New-York tribune., 1901-03-10
BEGGING SISTERS.
THEIR OBJECTS, THEIR ROUTINE AND
THE RESULTS RECEIPTS ARE LARGE.


From The Church Economist.
Into all business offices in cities there come
every few days, Roman Catholic women, dressed
in the habit of some religious society and seek
ing money for the support of their work. Some
times will come in together, but
Oftener the two are q sister and a girl In her
early teens. Appeals made indscriminately
and generally in the form of simple request for
aims, without argument explanation. The
Church Economist" had a talk recently with a
Roman Catholic sister, who has spent her life
begging in offices of business men, For obvious
reasons the identity of the sister cannot be
made known, but We believe that the statements
made are reliable.
Csivers of large amounts are looked after care
fully by the clergy There is also a system OF
canvassing that is dome by the assistant priests,
usually once a year, and from house to house
This is in addition to money given in the
churches. and is often for special work such as
the building of parOchial school or of ad-
diti0n to the church To the women is reegated
the support of the aSylUmS. the Orphanages and
the hospitals. They are forbidden by the rules
of their societies To go about alone, and hence
comply with this regulation without an an
. necessary draft on members, they secure the
company of q young girl. OF course they are
not allowed to beg in diocese without the p
proval of it's bishop. This permission is granted
for certain seasons Of the year and for certain
parts of the diocese. SuperiOrS of the societies
allot routes to different cOnvassers, and care
iul system IS followed As the sisters receive no
salary the expenses are nominal Even when
trolley or other fare is 10 be paid some Glow
passenger often volunteers to pay it-and IS al
ways permitted To do
IL rarely. il ever. happens that any insult is
offered to these sisters, The one with whom the
talk was had said she had never been insulted,
nor dd she Know OF a case IN the experience OF
others. There is no place where they do not go.
Saloons are among the most responsive of all
places. Restaurants are good. and certain OF
them, il kept by Roman Catholics. give lunches
to the solicitors without pay, their charity TAX
ing that form.
the sister expressed the he lief that more than
half the money she obtained from non
catholics She said she would explain. { the
GTI hat Oh lrifv 2 s. =
she asked aims treated on the terms cath
"lics and non-Cathoiics. adding. however. That,
# e"urS-. thr administration was in Catholic
hands Where pledges are obtained the are
handed over 70 q collecting agency
The amount received in day varies greatly.
Ten dollars ls th"uGht small Twenty dollars is,
perhaps, an average record Sometimes. ty sim
su'l good luck as much as SIo is obtainri in
one day Most Of the money obtained is eI.-n
IN dimes and quarters. Soliciting for q S.,-n
charity does not so on the year round because
theIe are ether societies which claim part
OF the time and locality. Enough sisters aye ass
signed 20 the work TO cover the field Within the
time allowed. The money is turned in each
night, and the word II the sister has of course.
TO he taken concerning her receipts and exfrn,!i-
lures The sister expressed the belief that PROT
estant women. il they took UP The work eff per-
s"Hal visitation. could obtain far larger sums
than Catholics do. and was surprised that this
method not followed by ProteSJantS In
the New-York archdiocese there are NOR Than
one hundred Roman Catholic institutions main
tanned by nuns belonging t. forty-twc different
societies The amount obtained by these sisters
I"I tH"lF support bE the methods described runs
into the hundreds of thousands Of dollars an
nualiy.
cases have been known or fraudulent imuvr-
Sonatiun of sisters, hut thiS is a rare crime.
While the habits simple. il is ,:jfIi ult t.r an
outsider 10 copy them So exactly as to deceive
an "hS,rvaEt eye. Catholics laush at most rep
resent atoms # nuns etc, upon the stage, as a
huri.-qUe. Two women Wer,. grrested and pun
iShed IN California. some time age. for imper-
StusttIn&r sisters
The differences in habit are not very marked
70 The ordinary observer hut are well known
20 the educated Catholic In Paris the Little
sisters of the Poor are cOnSDicuO by the. dom
Key and cart which accompany them upon their
rounds. for the purpose oJ carrying, gifts Of
goods old clothes. groceries, etc. We believe
this feature is net seen in the United States