The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-06
Tho Giving OF Charity.

Several benevolent societies are seeking
to help men and women thrown out OF reg
ulnr employment In the tailoring trade. by
establishing workshops for their artificial
employment on garments to be given away.
Various other experiments OF furnishing
work for those left without work by the
ordinary operation Of tho law vt demand
and supply. are now making or are about
TO be made
The theory on which all such enterprises
proceed is admirable. 1t is thnt the giving
Of work to the needy ls better than the CIV
ing OF aims. 1t is that pure charity tends
to weaken the selfrespect and the habit OF
self-depcndence " the recipient, II not to
destroy them altogether. But how does
this theoretical philanthropy operate?
In New York the great majority of people
who must lalpr for their living are still
employed at sufficient wages. or in business
which yields them profit enough to get
along even in these hard times. The de-
mnnds OF consumption have decreased.
but they are still enormous. Trado
Is dun only comparatively. 1t still
continues active in order to supply tho
current demand, reduced though this be.
Everybody whose labor Is needed Is cn-
pluyed. and thousands of considerate en-
ployers are keeping men Mt work. though
they might dispense with them in this
particular emergency; and usually they
are not reducing wages unless under
absolute compulsion. Those who are
unemployed. therefore. arc tho people for
whose labor there Is no demand; and no do
mand for 1t can be created at the moment.
They cannot be set to work in any depart
ment of supply until business activity in
creases. without taking the places OF those
already employed and sending them adrift
Hence. II charity establishes workshops
for turning out clothing or any other arti-
Giles OF manufacture. it completes dis
astrously with those who are still at work
in supplying the normal demand for the
products. OF course. business which must
be done for profit or discontinued. has no
chance against a charitable enterprise con-
Quoted with no reference to gain. 1t can
not stand such a competition.
We observe that the officers OF one OF the
societies with tailoring workshop bnse
their appeal for larger contributions on tho
ground that 1.-THE stock OF clothing has
now run so low that to supply the need
they are forced to buy 1t ready made" and
that hence Is defeated their philanthropic
purpose Of " giving work in all cases instead
OF charity direct" But in buying the
garments ready made. are they not giving
employment to tailors. and thus helping to
decrease the number OF those in need Of
charity? They are assisting to increase
the natural demand. and only by such an
increase can the succor for the unemployed
come. except in the way OF charity
expended upon them as temporary
relief. Thus, even charity may con-
tribute to the end so much desired. II 1t
buys the clothes 1t gives away. so much the
better for trade. II 1t makes them itself.
is 1t not robbing PETER to pay PAuL2
1t Is questionable whether. all things con-
sidered. there Is any better way of giving
needed charity than to give it outright.
The occasion for 1t which exists this
winter is especially deplorable be-
cause 80 many OF those TO whom it
must DO extended are proud and self
respecting people; but to dispense 1t so that
It's stream runs against the natural current
Of trade is more dangerous than are tho
moral consequences OF the acceptance OF
aims as temporary necessity.