Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-12-24

was asked the other day If there was
much suffering among the poor OF oul
capital The question reminded me Of
what had heard New York lady say re
Gently: Il have been particularly struck
by one thing" she remarked, ''during my
six months solourn in your great city
do not see even on the street those rag
ged, hollow-cheeked figures that attract
so many pitving chances in London, Parls'
Rome and the large American centers. sc
/ conclude that there is but little poverty
here" | fastened to inform my good
frierd that she was mistaken. Since Der
lin has become grand metropolis and
new trades and industries have grown up
until they are the most hourishing in Ger
many, its in.ligency has increased at the
same rate as It's wealth. And what this
wealth is becoming may be judged by the
fact that there 1913 families in Berlin with
the annual income OF from $4,000 to
Sl35, OOO-large sums in Europe. how
ever small they may seem in America.
Thousands OF families and single indi-
viduals come to Berlin annually from the
country, hoping to find here better wages
and higher work but unless favored by
circumstances. the greater part OF these
deuded people fail to get on. and thus in
crease every year the quantum OF our
pauperism. That stranger living in a
hotel on the west side Of the city does not
meet with beggars and mysery is very
natural, for that is the aristocratic quarter.
Then. again, our police regulations are
very strict. Mendcity is prohibited, and
any body found asking aims is promptly
arrested. If the unfortunate wretch can
give neither an address of his own nor
that of an employer, he is promptly
committed to the workhouse as tramp.
You are not apt to be troubled by beggars
at your front door bell, for the fiat"
system prevails in Berlin, and the porter
at the main entrance is as watchtul as
Cerberus; yet, should cunning mumper
succeed in gaining the staircase, he would
find himself confronted at every door with
notice reading as follows. Member of
the Society for the Suppression Of Mendi.
city" This means that the family within
does not intend 10 give aims without first
consulting the society and finding out
whether this be Il worthy case. This
admirable organization, supported by the
wealtber portion of the inhabitants OF
Berlin, is. of course, unable to help all
the needy who apply, but it does con-
siderable good, and at least protects its
own members against impostors OF both
sexes. The society has offices scattered
about the city, and requests for help are
carefully examined into before being
granted. Similar societies exist in almost
all the large German cities.
How. then. does the voice of the poor
reach the ear of the rich By means of a
written appeal, which Is an advantage to
both parties, for the mendicant can fur.
nish complete and truthful account of
his wants, while the aims giver can satisfy
himself that his money is not being wasted
on drunkards and vagabonds. have re-
ceived during the past week $50 appeals
OF this kind. What accounts of suffering
and wretchedness they give! SINE OF
these descriptions are doubtless exagger-
ated. Many. | can see by the writing. are
the work of the same handsome SERVE.
ner who ekes out his existence by inditing
begging letters for others. However
most of these sad stories are found to be
only too true on investigation, and you
sometimes meet with cases where the
misery is so great that the pen cannot do
| them Justice; aud all this in spite OF our
admirable city poor houses, our hundreds
of private charitable institutions and very
generous individual ms-giving.
make it a rule never to give without
at first iuquiring into the case and as
was beginning my regular round of in
spectiop the other day, | invited the New
York lady already mentioned to 90 with
me. Now, nothing is more difficult in a
10. tlnx1 E.,I IL
poor and WHO are not. Many family
supposed to be wealthy is living under the
shadow of the poor house, but | have to
do now only with those who are DEEPEN
dent upon charity for their existence.
Official statistics show that 1876. 697 inhabi-
tants of Berlin. whose population is now
about a million and a half, were relieved
from taxation in 1885, because their
annual earnings did not reach S105,
while 14S,l 1928 persons earned
Sl05, which gave them about 80 cents a
day for all their expenses. Besides this
mass OF starving people who live from
hand to mouth and are never able to Law
aside penny for rainy day, As ,5Sl still
more unfortunate beings received aid
from the poor fund some for season only
and others throughout the whole year.
| Again. II 1874 families were exempted
from the payment of their house rent be-
cause of poverty, while $3.50 more tamil
les who tried to meet the demand of their
| landlord failed to do so
might go on and lift still more the
veil that partly conceals this abiect desti-
tuition. might show you the crowded
tenement houses. the wretched lodging
rookeries for men and women. where all
the demands of modesty are forgotten, and
the low cellars, those haunts OF disease
and epidemic, where parents and children
sleep on damp straw and breathe mephitic
air; but why dwell longer on such human
suffering? Ii would be more profitable
and pleasant to recount how the State the
city and the private citizen labor together
to alleviate this Indebtedness. how every
night homes for the friendless shelter those
who have no bed nor roof, and how every
! thing possible is done to lift up the strug-
Cling beggar and make him an indepen-
dent man again. But what we try to do
in Berlin in this direction is doubtless
much the same as that done in the other
large cities of the world. | have shown
that the New York lady was wrong, that
the German. like other capitals, is cursed
with poverty, and that is more than
enough to have to tell in one letter.
LIMA MoRGENsTERN, IN N. Y. Star.
Gypsies as Musicians.
\ L L