The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1904-10-18

ed the children, sent the mother to
the county poor farm and had the
father put In jail for vsgraney.
OBSTACLE TO CHARITY. =
This 10 only one Of a number Of
cases that have come under my oh
aeryation. and ! DO not hesitate to
speak. for ] believe that Mr. steeia
and hla organization here have been
and atill are one OF the worst OBJ
atacles 10 charity that the leglti-
mate charities of the city have had
10 contend with Steele has been
rot only a stumbling block IN tho
way Of charity. but he has been
nggressiyely an interference. and
bis detective bureau. 20 far from
guarding against imposters. seems
e. have aa its chief aim TO prove
every hungry, sick and distressed
person who comes 20 the notice Of
charity an imposter. The most
ever knew Mr. Steele or any Of bis
assistants 10 DO. except IN one or.
two small matters. was 20 give an
order on the county commissioners
o. on some other Organization, and
these could Just as well have been
obtained without the aid OF the So
eiety I know that when am try
Ing 20 assist a poor family one OF
the hndest things can do for them
Is 10 keep their distress from be-
coming known % the Charity Or
ganizatlon Society. and have long
since learned that time IL ar well
az wasted N spent In appealing TO
Mr.. Steele or any Of HIS clerks.
There f. only one spirit In that Of
flee. That is the spirit OF hound
ing down the helpless and dragging
up whatever can be found against
them TO warrant a verdict OF 'un-
worthy
1T will be time 20 approve OF or
ganlzed charity when some kindly
person. who tempers his Judgment
with. the milk Of human kindness.
f. put in the official chair 10 as
slat the rest ~ MS by centraiizing
contributions and appeals. Such an
office in the hands OF such person
would be a material help. But until
such an arrangement r. consum-
mated prefer 10 take the chance
OF feeding az imposter rather than
10 permit the hungry TO go without
bread.
HIS HEARTLEss TREATMENT.
s'Mr. Steele never gave me an In
dorsement card. indeed. did not
desire any. but he did not forget to
tell me that he desired I should
not solicit contributions as Il inter-
fered' with securing the funds OF
the society. from which. he said.
the other charities could draw for
such cases as he deemed worthy
Il think voice the sentiments OF
nearly every legitimate charity In
the city when ! say that the Char
Ity Organization Society has been
and attn remains one OF the city's
greatest sources Of real misery ana
enlightenment among the poor. Mr.
steele. by his heartiess treatment
OF individual cases and his publicly
expressed opinions that all poor
families in distress should be orok-
en- up has frightened sick and
poverty stricken fathers and moth
ers from appealing for food for
their starving children. and ! have
heard women on their sick beds
begging piteously that Mr. s'eele
he kept IN ignorance Of their con-
dition. lest he take their children
from them.
As 70 the purposes OF the $. O. 8.
as they have been published tney
sound well and no doubt " they
we're properly carried out would re-
lfeye the contributors 10 charity OF
much ANNOYANCE on the part OF So
licitors. They also might guard
AGAINST a few imposters, OF when
think Seattle has less number
than any other city OF the size In
the United states. But under its
present management and methods
he Charity Organization Society ia
depiorable mistake and stands
in the way Of all charity workers
Who are really trying 70 help the
poor and trying TO relieve real dis
tress"