Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-16
PRACTICAL CHARITY
Taking Care of the Poor in Balti-
more.
Employment Found for the Destitute
MIR. j. n. Bracket Gives an
Interesting Talk.

Upon the invitation of Mr.. F. l.. Moore
of the board of trade committee on chari-
ties. number of those here interested in
charitable work met at the board of trade
rooms at 4:15 yesterday afternoon, to meet
Mr.. Jeffrey R. Bracket of Baltimore, Md,
and listen to description by Mr.. Bracket
of the work of the Charity Organization
Society of the monumental city. Among
those who attended were Messrs. Simon
Wolf. John F. Cook, Professor Janney of
Georgetown. Mr.. l.. S. Emery, secretary of
the Associated Charities; DR.. NJ. D. Peck,
Miss Katherine Hosmer of the Civic Cen
ter. Miss Spofford, Mrs. Stowell of the
board of school trustees. and Mr.. H. 3.
Mcfarland.
Mr. Moore explained that he had found
that very many were agreed that the local
charitable work. for a number of years.
had not been what it should have been. and
it occurred to him that those interested
would be glad to hear the Baltimore sys-
TEN, of which he thought very highly. He
then introduced Mr.. Bracket. who spoke
in a very informal, conversational man
rer for half an hour or SO of the work OF
the Baltimore society.
Two Classes.
AS in all other cities, Mr.. Bracket ex-
planned. two classes seeking relief were
found in Baltimore-the resident poor and
L
system of relief in Baltimore until the es-
tablishment of the Charity Organization
Society in 1881. Until then the city an
nually appropriated money for the trans
portation of the poor The Sunds We're dis
bursed by the mayors secretary, and, as
an illustration of the good work his So
ciety has done, Mr.. Bracket read letter
written by the mayors secretary in 1890, to
the effect that the work of the society had
saved from 30 to 10 per cent of the fund.
Replying to a question of Mr.. Moore, Mr..
Bracket said the Baltimore society is sup
ported entirely by voluntary subscriptions.
1t was the only office in Baltimore dealing
with transients. For the benefit and relief
of the resident poor are many very effective
and worthy charitable societies, such as the
Hebrew Society, the Kings Daughters, the
various churches and so on.
Few men. said Mr. Bracket, will work
if offered food without it, ard his society
sought in every way to discourage and
and similar institutions, for the society
holds that 1t Is far better to encourage in
dustry among those seeking assistance
than to feed them in idleness The soup
house system is an injurious one, he be-
Heved, and not infrequently those who es-
tablished them discontinued them when
made acquainted in the matter, and then
gave the poor the benefit of their efforts
in other more enduring and substantial
ways. The Baltimore society. Mr.. Brack-
EFT further said has one central office and
seven district offices. 1t believes in pay
ing good salaries. and thereby securing
efficient and reliable officers. So the gem
eral secretary, a woman, is paid 81 800 an
nually, and the seven district agents be-,
tween $500 and 500.
Finding Employment.
Mr.. Simon Wolf inquiring whether the So
c.ety does anything to prevent paup ,rism
Mr.. Bracket stated that the society has
some 400 volunteers from the churches,
charitable societies and the like who do
whatever they possibly can to find employ
ment for the poor, and last year permanent
employment was found for 100 persons
and temporary employment for LOCO.
Mr.. Wolf then stated that the Washington
Hebrew Society this year rendered such
effective aid to e:ghtyfour applicants as to
make them no longer dependent. In fact
rot few of them are now donors to the
relief of others. The system employed by the
Hebrew Society here. sad MIR. Wolf, was
that instead of giving an applicant a dollar
or two. the society advanced him funds TO
enter business with, and not less than 33
per cent repaid the amounts loaned to them
Mr.. Bracket said the Baltimore society
ner indicated by Mr. Wolf and that about
a third of the loans were repaid. When the
society removed transients from Baltimore
ted Mr.. Bracket they were not load I'D en-
otner cities, but they We're sent Invariably
to places where employment was awaiting
then and replying to an inquiry from Mr.
Moore he said he regretted to state that the
District has in the past unloaded paupers on
Last year. continued Mr.. Brackett, the
Baltimore society referred $4,000 applica-
lions for aid. 1t disbursed s927S 40 mostly
In salaries and office expenses Some eighty
llve persons had been placed in various in
stltuttons, lbs families were made self-s1p-
porting, 931l visits to the poor had been
made and 5t2 impostors had been exposed.
No General Fund.
His society, explained Mr. Bracket,
does not believe in having a general relief
fund.- experience teaching it that such a
fund increased rather than decreased pau
perism. 1t Is far better, thought the So
,iety, to interest persons, churches and
societies in true charitable work than to
ask them for contributions. The assist
ance Of Intelligent, Industrious volunteers
was Indispensable, said Mr.. Bracket, al
though he regretted that the spirit of CO.
operation in Baltimore was not yet all it
should be.
Mr.. Bracket complimented the colored
people of Baltimore stating that they gave
very little trouble, caring, in great de-
gree, for their own poor and needy ones.
He closed his remarks by describing the
working of the district system, stating
that the majority of them are kept open
the year round, and that the great work
Of the society is to establish such relations
between it and the poor as will so benefit
them as to render them. in time. self-suS-
tanning and useful members of society.
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Brackets
talk Mr.. Moore, on behalf of those pres
ent, assured him that they had been deeply
Interested, and were very grateful to him.