The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-03-21
GIVE THEM ENCOURAGEMENT.

General DAVIS declares tuat ooo
tons of food supplies are required
weekly to meet the necessities OF the
starving poor in Porto Rico 1t
would be cheaper, and better in the
end. for this Government to give to
each head of a family on that island
forty acres and a mule and tell them
to root hog OF. die. We have already
enough poor in this grand and glorl
Gus country to consume all the
charity this government is Opposed to
give. Having already been made the
dumping ground for the pauperlsm
and the rag tag element OF other
countries we have now a large and
constantly increasing army Of tramps
and hoo boes who are not too honest
to steal nor too proud to beg. By
the criminal indifference and false
charitableness Of this government
whose pocketbook flies upon too
quickly to the cry Of real or imagi,
nary distress, we are woefully sfa'cted
with a very undesirable class OF i'm
migrants who have sought our hos
pitable shores to play upon the sickl!
sentimentahty of the powers that
be. Here upon this land hallowed by
the holy conservation Of the Pilgrim
fathers to the God of nature and the
patron of industry and thrift SC that
they might enjoy the blessings that
flow from them in peace and quiet,
the midnight murderer, the thief the
red handed anarchist, the idle and
the thriftless find a safe retreat to
feast like the vultures of the air
upon the products of toll and indus
try.
We by no means oppose this gov
eminent in bestowing charity upon
the deserving, but it should be done
with discrimination and with a view
to elevate rather than debase the re-
cipient. True charity and that
which has the most lasting effect
and wins the confidence and esteem
of those who are the objects OF
charity, consists not so much IN CIV
ing temporary relief by satisfying
the pangs of hunger today which has
to be repeated tomorrow or the last
stats will be worse than the first, as it
does in giving that assistance having
a tendency to inspire confidence and
bring into play self reliance. The
exercise of these elements which are
found toa greater or lesser quantity in
the character and nature of all human
bsincs is calculated to cultivate and
encourage the habits of industry and
lead to the making of a happy and
prosperous people and consequently
good and useful citizens of whom any
nation might feel proud.
In helping those unfortunate peo-
pie who by the fortunes of war are
thrown upon the protection OF this
government and are entitled to its
warmest sympatbies give them not the
shadow o rthe substance. Let the au-
thorities at Washington and the phil
anthrophic inclined, forget not in Civ
ing their aims, the higher and nobler
gifts which will appeal to their
manic ID and develop the nobler and
truer elements of their nature. Let
them be taught to depend upon their
own efforts for a livelihood and
give them to understand that upon
the amount of intelligent and
p~ersevering toll, whether Of head or
hand, will their success depend. Sup
ply them with all the means and i'm
plements which are necessary for
the prosecution of the varied avoca'
tions incident t>our Christian c~iviliza-
ton. Encourage them by precept
and example and by the exercise OF
patience the plain as well as the in
tricate details of industry and if we
are but faithful to the great and
grave responsibilities which God has
placed upon US as a nation We shall
soon make of them an enlightened
and prosperous people who will bless
the day from the open fountains of
hearts ~ove,fowing with gratitude,
that brought them under the folds
of the American flag.
A Washington correspondent writ
" Al. TJ,u,L;o Cto{o ouor 3o{o