The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-02

ity OrEa nization Society was heid al TIE
rooms OF the Chamber Of Commerce yes
terSiav afternoon. when FUZZY 10 men and
women interested IN the profound subject
OF dispensing charity and controlling thu
disbursements of it's funds so as 20 avoid
overlapping and imposition gathered tn
discuss WAYS and means and 10 listen
10 the report OF Agent A 3 Allen. on
tbs subject OF the associations work
since its logical succession to the fuDc-
tons OF the Bureau OF Associated Chari-
ties.
Chairman D. 9. Garrett called the meet
ing toxether shortly after o'clock. and
Rev. George A Bale was elected By the
association as its general secretary
While awaiting the arrival Of Mr.. Allen,
Treasurer Alonzo Hull read his report,
showing a balance OF $l10.SG on hand. Mr.
Hulrs report was accepted suggestion
was offered that the association hold
monthly socials 10 which fee OF 10 cents
admission should he charged. and the pro-
cesds divided among the various commit
tees A committee consisting Of Mrs.
HaseH, Mrs. Wickware and Alonzo Hull.
was appointed for the purpose under dis
cussion, with discretionary powers
Mr.. Allen having arrived, his report as
follows. was submitted:
Agent Aliens Report
ssro the Members and Friends OF the
t-naTtfX
The Bureau OF Associated Charities sus-
pended operations In October. With its
demise every vestige OF cooperation IN
the conduct OF the charities of the city
disappeared. II Is needless 20 add that 1t
was A critical time for the charitahly dis
posed and the needy. / am not unmind-
ful of the criticism passed by those who
'dabbie' in charity. rather than gTapple
with the knotty problems that underlie
its successful administration, via, that
there is too much red tape about charity
organization Such criticism | have OBJ
served. comes always from those who
have had the least experience in caring
for the needy and unfortunate. In the
olden time the knight rode out from his
castle, and as he went distributed lar
CESS. and the people worshiped him whose
hand scattered the golden grain; but
when the giver Of the Ngold had passed
they crawled back into their miserable
huts and lived little better than the
beasts of the field. Thank God the time
has gone by when mere giving is called
charity. Paul put his stamp OF disap-
prevail upon that when he said, Though
/ bestow all my goods to feed the poor
and have not charity, IL proiteth me
nothing He might have added with
equal truth that 1t 'profiteth the, poor
nothing Mere almsgiving is cruel, though
1t Is prompted by kindness A case some
what In point: In November the case of
a woman and five small children was re-
ported 10 our office. 1t was O'Clock at
night when the visitors reached the
house. They found the following TO be
the facts: The husband had deserted his
family eighteen months before; since then
the mother had been making heroic and
successful effort to provide for herself
and the children. During the extreme
weather of November she took cold
while at the washtub, and nnaily sue
cumbed to an attack OF pneumonia. On
the night of our visit she had been on
sick bed for seven days, and the little
ones had been put TO bed without a
mouthful to eat that day. Now for the
sequel. We, OF course, provided for her
and the children during her illness This
was her first taste OF either public or
private relief. She seemed not at all
anxious TO get TO work again. and IL re-
quired no small effort on our part TO
arouse her again 20 her sense or parental
responsibility. Who would but say that
IL our kindness had destroyed her self
reliance and made OF her a public charge
1t had been atrocious cruelty?
That there must De systematic regis
tration and visitation Of all those who re-
ceive either public or private charity is
such a weli-settled principle that IL seems
presumptuous 10 aliude 20 II, nor would
do so We're 1t not that I have found II so
difficult TO procure the proper reports
from those who. inside and outside the
{. o. s, give 10 the needy. ] trust
that this matter Of registration and Wis
itation viii be emphasized again and
again az this meeting and through the
press. until all realize the Importance as
means Of preventing imposition on the
one hand and neglect on the other.
After the suspension OF the Bureau OF
Associated Charities, those interested
were called upon to accept indiscrim-
mate almsgiving, with all its attendant
evils, or devise some organization 10 take
its place. The c. O. 8. was the result
No one but those intimately associated
with the effort can have any adequate
conception OF ny DIFFICULTIES that had TO
be met and solved. The long siege OF
hard times had increased the number OF
needy, and at the same time tied the
hands Of those who IN the past had gem
aag.Frr r4saI -.
The same cause made * impossible for
many 10 pay their taxes. and therefore
necessitated retrencnment along the line
OF public relief The severe weather Of
November aggravated the situation by
throwing many families on our hands at
least month earlier than usual. Dis
organized. and all but disheartened the
work vas taken up by the Seattle Min
isters' Association. at the instigation of
Rev. .. =. Garrett. The city was divided
into thirty districts, some one church &C
ceptins each district and agreeing to care
with the aid Of the other churches IN
the cistrtc1-for the needy and distressed
In suC}l district. on December . a meet
ing OF those interested was held in this
formally launched ~ the adoption OF a.
brief constitution. This constitution vest
"a the management Of the society's af-
fairs in the hands Of an executive coun-
cil " eleven. and provided that this couu-
cil should meet every Monday. The fol-
lowing were then elected members Of the
executive coupcii: Rev. %. c Garrett,
president. Rev. ". II. .. Tssuple vice
president: Rev. George A Bale, secretary:
Alonzo Hun. treasurer: Hon. W r.
Wood Mai J. ". Parker Salvation
Army. ". J. Colkett. 7. Kohu. w NJ
kedogg, D. D.. John /. Cole. II. O.
Shaey
Just when 81 seemed darkest. from a
financial standpoint. the ladies' Of the
Friendly Visitors of the old Bureau OF
Associated Charities came forward Win
a cash contribution Of sles. o. This was
supplemented BY contribution OF 81
from me Roche Harb0r Lime Coupauv
Tho executive council met on the fol-
lowing Monday and organized by electfng
Rev. u. &. Garrett. president: Rev w ri
.. Temple, Vice president: Rev. George
A. Bale. secretary: AloRzo Huh. treas
ing committees; On finance. on employ
Inent. emergency relief. printing. pub
licity.
The duties q these committees are
sufficiently indicated or their names. The
employment committee. in conjunction
with the city free public employment bu-
rs2u. Has prepared and had printed I 0.sp
letters and raess ara being sent 20 All
employers et labor whose names car De
procured this side the Cascades Give Us
WORK Is the cry that assaIs rs on every
hand. How 20 Do y Is the great problem
The Calvert Company donated suitable
maps and These with the districts ont
lined thereon and tne names Of trs chsiy-
man q each district attached have beer
placed Il The bonds II chasrmsn. pastors
county commissioners. etc.
The printing COMMITTEES. after much L.
Dor. aas prepared the necessary fnforsna-
zion blanks. notices 20 TIE pubic and a
noss perfect system o. registration.
fhe emergency rehef committee has
dealt from time % t8r1e WIN SIeh cases
as needed immediate attention.
Mr.. john sullivan Eas generously given
she society tie Use o. gooua il ais bu1a-
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