The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-01
which Mr.. J. F. B. Beckwith will be al
CHARITY WORK AND WAR.
Relief Agent WakeIee Believes Hos
tilities Will Increase Applicants.

NAAhAGS Win AACEEASe ADDI1C0ntS.
The departure of men who have helped
to support families, to enlist In the United
States army, together with the increased
cost of living, that is apt to follow as a
result of hostilities, may add to the num-
Der now largely dependent on the Chari-
table Association of Savannah There
has been no apparent increase yet, but
members of the association would like to
have the fund nearly equal to the pros
pectlve demand
Since the association began its work
about five months ago the applicants for
charity have been about the same each
month. The fund that was accumulated
through the efforts of Relief Agent Wake
lee and members was dispensed with
great care for the reason that it was ex-
pected professional beggars who had
preyed upon the charitably inclined for
years would undertake to convert the as
ISOLATION into a sort of public commissary.
In this they were not mistaken, as large
numbers, known to make little effort to
support themselves, called on the relief
agent among the first. By systematic re-
cording, however, the names of these
were soon on the associations books, to-
gether with information from members
who had known them some time, which
enabled the relief agent to act wisely and
place the fund in channels where il would
de most good.
Under present conditions the fund will
not be equal to any additional demand.
The revenue is now had from the men,
bers, together with the city's appropria-
ton of 1920 a year, payable 500 each
month from the city treasury. There is
little probability of the membership be-
ing run up very much under prevailing
circumstances, on account of the tension
likely to be drawn on money matters For
this reason the association may have to
adopt the plan of receiving and distrbut-
ing secondhand apparel of different kinds.
which can be given more readily of course
than cash in many instances, would sup
ply applicants with their needs. 1t is said
there are hundreds of young men who
would gladly make such contributions, but
under other circumstances would not help
the association along. A member suggest
ed that by informing citizens by postal of
the day on which collections of this kind
would be made and then sending a dray
at that time, enough clothing could be
gathered to supply several hundred ap-
plicants.
There is one class continually visiting
headquarters" said Relief Agent Wake
lee yesterday, that we cannot assist
These are itinerants who come to Savan-
nah, get stranded here, if not already pen
niless and then expect the association to
pay their railroad fare to some other city
Members unaware Of the rules in this re-
gard send such applicants to headquart-
ers and cannot understand why assistance
is refused. If the executive board had
permitted the fund 10 go for this purpose.
it would long since have been exhausted
on people who do not live here and for
whose benefit the work was not commence
ed.
Advanced prices on groceries and the
hardships that usually accompany war,
especially when 1t Is so near at hand, are
likely to bring increased demands on the
association. This will be on account Of