The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-06
CHURCHES THRONGED TO HEAR MIR.
AND MRS. BOOTH-TUCKER.
Salvation Army Leaders Hold Four
Services in Many Auditoriums--
The Colonization Scheme.

the ldISt AT IAlS service the
commanders wife, known in Salvation Ar
my circles as Consul" Booth-Tucker made
an impassioned address on the work that
is being accomplished in the rescue homes
and shelters in the large cities. The con-
suls private secretary, Brigadier Alice
Lewis, who entered the work after receiv-
ing a careful training for the operate
stage, assisted in the services, singing solos
to her own accompaniment. Colonel
French, of Chicago, commander of the
Northwestern district, presided at the meet
ing. On the rostrum were Rev. J. A. Mil
burn, pastor of the Second Presbyterian
Church, and Rev. J. Cumming Smith, pas
tor of the Tabernacle Presbyterian Church.
and Rev. Mr.. Bacon, pastor of Roberts
Park Church, During the afternoon Brig
adler Alice Lewis addressed the Young
Women's Christian Association in the
chapel of the First Presbyterian Church.
]. Cumming Smith made the invocation
at Roberts Park Church. DIR. Bacon pas
tor of the church, briefly welcomed the
great Salvation Army leaders to Indianap-
oils. I'VE believe said he, that God is in
this great movement. We welcome Com
mander and Consul Booth-Tucker."
The commander apologized for the fact
that this was his first visit to Indianapolis
| OHG uIlSHL luIlIh, ne SdiI, that LHlS WOuIu
be the first city he would visit in America
| after leaving India, on account of the SIM
ilarity of names. 1t is not necessary, he de-
clared, to go to India to find jungles. Royal
| Bengal tigers of poverty and hunger haunt
| the jungles of the great cities He told
| what has been done to relieve present dis
| tress in the large cities by the Salvation
| Army From twenty-eight institutions for
| caring for the destitute, year ago, the
number has increased to eighty-one at pres
| ent. A year ago these institutions were I'M
der the care of 226 officers of the army.
| To-day there are e30 in the work. Night
| after night he said, food, shelter, cheer and
| hope are provided for four thousand sad
| hearts. 1--WE have provided for the poor
more than 100000 shelters in the last twelve
| months And, best of all, we have been
| able to touch the hearts and bring about
| the reformation of some of the most terri
| Bile characters. OF course, all this takes
money, as you may suggest. How much?
| On an average of Is cents for each time
| succor is given, about $150,OOO a year. The
| poor people who have been helped have
| themselves paid upward of 100000 in cash.
| Some $4,000 has been used to provide the
| institutions furniture ETC., in the local
| work, so that, as matter of fact, the great
| work accomplished has cost charitable peo-
pie but $40 900.
| But the city colonies for the poor are not
| suf1cfent, and we are arranging to tack on
| farm colonies. to place waste labor on the
| waste land with waste capital. Some peo-
| pie do not like the word waste Very we'll
| call it idle labor, placed on idle land with
| idle capital, or, If that word does not please
| you, call 1t surplus labor, surplus land and
| surplus capital. No matter what you call
cam
| CARING FOR THE MASSES
| Tn vuarlxincr ont fbic idoa tba ooro1oap5o,,
said, in practical businesslike way, the
solution of the problem of caring for the
masses of poor people will be solved. mo
| body Disputes said he, that there are
| three millions of these submerged classes
| in our midst. In dealing with the problem
/ that poverty presents we ought to avoid
/ fallacies. There is the ostrich fallacy.'
| The ostrich, burying his head in the sand,
| imagines that, because he cannot see the
| danger, it does not exist. The roars of the
| lion of poverty are heard in the midst of
US. Woe betide us If we close ears to
| them. Then there is the football policy of
| kicking human beings from city to city. In
| New York they tell us that Chicago is
/ wicked place, because its poor shipped
| to other cities Chicago tells the same
| story of New York. From place to place
| the poor human footballs are kicked about
| am afraid that tramps, like other birds,
| will come home to roost. You send them
| out blackbirds and they will come back
4 pies. 4DSil OSWdTG OIL the 0cTuclHXlOn
| policy of mailing poverty to the cross. A
/ ragged coat does not indicate a ragged
| character, a ragged intellect nor ragged
heart. Above all, let us not forget the rules
/ Of morality, humanity and Christianity.
| Not long ago l had the privilege of talking
| with President Mckinley. In the course of
| that talk said to him that society has a
| right to say to the destitute. This is what
/ you must do to receive aid but it should
family man whose @eeh famiy IS b HP the
| whose loved ones are taken from him, is
| no better than a derelict at sea-yea, he is
| worse. for the derelict may be blown out
| of the water with dynamite to prevent dan
| ger to other vessels, but we have not ar
| rived at the stage where we can blow up
| the poor man.
Whether man is worthy or unworthy
| said the speaker, should not be asked when
he extends hand for aid but whether he
| is willing unwilling to work. He said
| he had heard of a charitable organization
| that spent $4,000 in a year inquring into
| the worthiness of ten thousand cases. 1t is
most difficult he said, to inquire into the
character of those in need. Twenty wit
! nesses VIII swear that he is black, while
| With skillful lawyers to throw more dust
| in your eyes" said he. lit is difficult to
decide the case and you might as well flip
| com IN the air, calling heads you lose
| tails you win to the applicant for your
| bounty. In nine cases out of ten, he said
L would be found that the man willing
TO work. I'VE believe from our experience
that not more than per cent. are unwilling
to to work when chance to work is offered
1
| cases like that related by one captain who
| put man TO saving wood. When the cap
| tafns back was turned the fellow slipped
away after Scrtbbling down these lines:
| Just tell them you saw me
| But you didn't see me saw.
| because we occasionally find one unwill-
ing to work should we deny aid to the 50
/ per cent?
| FROM CITIES TO COLONIES.
| Commander Booth-Tucker said that he
was often asked whether the people would
! be willing to leave the cities for the colonies
| where they were provided with five or ten
acre tracts OF land. provided with comfort
| able cottages, a few pigs and poultry. He
| said that he knew three thousand people
| who are waiting to march at his command
| into this poor mans paradise" He told
| Of experiments that have been made in Cali
| fornia and Colorado. In the former State he
| expects to open forty cottages Christmas
| day for as many families IT is not pro-
posed to take the scum of the cities he
| said but 80 per cent. OF the men who want
| to go to these colonies are already agricul-
| turists who have drifted into the cities and
cannot get away again.
LAS q matter of fact he said, these
| people are about as good as this great audi
ence here to-day"
He spoke of the appeal that he had re-
the plan established on q business basis 1t
met with a response of but $4,000 The
scheme is 70 be under the direction of five
trustees, who are to issue certificates for