The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-02
A GOOD BEGINNING.

The charitable meeting on Thanks
giving night in the Assembly Hall was
a notable occasion 1t afforded a, strik-
ing exhibition of the changed condi-
tons IN Utah affairs which, nearly
everybody now comedies with pleasure.
When Jew and Gentle, Catholic and
Protestant. Mormon and Unitarian,
can occupy the same platform and
unite in behalf of all creeds and par
ties, and OF no creed or party, it is an
excellent sign and a herald of coming
millennial peace.
The sum subscribed was very salts
factory. considering the times and the
circumstances. The prostration in bust
ness has been general. and its effects
are felt universally. There were large
number of pablic attractions to draw
away audiences. The filing of the AS
sembly Hall. therefore, and the sub
scription of two thousand five hundred
dollars for the poor of the city were
remarkable.
OF course that amount is but a drop
in the big bucket of contributions for
the INDECENT. There are other means
and agencies at work, notably those re-
ferred to by Bishop Whitney, and for
present pressing necessities these might
appear to be ample But we have the
winter before us with a new class of
claimants on the bounty of the benevo-
lent. We refer to people who. hereto
fore, have not only been self-support-
ing. but able TO contribute something
to help others. and who now, from
lack OF employment. are themselves
dependent upon the charity of the
well-to-do.
Therefore, continuous efforts will be
found necessary, and the aid offered
on Thursday evening, will be found
only beginning to what is needed.
The Bishop of the Fifteenth Ward
with aids went round the ward with
teams and gathered up flour, meat,
groceries, money, etc, and succeeded
in obtaining a considerable store. That
example ought to be followed in other
places, and that effort viii have to be
repeated, in order to provide the neces-
sary means for the many that are, and
will be in need
The organization of a general COM
mittee to act for the various churches
and to whom the poor can be sent for
supplies, seems to be the best method
of managing the great work of relief
so as to secure the best results. There
are two principle things to be kept in
view: First, to find and reasonably
assist the worthy poor. Second. to
guard against the rapacity and cum
ming OF the unworthy poor In MANY
instances the first class will have to be
sought out, Tor they will be reticent as
to their condition, and some of them
will suffer great deal before they
will apply for assistance. But the
second class have no limit to their
greed and no let-up to their impor-
tunities.
Ladies who have time to devote to
the goou work should be available for
the discovery of worthy objects. And
there should be a strict account kept
of all that is done for their relief. Only
in very pressing cases shonld any aims
be given by individuals. The better
way is to place in the hands Of a com
petent and reliable committee what can
be contributed, and let all relief eman-
ate from that source. This win effect
the double object in view-the neces-
sary aiding of the unfortunate. and
the prevention Of imposture and need
less mendicancy.
What has been done is a good be
ginning. We must build On that fonn-