Daily camera., 1898-03-22
IMPROVIDENT POVERTY.
A Difficult Problem for Philan-
thropic Workers.
Poor People Who Do Not Know How
to Econ0mi1e-Instan Which
Point Out Their
Failings.


and their inability to make the most
of the little money upon which they
must live are constantly being inn
| pressed by new illustrations upon the
minds of all charitable and philan
| thropic workers. People who are liv-
| ing in the utmost wretchedness, suf-
| fering oftentimes from both hunger
and cold, will, unless a careful watch
se kept over their movements, frequent
| ly spend the first money which comes
into their possession for some entirely
superfuous and useless article. 1t is
the old story of being able to get on
without the necessaries of life, but
not without it's luxuries. A case in
point recently came up before the
Society for Relief of Poor Widows
with Small Children" This is one of
the oldest charitable organizations of
the city, having recently celebrated its
hundredth anniversary. Its object is
to assist widows who have as many as
two children under IL yeass old, the
help being given, as rule, in the form
Of food, clothing, ETC., instead OF in
money. The woman in the instance re-
ferred to has six children, the youngest
Of whom is now IL. Although this
properly excludes her from the bene-
fits OF the society, the officers have
been interested in her struggle to main
tain her large family and have con-
tinued their aid at their own private
expense. In spite of this, and the fact
LII - 10 o1I ah
dren are earning money, the mother
complained recently to one OF the set
Elements where she is known that she
was much behind in her rent, and did
not see how she could get along. A
visitor called at her house and noticed,
as soon as she entered, two new and
rather expensive pieces of furniture
folding bed and chest Of drawers.
Upon inquiry she learned that the wom-
an had bought them short time be-
fore and was paying for them by in
stallments. To meet the last payment
she had pawned new suit belonging
10 her 15-year-old son. The rent was
three months overdue. ,s"'a -
When demonstrated with for this
piece of extravaganza, the widow said
that when she bought the things she
did not see any reason why she could
not pay for them, because her son was
receiving good wages. TWAS some time
before she could be made to see the
foolishnes of the purchase, and it is
not probable that the lesson will be of
any use when different occasion for
spending presents itself.
Another extremely poor widow, to
whom the society pays five dollars "a
month, allowing her to take it in any.
commodities she chooses, was found to.
have bought from this amount, at a de-
partment storewhere the society has an
account. yard and half Of velvet.
A third woman, who is unable to
work, is visited by the workers OF one
of the settlements, and also receives five
dollars month from a private person
who is interested in her. Her rent until
lately has been seven dollars month
for two rooms. Helped as she was, it
was possible for her to raise the re
naming two dollars to make up the
rent. The other day, however, the set
tlement visitor was astounded to find
that the woman had hired another
room, thereby increasing her rent to
ten dollars month.
''Why did you do such thing as
that?" she was asked.
"Well," she answered, 81 thought
maybe l might be able to let it out
again, and then I'd make something out
of it,
But there was no tenant in view, ard
up to the present the speculation has
produced outlay and no revenue.-N.
Y. Tribune.