The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-11-30
sEArrLx. rHURsDAr. sor 80.


This Is Thanksgiving day. In ordinary
wear its lesson is comprehensive charity
and philanthropy. This year IL II les
son Of specific bcnevolence. for. while
every year the poor are with Us. this year
re have. owing 70 the financial panic and
tho consequent hard times and prosira-
f;on of industries, numbers OF respecta-
bic. hard-working men, who are not pro-
fessionai panpers. but who present that
pathetic sight. an honest, manly man
willing to work, seeking any kind OF
work and finding none. This class Il
large today in Seattle and Is increasing.
and will be sure 10 increase throughout
the winter, for with the incubus OF the
projected new tariff bill and its debate
there wilt be IN increased number OF
closed industrial establishments; lower
wages and an increased number Of honest,
involuntary idIers.
Some organized effort on large scale
must be made to help the local Bureau OF
Charities extend its useful work to secure
employment or support for honest distress.
The Salvation Army plan 70 feed and
lodge the destitute deserves genuine sup
port. The accommodations offered By
the Salvation Army are such as no manly
man in honest need will disdain. Persons
who are full OF false pride deserve no SYM
pashy and will receive none. The Saliva
ton Army plan IL one of the best practical
schemes yet presented. Decent families
In distress can be relieved by visiting COM
mittees who, by neighborhood inquiry,
can ascertain whether the benefciaries are
worthy folk or frauds. No man or woman
ran long impose on his neighborhood, and
visiting committees can soon sift ont the
decent cases OF distress from the profess
sionai mcndicants.
Subscription papers should be circulated
among our business men by basiness men
who have made examination and know
the needs of the respectable families in
DISTRESS. Every effort should be made to
furnish employment to honest men will
ing to work ut anything they can get. The
local Board Of Associated Charities. the
Salvation Army. the police and the citi-
xens' committee should all work together
ing labor with lists Of unemployed men
seeking work. and the police should
promptly arrest IS vagrant any man
ioalng in public place who refuses work
when offered.
Soup houses and the free provision Of
feed for every conner under the influence
OF charitable Impulse generally works
mischief by bringing TO tho communities
where the experiment Ii made more per-
msrsntsevii than the immediate good they
accomplished. for they breed the vice of
rauperlsin even more than tn v nonrish
attract bummers and loafers and malign-
ers. who crowd out she really and hon.
estly destitute poor and eat up the charity
provided for respectable and genuine dis
tress
let the managers of the Salvation Army
scheme beware Of impostors, professional
mendieants. bummers and voluntary
idlers. Let their executive committee of
inspection be composed Of men of pr.cti-
cal sense and worldly observation as we'll
rs philanthropic enthusiasm, The ante
ceaents OF all applicants tor relief can be
easily aseestained by inquiry and con-
frmed by observation.
A national conference has been called 10
meet in London TO devise means for the
relief Of the unemployed. The situation
has cone "a he such that the public must
sappoFt either wholly or partially some
thousands of families through the coming
winter who are not paupers or dependents
but usually seli-sapporiing. The men and
wemea ~ the heads Of these families
would be glad 10 word II there was work
fer them To DO, In London the movemen.
in favor of setting these idle ones to work
nj the public expense on public improve
meats has been steadily gaining ground.
ApPesls have been made TO parliament.
TIE London county council has asked
every county aud municipal council In
England 10 send delegates TO = conference
% be held at London TO consider how
ell paris OF the Kingdom can CO
operate to this end The local gov
eminent hoard approves of this confer
ence and viii cooperate With Il. The OBJ
iset Of the conference wa. to provide thai
works he started simultaneously In differ
ent parts Of the kingdom. sufficient in sx
tent TO relieve tho local distress. II on,
distFict started such works alone IL would
draw the unemployed from al over IN.
Kingdom. which would produce q leca
congestion that would brexk down any
scheme OF relief. Each district 10 ex
rscted TO determine what necessary or ie
sirahls work ii has 20 be done and ,Ass
Get about IL
The usonsy 20 PAY fer these works eoalt
be raised in part by taxation and In par
by contribution from the eharitAhly In
elined. la some localities the sntre sx
rense of such works weald be contributed
to Was expected, by private charity. /
has also been suggested that the funds o
benevolent societies coasi he drawn on 70
this purpose. The Leoadaa council 10 dis
easslng the improvement Of long stretches
GA the banks Of the Thames. ard oil
rrosshly undertake this work al once
whether anything comes Of the eonsersnc.
o. not
% course eur condition has not reaches