The Portland daily press., 1900-03-20
Addresses by Several
Clergymen.
ACCESSIBILITY Of Establishing a
Wood Yard Talked Over.


usually large attendance and an interest
Ing discussion. The first speaker was
Rev. DIR. Smith Baker. He said. in part:
NEARLY every one has among his own
acquaintance those who need help, but
the older grow the less my heart Is
touched by the pretended need OF the
general poor. There are hcnsst persons
reduced through misfortune or sickness
or who are out OF employment for time
who need help, but the most OF the others
do not think Christ would help II lie
were herb now. There should be but three
ways Of helping the poor. FiIst, by the
city; second, by the churches, and third,
by organized effort like the Assoc lated
Charities. The churches are willing to
help all their own worthy poor. They
have their unworthy ones who come
around In time Of nesd and claim men,
bersbip, poor, lazy, shiftless and intern
perate in many instances. We pay taxes
fer the support Of these and others who
do not belong to any church. do not
believe In giving tramps crust Of
bread y
DIR. Baker said that he did not believe
there were many honest tramps.
Rev. Mr.. Shepherd made very inter
esting address. He said after giving
hrlef account Of the Jewish laws and
customs in regard to the treatment Of
the poor, that one of the troubles with
the worthy poor 10 that SO many of them
can do anything, but few Of them can
do anything we'll. he believed that al
children should be taught to do some
kind Of work, given some kind OF trade
with which to earn their living. This
should be done even by the rich for they
know not what may happen to their
riches In course of time. MIR. Shepherd
SAID that he regarded the baok door
method OF relieving the poor as q most
vicious one. He approved Of the Cam
bridge idea of organized church work |
and the distrioting of the city among the
various charges. MIR. Shepherd said |
that he had grown hard-hsarsed In rela- |
ton to the men who cams to his back |
door for food or q nights lodging. he
told Of several instances where he had |
Teen deceived by men who were appar-
emily In great need. He estim ated that
over $780, 900 year Is expended in Port
land for charity, and In one way he re-
garded this rs q credit to the city, but
In another way he regarded 1t as dis
grace. He said he thoroughly be'isyed
in the establishment of q wood yard or
some such place where respectable peo-
pie can go and earn few dollars. He
thought the 40 cdd churches Of the city
should vote to patronize such an institu-
tion and send their applicants to this
place to work. He said that he would
like to see minister elected to the
school board and have the charity depart
ment taken out OF politics. He said that
some Of the neighboring towns and vii
lagos had learned how generous Portlan
is with Its poor and that the poor of
those places were coming here fer aid.
Mr.. Charles Esker, the secretary of the
board OF oVerseeTs OF the poor, reported
in regard to the advisability of establish
ing a wood yard. He did not think the
plan q feasible one. In the first placs
the city already manufactures nver 800
cords Of wood a year at the almshouse
for it's outside poor. Secondly, he be-
lieved that great deal Of this poverty
and distress IL caused by lack Of edu-
cation. The poor do not understand how
to economic or to manage. In the third
place he thought the industrial condi-
lions. the great trusts and the policy OF
survival OF the fittsst, has brought about
much Of the distress.
Mr.. Shepherd said that he was totally
opposed to eending a worthy. honest
man TO the poor house. He thought that
IL the churches should make systematic
effort to establish aud maintain some
such Institution as a WOOD yard it would
be Of great help.
Mr. Baker replied that as long as the
churches managed the wood yard 1t
might work, but 1t would not be practi-
cable for the city to undertake anything
of the sort.
DR.. Blanchard moved that q commit
tee on a wood yard. consisting Of minis
tiers. be appointed.
The Rev. MIR. Phemn said that there
Was a time some 20 years ago when a
provision was made one winter that all
who applied Tor assistance and were
able to work. should pc given n chance
TO shovel gravel for the city. Out OF the
large number who were sent to the
gravel pit to earn their food and lodging
only six awaited them sslves Of the chance.
Mr.. Phelan did not believe that wood
yard would be good thing, bect use 1t
would interfere with the bufiness men.
He thought that the majority Of men
who wanted work could get work. Peo-
pie won't employ a man who gets erunk
and nins-tenths Of the poor miserable
sticks who apply for help have never
learned to do anything well. Girls will