The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-01-27
BOOTH.

called forth storm OF Opp0Sltlol
as well as a chorus of approval, th'
latter backed by gifts or promises
of money assistance to the extern
already of some e5O,OOO. But now
comes Professor Huxley in two
more formidable letters to the
"Times " subsequent to that which
we noticed on the 10Th, disclosing
by the aid of publications put
forth by ex-oficers of the Salvation
Army and others who, having nc
direct interest in the attack or de-
tense of the scheme, except desire
of getting at the truth, but all alike
damaging to the manner in which
the financial affairs of the army
have been hitherto administered,
and revealing the necessity of
great caution, at least, being exer-
cised by intending subscribers to
the fund which Booth calls for, to
be administered by himself, with
out, as it appears to these writer's,
any sort of adequate supervision
or check upon himself or his nom
inees and associates in the spending
department.
We now propose to take under
consideration some facts and figures
brought forward by Mr.. Loch, the
Secretary to the "Charity Organ
ization Society" First he shows
that General" Booth includes
amongst the destitute or the poor
est " class IN London 100000 per-
sons whom Mr.. Charles Booth. in
his book from which the General
quotes, describes as neither i'll
nourished nor ill-clad according to
any reasonable standard. Again,
the General " includes amongst
" starving and homeless in
London $4,000 casual labor
ers. Yet, says Mr.. Loch, if
the million sterling he asks for
as earnest money! be subscribed
how small a number of these could
he actually employ on even the
cheapest terms" Then, neither in
regard to his city colony or work
shops, his shelters nor his social
work generally does Booth supply
data. The reader of In Darkest
England " cannot learn how many
have passed through these shelters,
etc., how long they have stayed,
how often they have returned, how
many have been really assisted.
" The evidence so far as it is evil
dence, seldom amounts to proof,
the statements have therefore, in
the main to be taken for granted,
and sometimes are in conflict with
his own authorities"
Mr.. Loeb quotes the history of
similar attempts undertaken by the
Governments of Holland, France
and Germany leading in every in
stance to comparative, if not COM
plete failure.
One point, however, Mr.. Loeb
Seizes upon as a lesson to.all chari-
table persons and institutions, that |
is the necessity of concentration
and cooperation. "There is in
London" he says, "a host of work
ers already engaged on the prob
lem, host much larger than all
the officers of the Salvation Army
here. They have, very many of
them, special local knowledge, and
they represent great variety of
forces and influences. Connected |
with many churches and chapels
to many charitable insti-
5ptions, there are clergy and min
sters, visitors and almoners drawn
rom many classes of society"
x "Yet concentration and
organization are lacking. The
rue remedy lies there. Nothing
)ut concentration of trained force
equivalent to the evils to be re-
moved, can work a lasting reform"
To effect this has been the long
ndeavors of the Charity Organiza-
on Society"