The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-03
CHARITY'S BOARD CHOSEN.
MEN WHO WILL MANAGE THE
CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION.

| mayor meIurinGS Talk at the C1t1-
zens' MeetinG-Dr. COrsOn's Explt-
/ nation of st. james Dispensary's
WOrk-The Governing Board to
Elect Officers and Relief Agent
and VIII start the Associations
Work at Once.
The board of managers. to control the
affairs Of the Charitable Association of
| Savannah, was selected at a citizens meet
ing at the Guards armory last night at
which matters relative TO the commence
ment of the contemplated work were def
nitely arranged.
The officers of the association, including
the relief agent, whose duty 1t Will be to
distribute the funds and look into the
needs of all applicants for assistance, will
be selected at a meeting OF the governing
board, which will be held in few days.
Mayor Meldrim presided and opened the
meeting by outlining the plans of the as
ISOLATION. He gave his ideas with refer
ence to the unsa tlsfactory manner in
| which charitable funds have been dispens-
| ed and said that a combined movement
had at last consolidated the charitable in
terests of the city, reducing the confusion
that formerly existed into reliable and
| systematic methods. A self-constituted
committee had taken in hand the matter
of organizing the association, and it was
his opinion that the start it had made up
to the present was suspicious.
The mayor stated that the organization
was step of prime importance, as view
| ed from a municipal standpoint. A large
| sum is dispensed by the city every year,
| but it is necessarily in a very unsatsfac
| tory manner and such as does not give
| any definite assurance of the alienation
of distress But the plan, is now pro-
| posed, he said, is one that will sever the
| good from the bad and place the charit-
| able work on a basis that will offer some
| encouragement to contributors.
Rev. W. A. Nisbet the secretary, read
| the constitution and bylaws for the as
| socia ton. 1t was suggested by Mr.. I. G.
| Haas that the fee of SO was insufficient
to meet the demands of the association,
and he thought the amount should be fix
| ed at $40. Mr. e. A. We'll thought the
| amount should be fixed at So, and made
| q motion to that effect, but it failed. Rev.
| ]. II. Scruggs, who was on the special
| committee which drafted the constitution
and bylaws, stated that the membership
| fee alone was not expected to meet the
| associations needs. The object in placing
| the amount so low was to enlist more
members and thereby make the organiza-
ton stronger.
Upon motion, the chairman appointed
a committee consisting of Rev. w. C.
| Schaeffer, DR.. NJ. l.. Boyd, Rev. l. p,
Mendes, Rev. Father Kelley and Mr. r.
| D. Bloodworth, TO select the governing
| board Of fifteen members. The commit
| tee retired and after a brief consultation
reported the following names: Hon. p.
| w. Meldrim, Rev. Father Kelley, Rev. /.
| p Mendes, Rev. w. c. Schaeffer Rev.
John d. Jordan, Rev. ]. H. Scruggs, Rev.
Robb White, Rev w. A. Nisbet, DR.. Eu-
| gene r. Corson, Mr.. William Kehoe, Dl.
M. L.. Boyd, Mr.. S. B. Adams, Capt. John
Flannery, Mr.. Jacob Paulsen and Mr.. 1.
| G. Haas.
1t will be the duty of this board to Sc
lect officers for the association and to APP
| point the relief agent They will have
| supervision over the branches of the as
ISOLATION and will fill all vacancies that
may occur during their tenure of Office
DR.. Corson was present by special invita-
| ton, and spoke of the work that is being
| done by the st. James dispensary, which
| has been recently started in Savannah, and
| which is intended to give medical aid to
| the poor. I'VE were actuated by the same
| spirit as yourselves" he said, land are fol-
| lowing the same principle--the only prop
| err principle in all charitable undertakings
namely, to help the poor to help them
| selves. The dispensary has applied for
a charter, and will soon be a regularly
| chartered institution, with board of trus-
| tees composed of the medical staff, with
| definite rules and regulations, and with
| its plans and purposes clearly mapped out.
IAN over our country, principally in the
| larger cities, will be found these dispersal
| res for the needy and deserving poor,
where they can get as good medical treat
ment as the city affords and for a mere
| nominal fee, barely sufficient to cover the
| expenses of medicines and dressings. The
| physicians give their services free. When
| given proper care and patronage, these
| dispensarles have grown into large insi-
| tutions, credits to the cities and the medi-
| cal men who have worked for them They
| stand to-day as true evidences of the poor
| to help themselves when properly encour-
| aged. We therefore feel that no apology
| Is needed for attempting to build up
| similar institution in Savannah. Its or
| ganizers and medical staff have every rea-
| son to feel confident. Even with the few
days that 1t has been in operation we
| have had assurances of the need of such
! an institution here. The number OF pa
TENTS thus far has quite come up to our
expectations.
1.-THE tramp and vagabond who lies on
his back and calls for help is not an object
| of charity but a fit subject for the chain
gang. Forced labor is his only remedy.
There is a large population in Savannah
which has to face one Of two alternatives:
| either to be absolute objects of charity, or
to promise to pay the regular medical fees
| Of the city. which promise they have to
break The result is they go the rounds
of the different physicians, pay nothing
and get into disrepute. The small dlspen-
sary fee encourages them to pay some
| thing, the result of which is that by the
end of the year, they have really contrib
uted toward a charitable institution and
have also retained their self respect So
long as a poor man does that, there is
| hope for him. God. helps those who help
themselves, and this is the best maxim to
follow in all charitable work. There is a
large class who can help themselves, II
encouraged and that Is what we propose
to do from the medical side.
1--WE are determined to make the work
a success, and have pledged ourselves to
work one year to accomplish it. While
we hope to receive aid from the city and
from other sources, yet we can keep up
the work for one year, If we have to rely
entirely upon ourselves. If we sue
coed we will consider that we have ac-
| com Dlshed n great thing for fha cftx-