Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-13
HELPING OTHERS HELP THEMSELVES.
Mr.. Nathan strauss Interesting Paper in
the North American Review.

In tho North American Review. Mr..
Nathan Strauss paper on Helping
Others 70 Help Themselves" apart from
its interesting character. Is Of practical
value. The motives which induced him
~ carry out his work. his common-sense
method. he explains. Mr.. Straus insists
That what he has done for New York
is not 10 be regarded as charity. What
b. tried 30 do was 10 preserve alike the
Independence Of his customers and his
own freedom Of action. lie utterly dis
claims the idea that the many thousands
WHO bought their coal or groceries at "a
low prices were receiving a favor. lie
believes that 10 honest people, having any
proper sense Of pride. such an idea would
be iutolerable.
This is precisely the mental attitude
which think Is most desirable for them
70 maintain" writes Mr.. Straus. Those
who bought were his customers, neither
more nor less. Like any other buyers
Of goods. they had perfect right TO
complain, either as to the weight or
quality of the articles they purchaser.
But the measure was so ample and the
grade so high that there never was as
satisfaction.
No confession as to the condition of the
purchasers was wanted, any more than
was an inquiry made AS to their creed. Il
wished to make them feel that instead of
receiving favor they were really CON
fcrrng one" In all, the total amount
of money received from the sales of
fuel and food was sl07, 1876. The greatest
demand was for coal, the value of which
was s6ji S3. Next came sugar then bread.
and lastly tea. That II was wanted IN
small quantities il shown by the fact
that OF the tickets representing pur-
chasing power OF :. 10. Il. 20. and - cents
each. 2Oo.l0l scent tickets were disposed
Of
Mr. Straus tells Of the aid given him
10y Mr.. !. Pierpont Morgan. "A few brief
conferences with Mr.. Morgan were all
that was needed as a preliminary to equip
ard open a large central depot for coal
and groceries at So Grand street. | could
have had an the all | want for the
asking But It seemed to me that no
slight part of the value of my work con-
sists in the demo- stration that it affords
Of the superior effectiveness OF the indi-
vidual initiative and superintendent to
any other way Of administering benevo-
lCnce. | had no committee to consult be-
fore carrying ont a project. and no
delay was caused by waiting for their ap-
prevail I furnished the funds selected
my lieutenants and gave my Instructions
These were carried out promptly and In
q much shorter time than would have
been required to discuss It If the scheme
wac IN rerfoct WORKING order"
Mr.. Straus thinks that the best work
was the selling Of uurr and atcrilized milk
at absolute cost. Hv the use Of Pasteur-
lied milk he certainly saved last sum
mer the liv"s Of not less than 1000 chill
dren. lie writes that by the establishment
Of this milk depot at the foot of Third
strcot East river infant mortality was
checked in that immediate quarter of the
city 1t IS Mr.. Strauss intention to
establish three milk depots during the
coming summer As his experience Is
thorough. he writes; IL cannot imnress
too strongly the attention of the benevo.
lent 20 this subject, the establishment of
agencies throughout the city. where cows
milk In It's normal purity can be purchased
by the poor"
The lodging houses established by Mr.
Straus gave nights shelter and a break
fast for > cents 10 60.0Co men and women
and he writes that this was n project
which was subjected to the most dis
couragng predictions" The confidence
which he placed in the honor and law
abiding instincts of the dodgers was fully
justified There We're no detectives ne
cCssary. The dodgers during the winter
were workingmen "Out of a job or so re-
duced by hard times as to have no per-
manent home"
Concluding very simple and sensible
paper, Mr.. Straus says to those who have
means at their disposal. THAT there Is at
all times a field open for them to show
by their personal efforts and influence
that they had a genuine fellow-feeling for
the poor" The enterprises such as he
has successfully carried out he looks at
las profit sharing with the wage-earners."