The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-16
PAGES 9 10 Is

civilization that stood the test best; for
long before our plans could be executed.u
the japanese were organized and had
fed nearly 1900 of their countrymen
To traveller in Italy, the large num-
Der OF beggars does not impress one 50
much with the poverty of the people, as
the evident weakness in their system of
education and a lack of intelligent So
cial organization.
In every part of the United States. as
Well as in this. it's youngest Territory.
the tendency has been for individuals
10 devote themselves to making money,
and the prosperity of the whole country
has been such that comparatively few
have time for thoughts of anything else
until they have met reverses or made
| tremendous fortunes. Yet, from those
who have given the subject of charity
any attention, there is growing ten
dency all over the Union toward an or
| ganized attempt to solve these perplex-
ing social questions, and the most mod
ern method is to divorce all sentiment
from charity and put it on matter-of-
fact, business-like basis. This indicates
higher plane of education, toward
which the people of the United States
are gradually working. mus one of the
most important questions before the ed
ucated people of this community is the
care of it's poor.
The old-timer can well remember the
simple and Arcadian conditions which
existed in the days gone by, when win
dows were left unfastened and door I'M
latched with safet; when tramp was
unheard of, and our street corners were
not crowded, with idle men. But with the
changes and increase of population, our
conditions are now entlre,y altered and
1t is no uncommon thing to see men
strolling around all parts Of the City
with nothing to co.
Are We willing TO admit that our in
telligence is any less than that Of other
American communities, or that we are
on lower plane of education? And are
We going to allow public sentiment to
lie dormant while other cities, instead
of attempting to solve these questions.
are simply dumping the most indolent
and poorest of their population on the
shores of these rich, tropical Islands.
where they say a man does not have to
work, where he needs no warm clothes
or protection from cold, where there is
no fear of starvation because of the
fruit growing on every tree, and where
the people are SO generous that they
never refuse meal? No. Let us show
that we are progressive, and let us re-
solve to solve these questions in the
best manner possible, SO that the travel
er or sight-seer will be surprised at the
highly organized condition of this COM
munity.
I know of no community as small as
this that has shown such intelligence and
ability to organize in emerBepcies land
protect itself from epidemics, or recu-
perate from disasters.
The financial support this association
has received shows that we need not
fear for lack of funds, and the utilization
of every important charitable society
gives US a good start. We can probably
accomplish much more than we think for
if everyone interested in charity could
be persuaded to select one or more Of
the different charitable organisations
which go to make up this association az
the means of distributing their contribu-
tions and then let everyone of Us make
1t our special duty to bring public ppin-
ion to the point where >, will condemn
indiscriminate alms-giving; condemn
those who thoughtlessly make this City
| a haven for paupers. If only small
but determined band of workers will un-
dertake to bear this in mind, they can
easily secure the united effort of the
| whole community
Suppose the Associated Charities
should start the movement by an at
| tempt to pledge every housekeeper in the
| City to refuse free meals to a. stranger
| or an INDECENT person unless they in some
way earn them. Which of the societies
affiliated with this association can Sc
| cure the largest number of such pledges
during the coming year?
| This association should take up each
year some, special phase Of the work
and, by step at a time, arouse puuiic
! sentiment If during this year such
pledge from all the housekeepers in Ho-
| vol, no oh AZ would mean
| that the women of this commun.ly real
| ly were Interested; then the Associated
Charities could follow it up with SIM
| liar movement among the business
| houses and thus gradually everyone
| would join in combining all applications
for charity to some one or other OF the
various organizations.
| 1t is not enough for the Police Depart
| ment to keep after the beachcombers
and tramps: the whole community
should be on its guard. No -beggars
should be seen on our streets, and every
one Interested in charity should be
| made to feel that it is his or her duty to
report them to the authorities.
| We know that it is common for pro-
| fessional beggars to signify their will
inguess to work, but every case should
| be considered suspicious until, 1T has been
| tested, and, of necessity, every case
| ShOuIQ naFGfd IalT anu pIopCA LusSSeAo1@"
ton, and If found worthy, should be
| given ample assistance. By such means
our community would prove itself above
the average, charity would notsoverlap.
and the really worthy would not some
times be Disseminated against, nor
would the worthless receive the assist
ance which false sentiment so often
prompts.
| l would suggest for the future consid-
Grafton of the associations:
First That the City be divided into
districts, each affiliated society to be-
/ come responsible for the canyassing OF
one of them, and these societies to meet
and still further subdivide the work ae-
cording to their own pleasure. In this
way the work can be SO distributed thaf
1t would not be difficult, and every
housekeeper could be made to feel
personal interest
Second Let every member do all IN
his or her power to create pupffe senu-
ment in favor of a plan by which AL
contributions, large or small, snail %
given only through some organised cnar-
| ity. II every person would select from
among the charitable organizations am
lated with us such as interests MIN most