New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-13
EcR CUiRITY REFORM.

Tho Ioudon Society of Church Beggars Is
the latest attcmut to fill long felt want, or
rather 10 remedy a long-fclt grievance AS uc
scribcd by Lady tiwendolen Cecil In "Thc Lon
don Times" it is an organization not merely
for The promotion of begging for charlty p"t
for the Encouragement and suppression OF the
most offensive forms thereof, to W.T. church
fairs and charity bazaars and entertainments.
For them the society proposes 10 SUBSTITUTE
s-begging pure and simple. Its members
are chiefly women of social rank, who nave
hitherto been Interested in bazaars and enter
tanments. They have now renouhccd such
works and agreed to devote their tiine ana
strength to writing letters ard otherwise di-
rccty soliciting aid for the same causes ior
which their former cndeavors were made ana
from the same people who were patrons oi
them. The society has only just been formed
and II Is too early yet 10 determine what VIII
be the result Of its efforts. But it is trying an
experiment which will be watched with interest
and with hope
Tho bazaar and entertainment evil is about
rs great here as in London. And it is indeed
great. Some such enterprises are, of course. en-
,ircly laudablc But Il large number of them
oro 4 burden and bore and worse. Salutary
legislation has suppressed some Of their worst
features. such as the gambling schemes through
which. in the church parlors, young people were
initiated into the very evils they were warned
against from the church pulpit. But these were
not the only evil features. People are wheedled
or forced into buying things they do not want,
and into paying cxtortionate prices for them,
both of which are positively immoral Women
of prominence in social or professional life take
buv thinVS
inst for the sake of seeing them at close range
and talking with them. which they c0uld not
otherwise do. That is simply making mer-
dlandise of ones personality, and IS obJectioh-
able The whole system, moreover, inculcates
n false spirit 1t does not promote pure benev-
olence for the sake Of benevoence, but leads,
or drives. people TO regard charity as mere
mercenary quid pro quo.
There is another practical and potent Dusl-
ness argument against the bazaar and entertain
mcnt system and in favor Of that OF alms-glV-
ing pure and simple. 1t is that under the foT-
mcr n large share Of the money paid by or eX-
tortcd from charitably disposed people goes
not for the causes they wish TO promote, but Tor
the expenses OF the collecting machinery. Inc
goods are to be paid for, as well rs nall rent
lights printing and and other inciden'als' ana
only a percentage, and often small one, or the
receipts finally goes to the institution for whose
benefit the affair was held. That Is not right.
When a man gives dollar for charitable pur-
pose. he wants the whole dollar. and not mere
" 40 or 80 cents. to go for that purpose ana II
IS no consolation 10 him to receive some OBJECT
for which he has no use in return for the bal
nnce He would rather give the dollar, ana get
nothing In return. but have the assurance that
the whole hundred cents would 60 TO the cause
he has AT heart 1t is one OF the distinctive char
acteristics of The Tribune Fresh Air Fund, and
one that has much commended ii to the public
favor and much contributed to its great sue
cess. that every cent given to it is expended
solely for the exact purpose for which II is given
That is one of the principles. also, of this Lon
don Society of Church Bcggars. Those who
subscribe TO its funds Twill have the satisfac-
.tion Of knowing that every penny given will go
"to the objects in question: That one fact
should assure the society's success, and the sue
cess Of n like movement here, should one ever
hn Ct