The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-08
Miss Jane Adams Tells of Her
Chicago Settlement Work.
Importance of Environment in
Improving Conditions.
PROBLEM OF POVERTY.
How 1t Is Being Met by the
Nations.
Charities Association Says Keep
Institutions Out of Politics.

Miss Jane Adams, the most famous
slum and tenement worker in the Uni
ted States, closed the fourth annual
convention of the Kansas Association
of Charities and Correction at the First
United Presbyterian church on Wednes-
day evening, with an address on the
work being done at the present time al
Hull House in Chicago, of which she
has charge.
Rather than to say that Miss Adams
delivered a lecture, it had better be
said that she told the story of settle
ment evolution on the west side of Chi
cago. where Hull House is located. Her
plea was that correction in men and
women can be brought about by
change of the environment, OF a resur-
rection of the whole neighborhood.- Miss
Adams work is mostly confined to
foreigners. Sixteen different colonies,
she stated, live in the territory contigu-
Gus to Hull House. Her principal work
is to neutralize the changed conditions
from the home country, which those
foreigners meet when they settle in
Chicago.
Poverty" said Miss Adams, must
be considered in a moral rather than
physical sense. People sink into it not
because of personal badness, but be-
cause of environments. The way TO
solve the trouble it not always to send
q boy to the reform school, or a girl to
the house of correction, but rather TO
build up the neighborhood in when
they live. Heighten the general tone
and standing, and a general effect is
quickly recognizable
One of the best ways to do this is
by means of the settlements. That is a
new idea in contradistinctiOn to the old
way of getting at conditions. 1t is the
new charity 1t is the new Idea Whlch
has grown up and is rapidly becoming
a factor in solving many of our social
and economic problems.
Poverty is regarded differently today
than during the last 20 years. Poverty
IS that which degrades and pulls men
and women back But it can be re-
moved. That has been proven. There
are several kinds of removal. There is
the social way, the economic way,
through political agitation and through
public interest. These factors are being
recognized had a chance to see the
wonderful growth and change in our
methods during the two years which
interviewed between the Paris World
fair and the St. Louis Worlds fair.
was on the jury of social economics at
both of these exhibitions, and even in
that short space of time, wonderful
change was apparent. 1 will cite what
Germany alone has done. That county
now provides, with Imperial sanction,
insurance against old age, sickness,
homestead, and in other similar condf-
lions. The government is looking after
these plans with view of seeing that
they are conducted to the best interests
of those who hold policies in them. The
imperial power thinks that it can arrest
poverty in almost every shape by thor
oughIy working out this insurance plan.
UnQuestioned results are already ap-
parent
Miss Adams then took up the prob
lem which lies nearest to heart, be-
cause it is her life work. the immigra-
ton question. According to this famous
philanthropist, that is the great pro-
T1t,
today. These people, said Miss Adj
dams. get into trouble because of ig-
norance. They do not understand our
laws, our customs, our modes. They are
unable in many instances to appreciate
how to take care of themselves in our
climate, so different from their own. l
have seen Italian women lose their ba-
bies because of this simple fact. have
seen Italian men come here and go out
TO work during the cold months of the
winter Predisposed, as many may be
10 tuberculosis, they returned to Chi
cago to die OF that dread disease.
Miss Adams told at length of the
work which was being done at Hull
House, the plan and method of carry
ing it on, the conditions which had to
be met, and other things which were
very interesting. Her appearance was
very popular with the audience, and |
excited their interested attention. The |
church was crowded to its utmost ca
pacity.
The following committees were ap-
pointed at the session on Tuesday |
morning:
On membership-J E. Nissley, H. |
w Charles, o. 5. Morrow.
On nominations@T. F. Carver, W. |
F. Blackmar. Henry J. Allen:
On egislatiOn-Edwin Snyder, J. B. |
Larimer, L. 3. Knavel.
On resolutions-O. s. Morrow, c. |
B. Van Horn, J. A. Ramsey.
These committees made their re-
Ia s,.f
committee stated that % new names |
had been proposed. At the meeting
the sum of $25 was raised in one dol |
lar subscriptions, emitting each giver to |
membership. So in reality SO new
names will go down on the member
ship books this year.
The committee on resolutions in a |
general way commended the work /
which had been done. It's principal |
work was to argue and resolve its in /
fiuence in favor of Juvenile court. to |
get which Prof. w. F. Blackmar is |
framing law to be presented in the !
next legislature.
The committee on nominations pre-
sented the following names for the Of
ncers of the association and all were |
unanimously accepted: President, o. |
; Morrow, Topeka; first vice presi- |
dent, E. A Fredenhagen, Topeka; sec
ond vice president, F. w. Blackmar, |
Lawrence; secretary, H. w. Charles, |
topeka; treasurer, L. H Perkins. |
Lawrence. Fifteen members of the |
board of directors were reelected.
The committee on legislation made
the following report:
First-We recommend a law abso-
lutely divorcing the state penal, cor
regional and charitable institutions
from political control and to accom- |
plish this would advocate an act pro-
hibtting and Furnishing with adequate |
penalties anyone from soliciting or re-
ceiving from any officer or employee of
such institution any money or other |
thing of value for political campaign |
purposes.
Second-That the age limit at which |