Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1896-12-26
VICTIMS OF HARD LUCK.
Washington's Helpless Poor Are
Counted by Thousands
Negroes Furnish the Largest Contingent
to the Army of Unemployed-Whas
Organized Charity In DO
Ing for Them.
Especial washington Letter.l


The most beautiful roses of summer
are guarded by thorns; and that fact
has often been used to point a moral
and adorn the tale that all the sweets
of life are mingled with the bitter.
The beautiful snow has come again,
bringing with it sorrow and suffering
to thousands of the poor people in our
cities. In the capital city of the re-
public fully 1000 families were without
fuel during the two days and nights of
the storm. 1t was much like the bliz-
yards of Iowa, Minnesota and Dakota,
as they were experienced by the writer,
some years ago.
The coming of the snow seems to
have emphasized the fact that want and
suffering exist among the poor of the
city. However, this fact has been
familiar one to those interested in the
administration of charity ever since the
cold weather began. 1t is the cold that
develops a good deal of the need for re-
lief. 1t is the snow, a rule, that
causes the general public to realize that
there are those who stand in need of help.
1t is natural, therefore. that the volume
of contributions, either in money or
clothes, for the benefit of the poor
should be sensibly increased even since
the fall of the snow the other morning.
The stream of public and private
charity which flows deep and broad in
this city is divided into great many
rivulets and rii!s of varying size and i'm
portance, but all reaching the homes
of want and poverty and giving aid
which is most needed. There is the
charitable individual, sometimes with
heart large as his purse, and then,
again, with the purse in inverse ratio to
the size of the heart. He or she visits
!, Il,
as it seems the occasion demands. They
use their friends as their bankers. and
very cheerful bankers most of them
prove to be, with good-natured lax
ness in regard to the cashing of checks.
The truth is, the majority of good,
charitable people prefer some one else
to do the stunning" it is some
times called, while, on the other hand,
they are perfectly willing to foot the
bills. The drafts upon their time and
sympathy are not so cheerfully borne
rs those upon their bank accounts.
ITO every man his work" Since men
and women of moderate means enjoy
| the work of saving souls and bodies in
the alleys, it is we'll; and they are en-
couraged to go about doing good. Since
| the prosperous are willing to furnish b
| the money, they are excused from the
work of ''slumming." The churches are
doing a great deal to relieve human
misery in this city. In nearly every
| church. of al denominations, are found
societies which are devoted to work
among the poor. They have treasury
| to draw upon and the members go about
from house to house and thus dispense
| their aims. Then there are organiza-
| tions of various kinds, which either
incidentally, or, one of the main
AfteT q
| class. The Central Union mission
| offers a conspicuous example. 1t fur
nishes lodgings and meals to those in
need of temporary help and demands in
return, where practical, certain
| amount of work in it's wood yard. Its