The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-08-30
VAGARIBs " CHARITY.
Poorp II Hewitt on the
EvilIo of Promiscuous
Giving to the Poor.
ASYLUM VILLAGE PLAN.
Cases of Beneyolence Imposed On
Comprehensive Scheme for
Dealing with Orphans.

'.There is too much charity distributed, p
said Overseer of the Poor Hewitt to me
yesterday.
"Why?" I exclaimed, In surprise.
CHARITY covers a multitude of sins.'
ut. Hewitt replied" and much Of it is
bestowed in an ostentatious manner.
which at once denotes that it is q contri-
button for advertisement aud not for adj
versity."
When questioned more closely, Mr..
Hewitt said that he did not mean that
there was too much charity, but that 1t
was not properly distributed. He believes
that If well meaning and charitably in
clined people would dispose Of their aims
through the different poormasters or in
some other well organized manner they
would do infinitely more good than they
do by being their W agents.
people who distribute aims among the
poor should be authorised agents and
possessed of O certain amount of legal
authority such as the poormasters h8ve.
In helping the needy there are naturally
many exceptional cases which ought 10
be treated separately, but upon the whole
charity should be administered through
one channel. You can readily under
stand why this should be the case when
you glance at a case | had but a short
time ago.
.'The woman said she was a widow and
had three children when she asked me
to assist her. Her story was true aud pas
thetic. l did for her all that could.
subsequently / learned that she had re-
ceived similar aid from nearly every
church congregation in he2 neigh oorhond
beside coal and flour from charitable in
dividuals. She received as much all as
six families should have. This was be-
cause the charity was not properly dis
tributed. 1t is a generous world aud
people want TO help their brethern, but
they do not do il In a proper manner"
H TRUE WAY.
"What remedy do you supgest?"
II hardly know. 1t is certain that Poor
masters ought to know more about the
distress OF people than other persons, and
either they or some such sort of an agent
should be the medium through which
charity flows"
VIVA do you think of the present sys-
tenn of Orphan Asylums and lsuch insti
t~u'lons?"
"While they do much good. 1 do not ap.
prove OF the SYSTEM" replied Mr.. Hewitt.
"Why?"
Because I believe the State should
take exclusive charge of these matters.
/ am a firm believer In State schools for
orphans. SUPPOSE the five thousand lit
tie ones in various institutions now should
be cared for i'll this way, see what the re-
suit would be.
ASYLUM VILLAGES.
"a we'll built school might Oe built re-
pie g with sanitary improvements
churches of all denominations, cottages
In number sufficient to create a village,
and homes. actual homes for the children
everywhere. Il is not home for a child
to be inned fast in a large asylum. ! be-
lieve that a village should be constructed
such as | mentioned. some mother with
one or more children should be placed in
charge of II cottage and half a dozen chill
dren. The woman would be glad to give
good care Co the children in payment for
the support her family received.
"a settlement such as this would en-
able a proper distribution of charity for
children If no OF her channels were toll
lowed. The same might be said of The
aged and helpless. I believe that the
State municipal governments should con-
troll all such work. Until it is done good
people will be imposed upon"