The record-union., 1894-04-28
FIFTEEN MILLIONS.
How the Poor of New York Are Sup
ported.
Private Charity Dispensed by the
Wealthy Families - suggestions
on Labor and Capital.
Regular Correspondence REcoRp-UN1oN.l

New YORK, April IA week ago [
was called upon TO make an estimate of
the amount that has been expended dur
ing the year ended February 2Sth by this
city in support of the poor. Fifteen mill
possible estimate, and the heads of six
teen charity organizations, from whom L
obtained facts and help, though surprised
at the total, declared that any error was
on the side of caution. The data ex-
hibited as the basis of the computation,
they said, would justify higher amount.
But the sum is startling enough as it is,
and when it is considered that S5.000,0O0
is the amount called out by the extra
ordinary needs, over and above the Sl0,-
000, 900 found to be the amount contrib
uted in a year under common conditions,
the expansibility of the city's charitable
ness may well be subject of American
pride. for every city in the Union, no
doubt, increased its alms-glving 90 per
cent. New York's total may be the
largest, but its success in meeting the sit
uation has not been peculiar. There has
been no case of starvation in the United
States (has there?) from lack OF gener-
osity; there has been none here.
complete, however. Physically, in the
sense that it preserved life, the charity
work has accomplished its purpose per-
fectly, but there is another point of view
from which much failure can be seen. l
found the officers of organized charities
rather reluctant to review the winters
work for that reason. They said the evil
effects of misguided charity would be felt
as q burden in New York (which is
ait for frnf tiua To tnf
years. "Pauperism has been increased
enormously" said Charles l. Kellogg,
General Secretary of the Charity Organ
iZation Society. "Temporary organiZa-
tions have rushed into the field and with
out the machinery, agents, means or
wish to discriminate. they have given TO
all comers. Now they are closing up
their books and business, but they have
not stilled the demand for support. The
paupers they have made will come to US,
and in ordinary times will depend upon
the old organizations"
The old organizations can stand it, but
Labor with capital ~ will suffer heav-
lily in moral force and self-respect. "The
organizations are pretty solid," Robert
w. Hebbard, a well-known expert in
charity affairs here, said grimly when l
spoke to him about it, land will take the
fresh load and carry it." But labor
leader, whom | may not quote without
permission, said that it took his wind
away and sapped the nerve of the men"
TO be conscious that it was the 'gold
bugs" who had stood UP like men and
borne the brunt of the crisis. 1t took the
edge off appeals against capital, hurt the
pride Of all those who had even acquaint-
ances among the men who had been
helped.
How did these same capitalists do their
work and how do they view it? Coldly,
quietly and in a business-like spirit
They gave everywhere and freely. | was
told that 5000 families in New York gave
away this year 81, 300. 900, and the estimate
was made on the basis of records which
were laid open before me cOnfidentially.
About seven millions Of this sum was dis
tributed secretly and in a systematic way
through agents, that cut Oft any sense of
personal obligation. Once done, the men
who paid the bills have dismissed the
thought of it and face labor on the same
old footing, denying obligation to it to
employ when work is not needed, and
asserting the right to conduct business
on paying principles for profit only.
Taken in bulk, the fifteen millions was a
division by the rich with the poor an act
of crude socialism. Taken morally, it
was no concession whatever to that the
ory, but pure act of humane duty. 1t
was done gruffly, and so far saves the
feelings of the recipients, but it was done
wisely, willingly and freely, and will be
done again when the business situation is
such that men must be discharged be-
cause the factory must be shut down.
But these men who have given all the
winter, in the same spirit in which they
refuse to employ unnecessary men, now
are moving to help still further, and still
more impersonally, the unemployed.
They have not stopped with the winter S
work; they are anxious to render it more
and more unnecessary. One step has al
ready been taken. \ law was passed in
this State and signed this week to incor-
porate a Provident Loan Society, which
will be to all intenls and purposes a
pawnshop. Instead of the present rate of
interest, 80 per cent, charged by the pri-
yate pawn brokers', the rate will be
started at Il per cent. No profits, the in
corporation guarantee, shall accrue to
them. They will take the legal rate of
interest on their investment-in this case
500, ,000-and all above will be added to
capital for the reduction of interest. The
real value of the pledge will be advanced,
longer time than private pawnshops al
low will be given for redemption, and
when a sale is made, all above the amount
of his debt will be returned to the bor-
rover. The direct effect of this institu-
ton will be only part of its benefit to
the patrons OF pawnshops- Indirectly
| the rates and terms Of all pawnshops will
be made easier by competition with the
society.
This is but one of several schemes con-
templated for aiding the worthy poor and
the unemployed workingman, all OF
which are intended to enable him to get
needed help without any sense of per-
sonal obligation or any submission to a
class. 1t also will tend to take the ele-
-
more branch of public conduct for others
veal.
In nv chats with heads of various
organizations, was told some interesting
facts about the extent and methods ol
private charity work among wealthy
New York families. 1t is directed by the
wives of such men as the Nanderbilts,
Astors, Goulds, j. Pierrepont Morgan,
but usually is done in part or entirely
through the societies. The amount that
these people spend that is unknown is
said to be much greater than their public
giving. They ali apply to their chosen
society to have Investigations made OF all
cases that appeal to them. The Charity
Organization Society usually does this
work, that being the real purpose OF its
incorporation. But the subsidiary socie-
ties often are allowed special sums to per-
form the task for some heavy givers, sc
that no satisfactory estimate OF the
amount can be made.
| When the report of the investigation is
sent to the intending giver, she some
! times asks the society to go on and act as
| her almoner. But as rule each such
family has a corps of men and women,
who are the almoners for the family.
They take the money, food or clothes
declared in the report of the society
to be needed in the particular cases,
and set them down at their destiDa-
ton. The slmoner looks around. He OF
| she is usually a person of sympathetic
disposition and enters into the troubles OF
! the recipients of help. Another report
is carried back of the condition of the