Waterbury Democrat., 1901-08-30

BEGGING ON THE SIDEWALK.
 given substantial aid; and, third, if impostors can draw living from the 1 public bounty. Of course, I shall make
 8 newspaper story of my experiences. l A beggar could not succeed so well in Baltimore or any other city as have succeeded here.
 'To begin with, this is the only city in the country where $1, 100000 are put | in circulation twice month. The gov
 ernment employees are paid off on the | fifteenth and thirtieth days of the
 month, and they are a prodigal people
 as class. They are.also good hearted and generous.i Government money
 comes easy and it usually goes easy. That is not grammatical, I know, built l is vernacular and true.
 "Any respectable looking woman, l with clean face, clean hands, shabby dress, patched and darned, can gather l days by looking meek and whispering | plea for help as the clerks come forth
 to their luncheon at noon, or when
 they leave, the departments at the close
 of office hours in the afternoon. The young men are easy marks, and so are
 many of the young women; but men give more freely than women do It l may be that women might be disposed
 to aid aerespectable looking male beg gar, rather than to give aid to one of | their own sex; but that is only sur- mise.
 "There are no policemen about the I state, warland navy departmentb build
 ings, nor are they always standing
 around the interior department and
 post office department. They are aI- ways on duty at the treasury, and a
 beggar should avoid working the game
 when they are near by, because some people are prone to call on policeman
 to take charge of the case, and that
 might ultimately lead to exposure or a
 term in the workhouse. On the 18th
 of last month managed to gather in
 $10 at noon, and about SIT in the evening. On the 3Oth of the month
 collected little more than $14, but I
 did not get in any work in the even-
 ing, because the policemen were
 about and was working the treas
 ury clerks. By steering clear of the bluecoats, am very sure that I could
 raise not less than $50 each month, and this could be kept up for an in
 definite time without discovery. T have thus ascertained that im- posters can draw living from the 1 public; and I have also learned that
 the worthy are given real help and
 urgent cases are relieved. The asso- ciated charities could not be better
 organized. My story there was 1is- tened to, and an agent went to my dingy room to find that my story of poverty was true. My rent was paid | for two weeks and work was found
 for me. The pay was small, but it
 was living. Begging, however, is
 easier and brings four times the in-
 come of honest toll. The associated
 charities, by system of visiting, en- deavors to bring every poor family into contact with some charitable l person who can visit the needy at least once week and exert some in- 1 flucnce to effect a permanent inn | provement in the condition of the
 worthy. This is better than aims. 1 giving, for it is real charity. have visited many cities end investigated many systems, but I believe that l Washington's system is well-nigh per-
 feet. It is much better than that in vogue in cities with larger popula-
 tions and greater business enter prises.e
 Although one may make living
 here by begging, I must say that
 there is no substantial excuse for
 street begging in your city because l homeless men and homeless women
 can always be provided for in proper institutions. The ladies and gentle
 men engaged in the charitable work of various organizations do not go l far enough in their efforts for indi-
 vldual cases. Their system of visita- tions is a good one, but it needs ex- l tension. It needs church cooperation,
 so that the law of love may be exem- 1 p1ified. Gifts of old clothes and cold.
 victuals do not bring self-respect to
 families. Something ought to be done l to raise the children to higher level by surrounding them with better in- 1 Guences-''
 The investigators touched a truth
 there which may well be applied to all other cities. 1t is true of Wash
 ington, as it may as we'll be confessed to be true of other cities, that the
 churches to outsiders seem cold, self
 ish, uncharitable, even to the very verge of selfishness and uncharitable- ness. The men and women who com
 pose our church membership are probably the very best people in every community; because they are trying to do right.
 | However it may be in your commu- nity, it is an established fact that