The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-07-25
PHILANTHROPY TODAY.

Time was when Lady Bountiful could
only be typifed as riding abroad, scatter
ing gold; and the idea OF aims giving OF
of largesse-a lavish and indiscr m mate
giving seemed to be the sole conception
OF charity. The contrast between such a
view and the modern Interpretation is de-
cidedly in favor OF the latter.
Imagine some OF last century's court
ladies coming into contact with the pow
erty-stricken people in London tenements
But the Duchess OF Teck goes "slum-
ming" in the "Whitechapeln district,
and lets her royalty touch the misery that
it finds there. This reads like nine
teenth century version OF the old virtues
of the "King's touch" for surely the
reaching out OF such hand into such
lives may work a cure that has in it an
almost miraculous power.
What would one OF the old time monks
have thought, had it been suggested to
him that he take the pebbles out of his
shoes and spend month amid such sur
roundings as Bishop POTTER has chosen
during his vacation. The devoted bishop
eschews Newport for this season and takes
up his abode in one OF the most thickly
settled portions OF New York city, where
he puts himself into daily contact with
his wretched neighbors to study how he
can best serve them to their own good.
These two instances show the modern
trend OF philanthropy. 1t does not pose
to be seen of men and there is no mock
condescension about it; but, instead,
there is self-forgetiulness and the meet
ing OF the unfortunate upon levels where
one can be neighbor ard friend.
Preserve for one year all the able maga-
zine articles relative to the phases and
methods OF philanthropic work, and you
will be well started on "Good Samari-
tan" library. Cut from the daily papers
the constantly occursng paragraphs con-
cerning these same questions, and you
will have material for scrap book that
will effectually silence the person who is
always quoting the lugubrious lines about
"the rarity of Christian charity under
the SUM-"
MANS inhumanity to man" affords
those who devote their time to il chance
to mourn "to their hearts content" We
have noticed, however, that these are sell
dom the people who make a practice of
the miseries that they bewail.
The genuine philanthropist has no time
to squander in mourning over the condi-
tion of the poor and wretched; he is too
busy helping them to rise above their
poverty and wretchedness.
Occasionally we hear some cold -blooded
talk about the folly Of "pampering pow
erty" and SO defeating Natures method
OF thinning out the surplus population
by means OF starvation, pestilence, and
the like. But large death rate is not in
dicative that the region boasting it has
been purged OF what it is fortunate to |
be rid Of. There Is room enough on the
sarth so that we are not forced to stifie
our humanitarian instincts for fear that
'ur fellow creatures will not be carried off
n sufficient numbers to leave us comfort
BILE space.
The higher the development of the in
lividual, the keener his sensibilities: the
more suffering appeals to him, and the
more repulsive cruelty becomes. And the
tate whose citizens are advanced and in
elligent is sure to be In the vanguard of
effort.
What With the country week" schemes,
lower missions, floating hospitals, vaca-
ion funds, free kindergartens, day nur-
cries, little mother charities, college
ettlements, loan associations, girls
riendly societies, The Kings Daughters
rganization, working girls homes, not
D mention the thousand and one cases
there some elderly person has been gener-
usly established in home, or some hos
ital bed endowed for an otherwise
riendless sufferer-who shall say that the
iilk OF human kindness has become hope
'ssly curdled?
Never before in the worlds history has
eal helpfulness been made such a study
1t is today. Philanthropy, like every
hing else, is reduced to a science, its
lethods systematized and put in opera.
on by specialists who see to it that the
reatest amount of help accrues to the
reatest number Of those needing II. We
now OF no better sign OF the times than