The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-21
ORGANIZED CHARITY.

The rector ofst. Marks church preached
sensible sermon yesterday concerning
the public policy OF substituting organized
charity for indiscriminate, impulsive, IN
wise and ineffective benevoIence.
OF course the organized charity that is
worth anything 10 society does not expect
20 reform the naturally th-iftless and
thiftless, who DON; care whether school
keeps or not, for constitutionally tired folk
cannot be helped but are generally hurt by
organized charities OF any sort, since in
stead of becoming independent and aspir-
ing through help they only become more
indolent, apathetic aud dependent. Show
a man where he can earn 4 dollar bv
honest work and you have done him a
service, If he have the spirit Of a man
left in him, bat build a soup kitchen
for him, grub stake" him periodically,
lend MIN money, teach him that in the
darkest night there is always light in the
window, ire on the hearth and food for
the asking, and you have an incurable
mendicAnt on your hands for the rest of
his days. The knowledge OF the existence
o. al ine5riaie asylum does not stimulate
the victim of alcoholism TO stop drinking
10 excess. 4 free hospital is a good thing.
but il doubtless does not restrain an anu
mai man from excess 10 know that 4 he
makes himself sick through indulgence he
IL sure Of good care at the public cost; il
does not discourage professional begging
30 know that If hanIshed from the streets
there are aimshouse. on golden hinges
turning.
The French system Of inspection Of
brothels only makes the bold and reckless
rakes still bolder because Of the increased
insurance against con,agion. Ii is prob
ably true that the efforts OF humanity to
interfere with the memorable consequences
OF sin, 70 help the survival OF those who
are clearly 1t to die because unfit 10 live
has the effect Of increasing rather than
abating great social evils. Eminent Ger
man philosophers hold that we do harm
instead Of good in keeping in existence
poverty, disease and crime which is the
result Of the memorable law OF hereGitv.
and which il would be for the general ben
Mt 10 let die out: that the law
Ck tAS survival OF the Ltgest -
s fact, and that its work ought not 70
be interfered with. The Enpe-o-
Augustus Cesar, according % Suetonius.
held that the practice Of allowing the peo-
PIE corn at the public expense was vicious
because they trust 50 much 20 il that
they are too lazy 70 till their lands" The
great Roman emperor held that the aver
age man will not work more than he IS
obliged to: that he is and always has been
prompt 10 drop honorable work when Of
Tered soup ticket, a pension. a sinecu-e
OF any sort. The man who would rather
borrow s. than earn s. is IS old IS the
Garden of Eden, and his hneal descend.
ants are the peculiar people of no cline
or time. nemasogues know this and s-e
always promising every malcontent
and discomfort = future when every i'm
pecunious idler will have the ease with
dignity; the sensual joy that IS promised
the faithful follower Of Islam by the
Koran when IL pictures heaven as q land
OF sunlight mellowed by shade: land Of
sparkling rivers GRIT by palm trees, under
which the good Mohammedan finds beau
tiful women ready 10 welcome MIN 20
immortal elissi where the sunburned