The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-26
Subscription by Mail-Post.paid.


Last year moro than $4,000 paupers wore
supported or relieved in this State NJ cost
to the public OF over s3,oloOoN. Tho major
fly OF these were foreign born, and tho prn-
cipal causes OF their paupcrIsiu wNro sick
ness, indigence and restitution, intempcr-
anco, lunacy, vagrancy, old age, idlcness,
and lamencss
This is large paupcr population, and yet
Il comprises only small part of tho people
Of the State who depended on charity dur
ing the year. either wholly or partially. The
three millions of tho public money expended
on them was equal TO only small fraction
OF the amount dispensed in private charity
by benevolent institutions, by churches, and
by individuals. There was also n large body
Of bcggars and tramps soliciting aims in
town and country. No matter how method
ical and extensive Tho charitable agencies
and establishments, both public and private,
these professional and -you-pleasc paul
pers are on hand in undiminishing numbers.
II they were not liable to arrest rs Migrants,
tho host would be vastly greater than it IS.
Tho applications to individuals for the re-
lief OF individual instances OF poverty arc
also as numerous rs ever, and tho need OF
tho assistance is as grea. as ever in spite of
the steady Increase in the amount expended
in charity by pubic and private aims
), houses. asylums. hospitals, anl homes.
!. Every church parish in II large community
T is now tho centre Of multifarious charitable
= activities. The list OF the benevolent socn-
: ties OF parishes like Grace. 81. George. st.
Bartholomew. and the Ascension would fill
~ good-sized volume. and yet they are only
. small part Of tho benevolent organizations
rand agencies conducted by the churches of
the town ut vast aggregate expense.
l. Every church attendant is besought from
the pulpit and tho altar to make piouS con-
Itributions for the relief of the poor and the
,esufYering. Yet tho demand is never satis-
fled. The State relieves 125 900 paupers, and
to Justify these constant opportunities
there must be many times more people who
are proper subjects for charity who are
unable to take care of themselves. and must
be looked after by those who can work and
earn their own living.
The town is searched through by volun-
teer and professional philanthropists, and
every nook and corner is peercd into to dis
cover victims Of poverty; but the inhab-
itants OF the poorer districts themselves are
not less called upon to assist really impov-
crished neighbors from their scanty store.
Spite OF all the institutional and system
affixed efforts for its alienation. the disease
is not mitigated, but tends rather to grow
more malignant.
Never before in all history was the altru-
istic feeling SO strong and so sensitive as
now. Charity is the animating spirit of
modern Christianity. not as mere sentiment
but as practical obligation. AS dogmatic
religion loses its hold, churches cultivate
charity in its place. Yet we see that after
piety has been stimulated to cxcrtions SC
unexampled, there remains an undiminished
host Of paupers for the State to care for.
Instead OF curing poverty we seem to be
breeding paupersm. The number OF the
really suffering and deserving poor is not
less, but the multitude who prefer begging
to working increases rapidly.