The Saint Paul globe., 1896-12-09

| - icSlLudl6, though limited. Inc DUTY OF
tne state and city to provide for the perma-
nently helpless and hopeless is generally con-
ceoed. / think IL ought to reach all incur
aDles; and also that the support OF certain
pendent entirely upon private contributions
might properly be assumed by the state Re-
lief societies doing general work might also
be more largely recognized and more gener-
ously aided by the city to the advantage Of
all concerned We recognize as within the
province of city relief the providing of employ
distress, and even the undertaking OF de-
sirable public works, at such times, to pro-
vide this employment, but beyond this few,
II any, OF US are ready to look to the state
or city as the proper source Of direct relief:
for the danger Of SO doing, both to the giver
and receiver of such aid, Is apparent.
Charity begins at home'--that Is, with
the Individual. But it does not end there.
Every charitable person should learn by
personal contact with the suffering and needy
all he can regarding the proper administra-
calls SO naturally for organization, that 1t
might almost be said to organize itself in ev-
cry civilized community. So strong Is this
tendency that the danger is rather Of too
many organizations than too few.
Experienced agents, aided by the combined
wisdom of those who direct, are secured, in
terest is developed, intelligence promoted, un-
intelligent and wasteful giving Is checked
and fraud prevented. The head and not the
heart alone is consulted and the record also.
Thus guided and guarded, duplication is pre-
FOhICus dllu Iu6 greatest EOOQ WIN the least
harm in giving of aid. can reasonably be ex-
pected.
New methods Of relief, evolved from wide
and prolonged experience in the work, such
as friendly visiting, savings and loan asso-
Citations and to some extent payment Gin
labor) for aid desired or rendered are success
sws -v,zsy IN connection With sagaa crra-szsd
charitable society. '5rniasfency can BEST Be
attained through Organization. The individual
passes away. The society continues, and this
continuity adds greatly to the success and
value of the work.
In the requirement and in the dissemination
of useful and reliable information, the society
is invaluable and with growing intelligence
regarding this most needful work, we can
surely count, more and more, on our citizens
and our city for cooperation and support.
That We have today an accepted science of
sociology Is largely due to leading workers
in organized charities and look for large ad-
yances in the development of this science in
the line of prevention rather than cure.
AS already suggested, there is danger in
multiplication of agencies for charitable work.
Many such are formed to do work which
organizations. Differences of opinion re-
ligious or other, overestimation Of some spe-
cial need, generalization of new methods and
even desire for place and employment have
been operative in this direction There are
also well-known cases where the successful
work OF some individual in special lines Of
effort has led to an organization to strength
en- and enlarge 1t, and thus to commend It to
the public, and give it permanency. A strong
argument for organization in charitable work
could be drawn from such cases.
Have we not here more charitable organiza-
t1ons than we actually need? l fear that such
is, to some extent at least the case; and If
SO, cannot there be more concentration in
the work? Might it not be possible to have
competent and impartial committee go over
the whole list Of our charitable agencies, class
ify them as to their general character and
legitimate fields of work, and decide so far
as practicable their claims for public and
private support? At present the society most
prompt and pressing gets money, which might,
perhaps accomplish more good if otherwise
bestowed If duplication too great multi
plication of charitable agencies Qeading to
needless expense of operation) does exist, or
may be developed here, the demand, sooner
or later, will be made by the charitable (or
uncharitable) public, to know why there are
two societies where one could do the work.
Joseph M. Hansen treated the topic
Of Sources of Supply from the Indi-
vidual." He said that, while people
consider the present well-organized
system of charities as ideal, close in
spection will reveal many weaknesses
in the system. The strongest objection
to it is that charity once provided, the
applicant becomes dependent upon it.
The tendency toward pauperism was
becoming SO marked that organized
charity should Immediately resist it
by the introduction of new measures.
The idea of one agent at a central
clearing house was a good one. 1t
prevented fraud and eXtortion The
machinery of the associated charities
was constantly protrudlng itself. The
applicant did not feel the personal
sympathy and interest be should. This
was long ago noticed and the friend
ly visitor to some extent had rene
died the evil. Donations We're too la
bic to be given from financial means
and not from the character or the per-
sonality of the giver. The very fact
of the existence of an organized char
ity tended to increase this defect, or
it appears to relieve the giver of any
personal effort beyond that Of giving
money. Cases first reported should
be treated through the individual and
not the association. The speaker cited
the system in the East, in which a
society known as the Benevolent Indi-
viduals" accomplished great good.
Speaking of the practical abolition OF
the outdoor relief in the large cities
of the country, Mr.. Hart presented
statistics showing the amounts expend-
ed in several municipalities and the
amount in cents per capita, as follows
Buffalo, $94, 500, 28 cents; Milwaukee, $54,-
GA, % cents; Rochester, $31, 449. 20 cents;
Denver, $500, Is cents; Grand Rapids, s14
1893, 16 cents; Kansas City, s19, ,304, II cents; ;
Omaha, $14,S04, IA cents; Boston, $45 1S0, 8
cents; Hartford, $5,524, cents; Minneapolis,
$15, ,544, cents; st. Paul, $8,424 6 cents;
Chicago, $91 ,000, 5 cents; Providence. s6113
4 cents; Indianapolis $3578, cents: New
Haven, $2,574, cents; Pittsburg, $621e, 8
cents; total, 5,423; average, 8 cents.