Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1903-06-19

rooms. Under such circumstances 1T
is as useless to try to teach virtue
as it would be to try to get an
Apache papooSe to understand the
meaning of differential calculus. 1t is
simply incomprehensible.
Some of these alleys are in the rear
of fashionable residences, and pesti-
lence stalks back of the brownstone
fropts. In an alley one block from
the palatial embassy of Great Bri-
tain family dwells in single room
where the cooking, eating, sleeping,
washing, ironing and qnarreling are
all done. In the same alley not long
ago there were five cases of smallpox
discovered The alley houses have no
cellars, no drainage, no modern con-
venienceS. 1t is a wonder that dis
ease does not become rampant here,
when one has revealed these alley
conditions.
The colored people in the alleys of
south Washington are worse condi-
toned than ever they were in slavery
days. One of the old women said that
she had been living on one spot for
upwards of so years; that she had
ten children and all were gone out
into the world except the baby; that
she had no knowledge of her other
children; and that they never called
on her. In slavery days, when fam
lilies were occasionally separated by
the masters, hands were held up in
horror. But, in these latter days,
when poverty separates families, few
people on the surface realize what is
going on in the submerged tenth.
When asked, in his office, how he
could endure hearing so many per-
sonal pleas, Mr.. Weller replied:
I've been hearing hard luck stories
for so long that l understand them
all before they are uttered. There
are very few new ones to me. And
yet each individuals case is all the
world to him; consequently I listen
as though each case were some thing
entirely new and demanding special
attention. He entertains poor girls
and women with graceful ease, put
ting them under no obligations, and
making them feel that they have
made him happy by giving him an
opportunity to help them. He is a
diplomat as well as philanthropist.
But he can be stern and just, as
well as generous. The man or woman
with false hard luck tale might bet
ter take it somewhere else, for he
will detect the least discordant note
in the story. They who occasionally
have the effrontery to attempt to
impose on Mr.. Weller usually have
their labor for their pains, and it is
hard labor on the farm, where they
are sent by the police court judge. In
such cases there is no disposition to
be mercifu1 or to eXtenuate the
wrongdoer. And so the word has
gone around among the hobOes that
Washington is not good place to go
with any but genuine hard luck sto-
ries.
Secretary Weller says that the as
sociated charities here, as in all other
cities, does not stop short in its
work when suffering is relieved by
food, fuel or clothing. 1t is the pur-
pose of the organization to ascertain
where good characters are capable of
being developed and to find employ
ment for all the worthy. In this the
Young Mems Chris tan association
cordially and effectively cooperates.
1t is stated reliably that not less
than 1000 families here are to-day
supported by those whose beginnings
were extremely unfortunate, but who
were lifted up and given employ
ment. Also. many beautiful girls
have been taken from the vice-en-
comprised alleys and helped Heaven
ward.
There are many ladies and gentle
men who have their parts to play in
this drama of humanity; and we viii
tell about them some other day.
SMITH u ERX