism or chronic
sore foot. The fem ale will exhibit g
cancer or rash on her face, and carry a
very thin infant. If any coal is discov-
cred in the box, it must be accounted
for satisfactorily.
The female parent will take IN E
washing every day and attend to three
of the youn gest baby poor. The male
parent is anxious to work for 80 cents
per day. bnt has not been able to work
for five months. Mark this rule also
No worthy poor male adult is ever able
ITO work.
The unworthy species exceeds tn,
other vastly in mum" ers and heteroge
neitv. 1t includes all the able bodied
poor above say twelve years of age who
do not w1rk ten hours per day. If they
are idle they are not on the road tina
leads to aff1uence which is open to all
Their labor is a commodity. If they
will not exchange it for food why SHOULD
we help them?
1t includes the Italian with no trad
or resources, who wears a sign Whicl
reads blind" on one side and "par
alyzed" on the other, enacting each roll
as occasion requires also the tramp VIII
has razor or ring to sell also tn
man who formed habit for drink whe
daily exhausted BY long hours Of work
but who cannot now get work or drink
also the woman who would do anythin
but ask for charity. If anyone s?eak
harshly of the existing order, he is
Communist, and if poor, is unworthy
All these and many more are discrin
mated against BY aid societies. There
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