The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-05
IN THE NAME OF CHARITY.
REPRESENTA- MEETING To-
DAY AT MAYORS OFFICE.

Charities of the City Will he Organ
ized-Ministers' Association De-
sires Et-Committce on Organiza-
ton VIII Be Appointed-The May
or FnvOrs the Plan-Whnt He
Thinks About It-AH Religious Are
wanted to CO-Opcrate-Dr. W. {.
schaeTer Says Abuse of Charity
VIII be observation-disclosures is,
Churches and the City VIII Aid.
The first step, after several years Of
agitation, in the establishment of an as
sociated charity organization viii be taken
to-day.
A meeting will be held at the mayor
office for the discussion of the subject OF
a consolidated organization 10 take the
place of the many independent charltaDie
societies that now exist in the city. All
of the ministers and the lay members oil
their churches. whom they may have ask
ed 10 represent the religious element in
the work. are requested to attend. 1t Is
not likely that an organization will be
effected to-day. as the work of the meeting
will probably be the appointment OF
committee that will report on plan OF
organization at some carry date.
This matter of establishing system OF
charities to supplant the methods that are
now pursued for the relief of the poor OF
The city has been under consideration Ior
a long time. 1t was advised by the Morn
ing News. and at once commended itself
20 many. The Ministers Association took
If up. and has long been in favor OF lts
adoption For about two years that pOdy
has talked the matter over at its meetings.
and it has been the earnest effort oil the
ministers to secure the cooperation oil the
c,tv authorities. They have been success
iful in so far as the matter has now pro-
crossed, and it seems probable that 'he
CITY will become a ready helper IN the
work as it is proposed.
Mayor Meldrim says he REGARDS the
proiect as an admirable means ior tue
correction Of certain abuses that are not
denied to exist in the dispensauoh OIL
charity as it is now practiced
81 am strongly in favor" he said "of
the establishment of such an orgahlza-
ton If it is formed in the proper way
and the proper care is taken in ITS man
agement there can be no doubt that
would be very beneficial. BY such sys-
tenn. think the charitable organizations
as well as many individuals would be re-
1ieved of much of the care that becomes
unnecessary through the fact that tue
charity is administered by so many hahus.
Were an amalgamation to be made, AL
the charities would be under one heau ana
much better results could be oDlalneu'
The indiscriminate giving of aid when IL IS
not really needed coulu, IN d Ia sc iiiS'
ure be avoided.
81 have no knowledge as yet of the de-
tails that Will be observed in the forma-
ton of the organization. l think nothing
more will be done at the meeting to-day
than the appointment of the committee TO
draw up a plan of organization
What do you regard as the best way
in which the object Of the consolidation
lin the event it is formed can be carried
cut?"
II think" the mayor replied, that to
appoint some man who is absolutely tree
from all political ties and obligations ana
who would not allow the consideration Oh
his religious denomination to influence
him in the position, TO investigate all APP
meals for charity and to give him the
power TO relieve the necessities OF those
who may be suffering, would be the best
plan The integrity, energy and INDUS
try of this man should not be questioned,
and he should be well acquainted with the
city and people 1t would be 10 MIN that al
the appeals for aid should be made. II
his knowledge of the facts in the cases,
or his investigations after the requests
were made, should be such as TO indicate
that assistance should not be withheld,
he should be empowered TO at once AFFORD
the needed relief.
what would be the sources from which
an organization of this kind would secure
the funds necessary for the performance
of its work.
MANY of the merchants would be glad
of the opportunity to be relieved of the
charitable work they are often called up
on to do. There are none in the city VINO
do not find it necessary to furnish aid
at times when it is asked of them. They
would probably be ready to lend their aid
in the forma ton of the organized chart
ties, and after the organization TO aid in
its support by contributions. These CON
tributions should, l think, be at fixed
rate.
Then there are the churches. The min
listers favor the establishment of the con-
solidation and the churches would read
lily see that it met with their support. An
of them now have charities and their
anna gamation into one would be to the
interest of all. The city would also, l be-
heve. make an appropriation in such
cause.
1T has never been the policy Of the mu
nicipal government to pay out money for
charities but l do not think there would
be any objection to its being done were
the expenditure of the sums TO be made
under some competent and intelligent di-
rection. 1 have had this matter under
consideration for several months and have
only been deferred from calling the meet
ing sooner on account of many of the
ministers having been out of the city on
their summer vacations"
DIR. w. c. Schaeffer pastor of the Luth-
eran Church of the Ascension. and presi-
dent of the Ministers Assoc
citation, says the establishment
of the proposed organization would
be with his hearty approval He
finds that the charities of the church So
cieues are often misplaced and that they
do more harm in some instances than
good. The proper direction and system is
not observed and mis- lakes frequently oc-
cur.
DR.. Schaeffer says the ladies of the
churches often become aware of cases in
which their good actions are abused. There
are some of the people to whom the help Of
the churches has become such a necessity
that they cannot exert themselves to earn