The herald., 1895-01-01


work OF $5. but that is the way it has
been done during the past year. Had
1t not been for the Ladies' Benevolent
society it would have been impossible
to have accomplished as much. The
Benevolent society had little reserve
fund which they used through the office
OF the Associated Charities, and as their
work is Identical it was the easiest way
for them to disburse their funds. The
German Ladies' Benevolent society, the
Hebrew Ladies' Benevolent society, the
Catholic Ladies' Aid society.
The Assstantoe League, the Kings
Daughters, the Woman's Christian Tenn
perancs union, the Young Woman's
Christian association, the Orphans
Home society. the Ransom homo. the
Neweboys' home, together with the dif-
ferent church aid societies, all apply to
this organization for information and
also help when necessary. There are on
file in the Office nearly 900 cases that
have been Investigated during the year.
These are independent OF applications
from single men, several hundred OF
whom have applied for work or meal
tickets. Their statements are taken in
different form, but all are taken and
kept on file. OF the 900 all are not as
sisted. however, many proving not to be
in need OF help, ct least financially.
Some are noted cases reported from else
where, who were liable to show mp here,
"a they were TOURISTS" doing the
country, and several have already ar
rived.
This all requires work, and only the
voluntary assistance of some Of the lady
members OF the board make il possible
of accomplishment. as everything is
done to save expense. The board OF
supervisors give the use of two rooms in
the county courthouse, furnished.
Organized charity is fast growing in
favor with a discerning public, and is
only made dissgreesbls to the profess
sional beggar. To the worthy and needy
it is protection, to such as these we
all owe our tenderestsympathy and help.
1t ia just debt and we are their debtors
until it Is paid; we owe it to them, we
owe it to ourselves. There
anould . be no feeling OF charity
about it, only as friend to
friend, and brother to brothers.
This is an age of unrest when more
than ever ia needed an overflow of the
milk of human kindness, when we
should all be very patient with each
OtHoI, Hnu Wuou LuOb6 tuat nhto bUOUlu
not forget those that have not.
Yet, it should be done in such q way
that it will uplift; that it will encourage
them on to renewed struggles. with a
firm determination to overcome all ad-
and self.sustaining. After all ia said
and done the question OF alms-giving is
hard one to determine; what ie best
to be done and how best to do it. There
are certainly many cases where there is
no doubt at all and the case is plain.
There is another siGe to the picture
where it requires prayerful considers.
lion; even then there are many misgiv-
ings. It is not an uncommon thing for
conscientious charity workers to spend
many wakeful nights, doubling their
own judgment and wondering if they
have been ungenerous or unjust the re.
verse seldom troubles them.
The special consular reports OF vag-
rancy and public charities in foreign
countries make very interesting read
ing. The Loudon secretary is G. s.
Lock. ESQ.,, 15 Buckingham street, Adel.
phi, London, W. @. Many of the re-
ports from different parts of the world
are specially interesting. That of the
Spanish Weet Indies, Caidenas, would
cause shudder to even read of il.
That OF Brazil Para, is quite interest,"
ing. That of Palestine, q few oxtrats
of which is appended. notably so.
Selah Merrill, consul to Jerusalem
and Syria, says in bis report, May, 1892,
of the work in Palestine
l. The class of vsgrants generally
designated cramps" does not exist in
this country.
2. The methods employed for the dis
tribution of aims are direct distribution
of money, food or clothing. The Jews
divide their "haluka," which ia made
up of money collected in Europe, at 80
much per head, whether the parties
need aid or not. One day in each week
ia known as ''beggars' day." when this
class are ut liberty to call at any house
or shop or on any person for aid. Some
Ehopkeepers set apart sum OF money
to be distributed on such days.
8. No efforts are being made fos the
punishment or suppression of begging.
A. No efforts are being made to con-
vert "beggars" or "tramps" into self
supporting members Of society.
5. The effect of the indiscriminate
dispensation of public and private char
tiles are: 1t affords temporary relief to
the recipients; many persons thus re-
ceive assistance who neither need or de-
serve it.; it encourages begging and
increases the amount OF simulated pow
erty; 30 far as such distribution is in
the hands of the different religious
bodies. say the Jews, Latins, Greeks,
and this is almost exclusively the case
in this country, il tends to pauperize
their adherents; it prevents any proper
ideas of labor and its reward, or of
economy and relf-reliance from being
inculoated among the poorer classes,
and tends to discourage any aspirations
for life of honest independence.
6. What has proved to be the best
system of distribution of public and
private charities looking to the eleva-
tion of the recipients Of such charities to
the condition of self-gupport, self-re-
spect and self-confdence. and their ulti-
mate rehabilitation as good members of
society? This question presupposes
conditions which exist in civilized
lands, but which do not exist in this
country, hence reply to it is simply
impossible.
Consul Merrill goes on to deprecate
the indiscriminate aims giving of that
country and says further that an ori-
entail country without beggars is incon.
ceivable, and in o land like Palestine
where begging is allowed and encour-
aged, all work of the kind now contem-
plated must be arranged on the plan of
grstuity; hence while it cannot be de-
MED that much good ia done in the case
b H. 81 l. T.