Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-11-29
THE UNITED CHARITIES
Annual Meeting Held Last Night
and Officers Elected.
President John II. Roper. Rcpor.
shows Totni Expenditure of
sI,sos0o During tho Yenr-os5
Persons Assisted.


The annual meeting of the United
Charities was held last night at their
room in the Masonic Temple. Captain
John L. Roper, the president, presiding
The meeting was largely attended by
members, friends and contributors
The principal business before the meet
ing was the election of officers for the
ensuing year and receiving the presi-
dents and treasurer's reports.
The treasurer's report showed that
the United Charities had about $500
in hand at present. The expenditures
are given in the presidents report
which interesting document is repro
duced in full.
The officers and directors elected
last night are as follows:
Capt. John l.. Roper. president:
Capt. B. p. loyal, vice-president: j.
G. TAFT, treasurer: IL. J.. Page, sec
rotary. Directors-John l.. Roper, r.
l.. Page. IL. l.. Page. J. c. TAFT, u. L.
Loyal, II. Il. Sparrows, c. H. Hey,
Royster, G.. Fl. Dawes AMI r. S.
Cuhn.
THE PRESIDENTS REPORT.
President Registers report is as fol-
lows: "NIr. Chairman, and Members:
1 submit the following as my report
of the work done by the Association
for the past year: Total number of
persons helped, 5S5; total amount ex-
pended in giving help. sl,S52.56; d-
vided as follows: For rent. SS52.S2;
for provisions, sS66.74; special help, in
the way of shoes, rent, transportation
Cor persons sent out of the city, etc,
sI33.50; all OF which will be given
more in detail in the treasurer's re-
port"
Notwithstanding the very severe Win
ter through which we passed we were
able to give relief to all>,who applied
and who. upon investigation. were
found to be really in need. In the mat
ter Of fuel during the bitter cold
weather none We're refused: and alto
gether great good was accomplished
and much suffering prevented ut . COM
parative small cost. When VIC take
into consideration that we now have Il
population of $4,000 or more, and but
few industries that afford employment
for women and children. the amount
expended by the association for the care
of the poor must seem small indeed;
and. of course, not sufficient to give
adequate relief i'll all cases. And, not
wthstnndlng the additional private aid
given by individuals and church organ
izations, there is still great need for
larger or more general contributions to
the United Charities. Our help could
be extended and made more effectual If
we had the means, especially in one
direction that SO often appeals to us.
The matter of rent is Il very serious
question at times. There are cases
when ii is absolutely necessary to give
aid in that direction Can there be any
greater charity than Keeping roof over
poor women and children? SO often
they are compelled to move 10 avoid
being turned out, their rent having ac-
cumulatcd to an amount that they can
not nay. I know that as q rule we
cannot undertake to pay rent, but there
are special cases where few dollars
IN that direction can be most worthily
bestowed and prove Il great blessing.
There arc poor women with families
dependent upon them that have no
means of earning money, and who are
dependent upon charity and the little
work then can get to do to enable them
to procure what they eat and wear
and no possible means OF paying rent;
and as Il consequence they are driven
fii.si IN -hlaHSe -hGnSn-nr from room to
room; and but for the individual help
given in this direction there would be
great sun erlnS indeed; ana even in TINS
there is imposition and need of inves-
tigation Therefore, if money for that
purpose were given through the United
! Charities to be applied only in such
cases where a real need for it was
found to exist after investigation, there
would be much greater certainty of il
being we'll bestowed. From my own eX-
periencc / know that amounts in mon
ey contributed for rent and other pur.
poses do not always go for the purpose
given; but If paid after the investiga-
ton Of the visitor il is certain to be
applied to the purpose intended. The
same may be said of contributions for
other purposes.
The object OF The United Charities is
to combine the giving and to faithfully
distribute the benefits to those really in
need, and thus protect the givers from
imposition ana to see that their bene-
ficence reaches the class for whom in
tended. / do not pretend to say that
the association is never imposed upon.
Even after the most careful 'investiga
ton help is given in some cases where
the parties are not really needy to the
extent of being proper beneficiarics.
but they are given the benefit of the
doubt. But I do feel sure that there
are not many cases of that kind: GER
tainly much less frequent than in in
dividual giving. Then, too, the object
of the United Charities is to prevent
supplementary giving which is vor,,