Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-25
True Charity.

The following communication is from
practical philanthropist, who is Gu
tiled to be heard on the subject:
To the Editor Of the Dispatch:
The city OF Richmond, perhaps, has
as many benevolent and charitably-dis-
posed people as any city OF its popnla-
ton in our country. but very few, COM
paratively. have investigated the prin-
ciples that underlie the bestowal Of
charity or made effort to formulate a line
of policy that would contribute the most
good with the least harm. 1t is known
that we have large and increasing pau
per element in our population, and it is
indisputably true that the rapidly
creasmg number is mainly due to i'm
proper and iniudicious almsgiying.
Paupers are made in almost every case
by indiscriminate charity; by aid
given without investigation, with
out knowledge, without common sense.
True charity endeayors to help the pau
per class TO self-support and with timely
relief prevent many from becoming pau
pers. There is no nobler work on earth
than the effort TO relieve the suffering.
help the needy and deserving poor, and
at the came time raise them TO DO self
supporting, respectable, and worthy
citizens, instead OF, as is now usually the
case, doing out relief that scarcely re-
lieves for the hour and must certainly
increase want by degrading the recipient
and confirming pauperism, instead OF
encouraging self-reliance, self-respect,
and self-Support.
Again True charity distinguishes
between the poor and the pau
per. 1t is not dishonorable to
be poor. II is considered dishon-
orable to be a pauper We are all
OF us poor. Everybody must receive from
everybody else. Poverty can never be
prevented, but poverty can be relieved,
pauperism can be prevented, pauperism
can be stamped out as we would stamp
out fire or the smallpox but it is q
great mistake to suppose that pauperism
can be stamped out by the same means
employed for relieving poverty. 1t is
true both can DO done by one person or
one society, as toe same man may lay
the ewer-pipes and the waterpipes of a
house but the two lines must be- kept
absolutely separate, so that the one can
not interfere with or degrade the other.
In the experience Of the writer, in the
great majority of cases OF distress the
real need is not one which can be re-
lieyed by money alone. The man, or the
woman, or the family are poor because
they need strength, or need tact, or need
training, or need companionship. None
OF these can be supplied by money.
They can be supplied to considerable
extent by human sympathy and friend
illness.
Now, would it not be wise, good
thing to organize an association that
would bring in contact the comfortable
with the wretched and the strong with
the depressed, to establish system of
visitation and investigation all over the
city with view to discover real neces-
sity. and to send TO persons having le-
climate interest in such cases full re-
ports of such investigations, and to stop
street and door-to-door begging TO
prosecute impostors, TO teach the poor
the laws of health and economy, to show
them where there are facilities for the
imrroyemento of themselves anu children
in Short, TO relieve the poor and reduce
pauperism.
This is no new scheme lin truth
very many Of the thoughts of this COM
munication ere those OF others. The
idea started in Elberon, Germany, forty
years ago. London improved on it.
Many cities of our country North and
West have organizations that could al
most be adopted as whole SO nearly do
they meet the requirements of Rich
mond. Is.