The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-12-20
CIVIC FEDERATION LAUNCHED
 BY MONTGOMERY CITIZENS

table interests of the city, the beautffy- ing of the city's parks and cemeteries.
 '@The work of the Federation said Judge 7Thomas.E means much to the poor and 1t means much to us. 1t is the prac- teal application of our religion"
 The speaker urged his hearers to emu late the good example of the founders Of the Federation, when he declared ''hav- ing duty for our sovereign queen, God will bless our organization"
 Addressed by the Mayor.
 Mayor E. B. Joseph in beginning his remarks on Municipal Charity" said that the expression municipal charity" was a misnomer. The work should be, he said called municipal relief.
 ''The object of municipal charity" said Mayor Jospeh," Is to protect the life and give health and happiness to the giver and not to the recipient. Municipal charity means the setting in motion of municipal machinery for the help and as- sistance of the needy and indigent.'
 In the good it did, the Mayor said, it appealed to- all good citizens. There were, he said, two forms of municipal charity or municipal relief, the form that furnished hospitals, charitable refuges, poor houses and other similar institutions second the form that found expression in general outdoor distributions of relief and supplies to the poor.
 From statistics in his possession Mayor Joseph said that ten of the forty princi- pal cities had no outdoor or general dis tribution of charity but confined their work of helping the poor to the eleemosy- nary institutions.
 He, said the experience of other cites 4N~- At.1 ,f.at .nli fxr GNnt not give any general outdoor relief to the poor.
 In closing Mayor Joseph pledged his aid and assistance to any charitable work that the Civic Federation might under take.
 At the conclusion of Mayor Joseph's address, Miss Nomia Carter ascended the stage and sang in her rich soprano Thanksgiving" by Cowen. Miss Car ter's splendid voice was heard in the selection to splendid advantage and she was given hearty applause by her pleased hearers.
 Major Screws Spoke.
 Major W. W. Screws spoke briefly on The Identifying of the City Cemeteries"
 The work of the Civic Federation. Major Screws said was to be undertaken with a spirit of optimism and not with
 
 tident optimism he said would carry the movement forward to a grand success.
 The Federation, he said, would result in bringing to individuals an apprecia- tion of what they could do by concerted action. The people of Montgomery who asked for improvement of the condition of the cemetery were forced to accept the statement that there was no money in the treasury. The Federation, the speak, CT said, when 1t had proper driving power. could force those in power to do something.
 Montgomery, he said had a most worthy sexton, one who did all that was possible with the powers at his command but his force was eminently inadequate.
 The bereaved people of Montgomery, can look after their own grounds in the cemetery.
 But how many are there in Montgom- cry who are unable to, look. after their own dead when they have laid them away in the city of the dead?' he asked With some, he said 1t was hard strug- gle to eke out a bare existence and they could not look after their dead when they were once laid away.
 Major Screws said it was a sad thing to go through the Montgomery cemetery. Some squares. many of them. were. ut- terly neglected. They were oyergrown with high grass and weeds and the mold of time had effaced the Inscriptions on the stones that marked the graves. In some instances whole families had died out and no one was left alive to care for the dead A proper organization. Major Screws declared, would look after all squares.
 He contrasted the condition of the Montgomery Cemetery with the handsome nd %A~ af
 "The devotion of its people to the dead is an honor to the oity of Selma" he de- clared. ,..... I.. . He spoke of the splendid cemetery at los Angeles, Cal, every spot of which | was like part of a well kept flower yard, and the cemetery of Augusta in Alabama's sister State. is as well kept.
 "I believe" said Major Screws. "that this movement here tonight will result in | an organization. which will furnish bet ter assistance to the poor and needy. the better adornment of our streets and parks and remove from us the stigma of neg | lecting our city of the dead" Dr. Gregory Introduced. Dr. o. F. Gregory. pastor of the Adams Street Baptist Church. was introduced by Judge Gaston as one who had recOut- ly come among the people ot Montgom- cry, but whose work and signal aid in the organised charity of Baltimore had made him known in all parts of the Uni ted States where interest was taken In the work of organized charity and Civic Federations.
 pr. Gregory proved himself most pleasing and impressive speaker. He has a good presence. & pleasing voice and convincing delivery. Dr. Gregory spoke on ''The Organization of Charity" In beginning his remarks Dr. Gregory | alluded to his seventeen years connection with the charity organization of Balu- | more. He said he would therefore speak | of charity organization as he knew it. "A charity organization" he said, ore | supposes charitable associations which are to be brought into cooperation. Sucn an organization Is not so much an organ ixation of charity as 1t is an organiza- | ton of minds. It seeks to arouse public interest in charitable work" pr. GreEorw explained at length tne mode of operation of general charitaDle oraanization, the chief feature Of whieh was a central working committee. To thls central committee all appeals for help were referred and the appeals were care fully investigated by paid agent. When on annaal was received the paid agent