The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-25
Self-Help for Cubans.

As was noticed in last Mondays Tri-
bune, a movement for the relief of the
starving Cubans. by means Of careful
ly administered industrial enterprise,
has just been started in New York, on
plan suggested by Mr.. William Will
ard Howard, which has the cordial in
dorsement Of clergymen of all denomi-
nations and of philanthropists. 1t IS
intended to substitute opportunities for
honest work, to he paid for at the
market rates for labor, in place of in
discriminate and harmful gifts Of free
soup and old clothes and to avoid
pauperizing the beneficiaries and maxi
ing the Cubans nation of beggars.
Mr.. Howard's plan, which has been
taken up by an association formed for
the purposc-the Cuban Industrial Re-
lief funds based on his two years
experience in relief work for the Ar
menians of Eastern Turkey. In the
carrying out of the plan Mr.. Howard
Will have the assistance of the Rev.
Herbert NJ Allen. who was his chief
associate in Armenian relief work The
plan in outline is as follows:
l. To secure good farming land where
the need of the poor is the most press
ing.
>. To station there a capable Ameri-
can superintendent, with implements,
seeds, and funds sufficient to employ
n considerable number Of men.
3. To set at work all the able bodied
poor and pay them full market rates
for their labor.
4. To raise common food CROPS, sell
them in the best available market, and
with the proceeds continue the employ
ment as long only as the need exists.
using the same money over and over
again.
,. To return the farmers to their own
former homes as soon as they are
physically mentally and financially
able to re-establish their plantations.
While inspired by charitable motives,
the whole plan is to be operated purely
as business transaction, i'm which the
laborer will feel that he has rendered
service for all he has received. and that
he has not been robbed of his man
hood by being treated like a bcggar.
The money thus invested (and il will
he invested, not spenD will save the
United States millions that would
otherwise De used to clothe and feed
an idle, though suffering, population.
The success of the plan is assured by
the success Of the industrial relief work
done for the Armenians under the same
auspices; and the practical wisdom
and essential benevOlence of this kind
OF relief explains why the plan has re-
ceivcd the cordial endorsement of
clergymeD Of all denominations and Of
philanthropists generally.
The responsibility of Americans for
these suffering Cubans is a direct re-
suit of the Spanish war. We have
saved them from their former oppress-
ors, and We are now bound to save
their bodies from starvation and their
manhood from the degrading effects of
pauperism through unwise charity. As
Christian duty to those for whose de-
HVerance we went to war, and as a
patriotic duty to our own country
which depopulatcd Cuba would dis.
grace before the nations, let us fur
nish the Cuban Industrial Relief fund
with the money for its work: doing il
promptly, in order that the initial pur-
chases of implements and seed may be
made at once. Contributions for this
purpose may be sent to the Cuban In.
dustrial Relief fund, 10 Tribune build
ing, New York, or to the Continental
Trust company, so Broad street, New
York, which will be the depository of
the funds.