The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-02-28
MORE RELIEF, OR
WHAT

n
and Importance that confronts this COM
munity.
For two months the country has been
faced with the extraordinary spectacle
of an army of idle men asking
for bread at its doors and three
times as big an army of women
and children, dependent upon the labor
of those men for support, pleading for
sustenance from the stores of those whose
good fortune, frugality, or both, has
placed them in position to successfully
face the long siege of hard times which
begun last fall.
THE News has no disposition at this
time to dwell upon the causes which
have contributed to the present period
of industrial and business depression.
Those causes are matter for discussion
and from the point of view of its honest
| opinions they are discussed daily in the
columns of The News. But it is
| the temper of the immediate
inquiry to express plainly the sentiments
which are today widespread as to the
immediate contingency which has
sprung up to astonish and confound
community which has had to deal for
two months with an unfamiliar and
most extraordinary problem.
That contingency may perhaps best
be expressed by a few examples and quo
tations.
Yesterday mornings Journal contained
the information that the Citizens Re-
lief Committee had practically aban-
doned their work Of giving employment
| to men. In the article making this an
nouncement was also the following para
graph:
Notwithstanding the large AMOUNT of
work done by the poor department last
month, the present month bids fair to
exceed il in expenditure. At least that
| is what Mr.. Cummings said yesterday
| The number of persons assisted this
month may not be SO large as that OF
January, but the demand for orders has
been more steady. In January some of
the applicants only received one order
and then dropped ont, but this month
the applicants have been unable to help
themselves in any way, and more money
has been expended"
And yet the Citizens Relief Commit
tee could not get men to work
Early in January the demand for the
relief of the necessities of the unem-
ployed became imperative. The news
papers. as the representatives of public
sentiment, voiced that demand and they
voiced it loudly. AT first accessory to
the regularly organized channels of
relief, they became themselves
chief mediums for the collection
and distribution of relief funds. Thou
sands of dollars in money or its equiva-
lent of clothing, food, coal and medi-
cine were distributed by the press
among the needy. Meanwhile, to the
relief of the overtaxed organizations
of help and charity, new organiza-
tions, like the Citizens Relief Com
mittee. came into existence. Private
| individuals awakened TO sense
of new responsibility and joined in
| the work OF relief. The theaters opened
their doors to benefit entertainments.
and clubs and social organizations joined
in that kind OF help. The public re.
sponded promptly and with the freest
kind of liberality to every call for con-
tributions in whatever shape or form.
| There was no stint of relief funds
but they have never been sufficient, and
today there is a seemingly greater de-
mand than ever. That is the pitiful
part of it.
What is to be done this coming
month? There are plenty Of people
with plenty Of money left yet. But is it
possible TO satisfy the demand!
Aud. how far ought ii TO be satisfied?
To have asked that question month
ago would have caused popular outcry
that would have well nigh swept the
questioner off the earth. The drowning
mans call for help may not be inquired
into--better TO 60 ahead and save him,
even though he might be able 10 save
himself, than let him sink before your
eyes while you are inquiring as to his
ability TO exercise little effort and get
ashore.
Today. however, the question may
reasonably be asked. A great many
honest people are asking IL. The man
who helps-his fellow 44..4l- has right to
be assured that the exercise of his sym
pathy has not been wasted. Some
things have happened recently which
cause the inquiry, and the man who asks
the question is not to blame for asking
it.
Il is rule Of argument that few
concrete examples should not be per-
mIsted to initiate egain.. the value Of