St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-16
GIVING OF PRESENTS.
The Custom Yearly Grows---The
Rich and the Poor COntraSted.

Rich and the Poor Contrasted.
Whatever may be the reason or rea-
sons which induce people to make pres
ents to one another during the holidays,
yet the custom certainly has a foothold
gmong all classes of people. except per-
haps those who can't afford such lux
ury. From year TO year there is anever
increasing class who are unable to pro-
vide anything for themselves except the
bare necessities of life. They neither
give nor receive presents. They some
times even fail to be in that happy and
comfortable frame of mind which is at
tanned by the average Christian during
the season of good cheer. The Christ
ians, who have plenty of this worlds
goods and want for nothing material,
feel, as a consequence, their spiritual
natures stirring and melting them to
put needy people in such position that
they too can praise the Lord with an un-
troubled conscience. Unusual activity
characteriZes the meetings of church
societies at this season of the year.
They hold solemn conclayes and decide
to have Christmas trees, dinners. sew
ing parties and all sorts of devices which
will aid and assist the poor whom we
have always with u.s." Of course the
woman who has the most ample pocket
book finds greatest favor in these meet
ings. Nobody asks where or how her
husband or father got the money which
fills her pocketDook: the fact that she
has plenty of cash suffices. There is
no doubt but that these charitable
schemes accomplish much good and re-
lieye many who would otherwise be
needy and it's not their fault that the
poor are sometimes Stiff-necked and
impertinent. One lady whose husband
deals in wheat options, returned in
tears the other day from round among
the poor. She said: my husband gave
me $500 to spend for the poor and was
going about so as to make out list Of
the most deserving. Now I'm totally.
discouraged"
'Why?" questioned sympathetic,
friend. =
because the poor people don't seem,
a bit thankful this year. Several said
nv husband was no better than gam
bier, and some of them, poor women,
said they didn't see how l could take
money made by dealing in wheat, and
some said they had rather be poor than!
dishonest, and talked about their rights,
which the spectators had taken away,
and, oh lot of things which l never
heard about BEFORE" and the poor little
lady collapsed in utter encouragement,
Since that time several other ladies
have heard similar complaints. Now
the ministers at whose churches our
best people attend, do not say anything
about the sin of speculation and the,
rights of the laboring classes, and if
there were anything wrong of course
the ministers would know and suggest
a fitting remedy. Our charitable and
Christian people certainly ought not let
themselves be worried by this nonsense
talked by the poor people. 1t is sug-
gested that an appropriate text accom-
pany each gift to the poor this season.
Doubtless a careful study of these texts
will reduce the poor to their aceus-
toned state of submission and graft
tude. A little more perseverance and a
plentiful distribution of old and cast of
garments will doubtless accomplish
their usual effect.