The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-28
ASSOCIATED CHARITIES.

Last evening in the rooms of the
Y. NJ c. A. Mrs. Lydia P. Williams,
who is thoroughly familiar with the
subject, described the nature OF the
work done by the Charities Aid Asso-
Citations These are organizations which
the progressive communities in many
countries established in order to pre-
vent fraud in the administration or
charities, and in order to secure great
er efficiency.
Benevolent people have been so un-
wise i'm their gifts TO the poor; the
mere sentiment of sympathy has so
often put good sense and thought aside,
there has resulted finally condition
of fraud and decentralization among the
poorer people that calls for reforma-
tion. Where there are several, and
many distinct charitable societies, each
one of them connected with a Church,
and independent of all other similar
societies, the dishonest and lazy poor
people are the first to. discover 1T, and
impose on all of the societies.
1t is not prudent or desirable to
consolidate, at present, the many
charitable societies. Each expresses
in its own way the thought of the re-
iigious demonstration behind it. But 1t
as wise and necessary for all to join
i'm common protection against Inn
posi- tion, andin getting some common
benefit from the diverse experiences OF
ALL One of the objects of the Charities
Aid Societies is to prevent dishonest
persons from defrauding thebenevolent
Through bogus charitable associations
As the population increases, and men
have less personal acquaintance With
their fellow men, the opportunities in
crease rapidly, through which these
dishonest concerns obtain support.
Few indeed realize the serious fact
that unwise benevolence creates pau
pers. Mankind may be divided, in civ
ilized lands, into two classes, not the
rich and the poor, but into two classes
containing the industrious and the i'm
dolent.
Enlightened charity seeks to aid
those who are industr GUS and ask for
work, and to discriminate against those
who are so demoralized that they do
not care for work.
The charity that throws "a few dol
lars into 'Ihe hat" is in NO sense the
ideal charity. For it involves no sac
~
men who do not deceive themselves
and in giving money for good uses
honestly say to themselves, eve dc
not feel the need of this money; it is
out of our useless surplus; it involve:
neither sacrifice or work of sny kind
or description whatsoever"
The ideal charitable work ON ths
other hand is that which struggles fol
the creation of such equitable socia
environments that whatever energy
and. industry men have shall not b.
suppressed, but encouraged.
This enlightened charity reforms
abuses, seeks out the true economical
laws, takes up the individual who ha
fallen by the way, and places hin
where he belongs.
Making contributions of none,
only is the least of all philanthropy
work. A large owner in the lat
Louisiana lottery, exceeded all of hi
neighbors in his benevolent gifts
The Charities Aid Societies do, no
attempt TO make radical changes. Thei
business and mission lis mainly to al
the existing associations in dischars
ing their perplexing duty of aiding tn
poor, and at the same time prevent tn
growth of voluntary pauperlsm.