Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-04-08
W0MRNS DEPARTMENT
nDrvsD ~ BELLE xzADE SMITH.
rAe Associated Charities.

It is to be hoped that the mass
meeting to be held at the First Pres
byterian Church, on Tuesday evening
next, will enlighten the people Of Los
Angeles on the subject of the associ-
aSed charities; for hitherto it's work,
object and development have been as
unintelligible to the majority Of the
community as Chinese characters. Of
the extent of the organization in the
west | am not informed. but l know
that in New York, Boston and Phila-
delphia, it is regarded as almost
as important as the Mayor, the
sheriff, or the police. In those
cities the Associated Charities have
extensive headquarters and paid su-
perintendents, while the work is clas-
sified with the wards and is subse-
quently placed in the hands of volun-
teer laborers. In sections where the
field is ripe and the cleaners are
many, the number of families con-
signed to one person is limited, which
greatly facilitates the work. A COM
petent visitor is thus enabled not only
to understand but to meet the de-
mands Of each particular case !;
whereas, when he or she is over
whelmed with the care of multitude
nous applicants for bounty, the
way in which their wants are
met must of necessity be general.
In larg. and settled communities
it is comparatively easy to deal with
every phase of poverty and humanity I:
but in Los Angeles, of all places in the
world, the question of giving and help
ing is q serious problem. To begin
with, Los Angeles is essentially cos
mopolitan, in consequence of which
the burdens of many are cast upon a
few. 1t is also the promised land to
which the sick and infirm, the indi-
gent and the incompetent of all
creeds, ages and nations turn their
wistful eyes, but which, when pressed
beyond the limit of its capacities, can
not pour out to all its reputed
wealth of "corn and wine." 1t is
universally believed that California is
ordinately aggrandized, by the tour
lists and the strangers who seek its
sunny skies; and in many instances
the supposition is correct. Yet there
is no doubt but that the poor take
quite as much as the rich from afar
leave. Men who are too frail to work
women who do not know how to work
but who have rose-colored fancy that
they viii be gladly received as COM
panions or governesses; superannu-
ated professionals, would-be mechan-
les, and lame, halt and blind, con-
sumptive and rheumatic patients,
who are no more able to take care OF
themselves than baby in long
clohes is to deliver Latin
Grafton, daily pour into the
City of the Angels. The climate
will not feed them; indeed, circum-
stanced as they are, it will not even
physically improve them, and the
Government has no notion of estab-
fishing a free colony. What, then, is
to be done to keep them from perish.
ing in the midst Of the warmth, the
beauty and the abundance of South.
orn California? 1t is to answer this
question that the different benevolent
societies of this city have incorporated
themselves in an organization called
the Associated Charities. At the
present time there are in active
operation in Los Angeles the
Ladies' Benevolent Society the British
and German benevolent societies, the
Hebrew Benevolent Society and a
number of small and more or less
private enterprises. It is supposed to
be the work of each one of these or
ders to look after and provide for its
own poor and sick, but it has so often
happened that an individual has been
aided by two or three and sometimes
all of the societies; that to avoid i'm
position and exterminate all kinds
Of pauperism it has been found neces-
sary to effect some arrangement by
which a fair and systematic plan
of distribution could be carried out.
If a German appeals to the Ladies'
Benevolent Society, he is Immediately
referred to the President OF the Ger
man society, who investigates his
claim and does whatever seems to- be
wise and necessary to relieve him. If
an Englishman goes to the German
society for help, he is sent to the
British society; but if any case proves
too troublesome for any one of the
societies to carry alone, then an appli-
cation ia made by the same, to the
sister organizations. which readily
extend helping hand. To
give individual aims, under any cir
cunstances, is to 60 in direct opposition
to the plans of the association, who,
TO benefit the public as well as the
needy, are anxious to have all cases
of want and helplessness placed in
their hands. Such o system of relief
is of the greatest advantage to the re-
ligious as we'll as the business portion
Of the community, as it saves the
churches from the embarrassing ne
ccssity OF refusing or giving to un-
worthy objects. The distribution of
aims is the most delicate and unsatis-
factory part OF the work of church
with anything of missionary charac-
ter. 1t creates jealousy and anger and
destroys the effect Of the utmost
spirituality. So that the minister or
the layman who can say with look
of sympathy to whomsoever seeks
mis- aid, ri belong to a society that
will not permit me personally to do
anything for you, but will send you
to Mrs. -, who will help you with
out delay" can regard himself as ex.
tremely fortunate. If the applicant
is what he or she purports to be, Mrs.
will be sought as directed; but
It, on the other hand, he or she is an
impostor, it is very likely that no
moro will be heard of the case,
for professional beggars are as
much in awe of societies as they
are afraid Of hospitals An old
negress, who had exhausted the ben
evidence Of all the societies to whom
che had had access, and who at last
unblushingly cast herself into the
arms OF o little mission with which l
was associated, said, when suggest
al fhnt che ahnr,1d on IN tho boor;tal