The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-07-21
CONSOLIDATED CHARITY.
How to Systematize Benevolence and Dis
courage Pauperism.

How to Systematize Benevolence and Dis
courage Pauperism.
Legal provisions for devolving the
charge of dependent persons upon the
town or community where they had res
idence was one of the early features of
the English poor laws. Thence it was
Incorporated into the statutes of nearly
all our own States. Practically this
law of settlement, as it is called, is not
enforced in the large cities of Great
Britain and America. 1t is vigorously
in operation in Germany, and wherever
n German mendicant obtains asylum in
the Empire the community where he
last had legal residence becomes re.
sponsihle for the charges of his support,
Under the energetic operation of such
law vagrancy becomes IL difficult and
hazardous vocation. Moreover, the
destitute are compelled to seek aid
where they are well known, and where
they have ties of kindred or of service.
and, therefore, where it is hardest fol
them to practice deception. The prin.
ciple also calls into activity the sentr
ments of personal duty growing out OF
kinship and neighborhood, sentiments
which DR.. Chalmers declared to lie sufli.
Gent to meet every demand of want III
the community, where they were left
without interference from public char.
ity.
In the absence of any real enforce
ment of the law, in our cities, where the
need for it is greatest it is highly salts.
factory to see associations springing up
spontaneously to perform this function
There are over fifty charity organization
societies now in America. extending
from Portland, Me-, to Denver, and
from Montreal to New Orleans They
cover all the densest centers of popula-
ton in the country, and are avowedly
IN correspondence with each other
They accept each others commissions
of investigation, and take charge OF
eases referred from one to the other.
Nor is this relationship confined to
America, but the British organizations
cheerfully cooperate in the same
scheme. 1t is now possible to enter the
office of any one of the associations and
set on foot inquiries concerning
mendicant which may be pursued in
Chicago, Cincinnati, Glasgow, Birming-
ham, London, or even in Melbourne
and Sydney.
BY the community this wide recipro
city of services is hardly understood,
but in practical work the societies them.
selves are constantly aiding each other
as occasion arises. As each one has
record of nearly all the mendicants in
the city where it is located, with district
agents familiar with every precinct,
great part of these exchanged services
are accomplished with rapidity and
economy. The apparatus is capable OF
doing without additional expense many
times as much duty as has yet been re.
quired of it. 1t presents the means OF
quickly arresting the receptions of pro-
fessed strangers, although thus far it has
more often been the means of restoring
stranded men and women to their old
homes and friends. The advantages OF
this comparatively recent convenience
are too obvious to need rehearsal. Itis
new feature of voluntary benevolent
organization, and assimilates the adj.
ministrat;on Of charity to the great bust
ness exchanges which the mail, the tele-
graph and the telephone have consoli- |
9ated.-Byadstrss&s