The evening times., 1896-03-04

at the central office, No. 81 q street north
west, yesterday afternoon.
There were present Prof. B. 7. Janney,
John JOY Edison, Rev. j. Ii. Bradford. Mr.
L. S. Emery, Miss K. Il. Hosmer, Miss Flor
| ence SpoffOrd, Mrs. DR.. Hood, DR.. Ii. ID.
Peck and Mr.. s.. W. woodward.
Apologies were presented from several
members who were unable TO be present.
The trcasurer's report showed balance
OF ST ,O6s. % in the treasury.
Secretary Wilson read the report or the
work for the month OF FEBRUARY, which
was approved and placed on file. The re-
port was as follows:
"Another OF the winter months has now
pa ssei, and we have been able TO meet the
demands made upon us. We are now ap-
proa ching the spring, when we may hope
that the dena nds for relief viii be light
er. The work during February has been
lust n bout the same as in January. III Jan
uary 1856 families made application FOR
| relief, and In February 1.3lS applied.
..Tbe proportion OF co.orcd 10 white PER
sons, however, is very different from
what IL was I'm case OF the applicants ior
january. or the .333 during the month
of january, more than hait were from
white persons. While OF the l,3l? ap-
white persons, and a6T were colored. a
large number of white families that come
to our notice during January, we were
able to dispose of by referring them 10
their church, or other organization ana
have not been troubled with them there
after. With the colorcd people, how
ever, their churches and lodges are able
to do comparatively little. and we have
been obliged To call upon the emergency
committee for the relief OF large num-
Ter of families.
THOSE WHO WERE AIDED.
.Of this 1919 families who have made
application during the month, f3a have
been aided in one way and another.
Inability to furnish work in many cases
where it would be desirable, has been
the keenest-fclt want. We nave been
able to provide work for only thirty
seven persons. Relief has been procured
for sixty-five through churches. and Tor
seventy-two Through other organizations
and charitable individuals. One hun
dr,d families were aided from the sup
ylics OF the PoGDd Party; o02 were re-
Ii, we'd through the funds OF the emer-
cency committees. Wood from the Con
grcssional Library building was sent To
sevcnt ty-t wofamiiics; two families wcretrans-
ported 10 homes or friends. Nine hundred
and twenty inves, iGatioDs have been made
by our agents during the month. Twenty
nine persons were found 10 nave gwen
false addresses.
IA canvassrr has been at work the past
two weeks soliciting subscriptions and
distributing our literature ami reference
cards. An increased number or people
are referring 10 US for investigation ap-
plicants for assistance. over 80 letters
We're received at the central and DIVISION
offices. reporting or making inquiry con
cerning families. and more than 3tO re-
norris OF iuvestigatiuas have been sent out.
I'VE have received encouraging letters
from many persons tU whCm we I'VE sent
reports concerning families in which they
Were Interested. and several persons whom
we have been able TO reach In this way
have become subscribers to the society.
The ma sori,y OF the people are still un-
acquainted with the workings OF The So
ciety. under this new organization, but
where we have come In contact with peo-
pie through cases in which they Were in-
terestel, we have been able to convince
them of the usefulness of the society.
I'VE have been hearing the burden of
relief work of the city during the winter,
and thus far our expenses. including ad-
ministrative funds and the amount used
from the emergency committee for relief
work. has been less than $4,000. In the
light of past experiences, surely the com
munity cannot say that this is an extrava-
giant outlay. There is still a prejudice
among some people, however. against
using tic funds of charitable organiza-
ton for any purpose except feeding ana
clothing the hungry and cold. But If one
would stop a moment to consider the Qucs-
ton. they will see that it is a dangerous
thing to give People food and clothing
which they do not earn.
I'VE claim Thai not ONLY has our system
of thorough investigation and registration
reduced by a large amount the total sum
required for carrying on the relief work Of
the community. but the results have been
much more beneficial 10 the poor whom
we would really help, for It Is much better
for any family II they can De led to help
themselves than to be helped by others.
APPEAL TO THE COMMUNITY.
I'VE can point with confidence to the
record of the past three months. and ask
whether the work could he carried on with
any greater economy, and we appeal To the
community to help us continue our work
among the poor during the spring and sum-
mer months, when nthereishope ofdoing some
constructive work, work that aims a raising
the Door above poverty, not simply helping
them in 1t. II we can raise one family above
their poverty or paupcrism, we will have
done infinitely more than il we have helped
to support ten families in such pauperisnn.
Such constructive work has been done aud
is being done. in other places. and there
is n o rca son why it cannot be done in Wash
ington.
.The poor at least many of them. can he
taught habits of industry ard thrift. They
can be taught to depend upon themselves
and not upon Others. To do this requires
continued personal effort: we must get
near the people in order to influence them.
And II We are TO expect among all those
who have beer helped this winter that
many shall be able to help themselves next
winter. we must continue our work with
them throughoutthe summer mo nths.
when we are crowded, and our agents
are ovcrworked investigating cases of de-
mands for relief, it is impossible to de-
vote time to the many helpful things which
might be done for the poor. If we are en-
abled to continue our work throughout the
summer many helpful lessons can be taught
and much can be done to raise some OF
the poor above their poverty. Saving
schemes which will enab persons to save
in any sums from one cent up should be In
troduced. By this means In many of our
large cities the poor have been led to save
enough during the summer months to pro-
vide them with fuel during the winter.
1--WE appeal for the support Of the commu-
nifty for the work throughout the entire year
both because il Is more ecOnomical-it
will cost less in dollars and cents to do the
relief work of the year if enough agents are
kept IN the field to keep in touch with the
poor throughout the entire year. and be-
cause the results will be Infinitely better
for the poor people themselves. In winter
we can only help them. In summer we can
teach them to help themselves"
The prospects Of the work for the spring
and summer months were discussed. The
results of the work since the reorganiza-
ton have been eminently satisfactory, and