The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-04
MONEY NOT WANTED
IN MODERN CHARITY
New York Woman Wants to
Give, but Does Not Wish
to Visit the Poor

A woman somewhere said recently
that she took issue with those who
have made a science of charity and in
Sist that money is not needed when
dealing with the poor. They claim
that all that is wanted is the personal
touch, which is the going about of
kindly disposed persons in friendly Wis
iting. This personal touch which has
been developed in modern charity
work is indeed valuable and distinct
advance over the time when visiting
the poor was unheard of save by those
who did it in their own way. This
woman, who expressed her views in a
New York paper, said she did not feel
that she had any talent in the direction
of friendly visiting, but she could give
money and was displeaSed because her
efforts to give it had been discouraged
by charity workers. She said in her
talk to someone who printed an inter-
view with her that she thought the
philanthropists of the present day
were carrying their theories too Tar
and she cited her own case. Just be-
cause she did not feel herself fitted to
go into the slums and give of her per-
sonality. to the needy she did not think
it should prevent her giving in charity
in her own way, which seems-a sound
proposition, hard to gainsay. She said,
too, that there were many among the
well to do who had the inclination to
give and work for the poor, but cir
cumstances had so shaped themselves
that it was impossible for them to en-
gage actively in charitable effort. But
this surely does not prevent their fur
nishing the sinews of war.
The points made by this woman are
well taken and should be given consid-
Grafton by charity workers. In the
idea of becoming real friends of the
thing of ineStimable value and which
has already resulted in untold good.
For it is often lack of wisdom and a
kind of inherited improyidence' which
makes it hard for certain families to
get on their feet. A wise and kindly
adviser, who becomes one with them
and can manage their small funds to
the best advantage is what is needed.
But in cases of awful poverty, of
real suffering, there are times when
nothing but money will do any good.
Many friendly visitor has had her
heart wrung because she was unable
to put her hand in her pocket and re-
1ieve the immediate necessities, and
many another woman has been DETER
red from undertaking this visiting for
that very reason. It takes infinite
tact, patience and Knowledge of human
nature to probe into the private affairs
of anyone for the purpose of helping,
and do 1t without offense, and many,
conscious of their limitations in this
regard, prefer to do good in a less per-
.sonal manner.
The aggressive friendly visitor, the
one who regards the poor as cases and
treats them accordingly, certainly does
more harm than good. One can i'm
agine how the family which is taken
in hand by well meaning but tactless
woman, who goes rough shod over
their tenderest feelings, will shrink at
her coming and wonder why they have
to bear these supposedly friendly visits
added to their other troubles. In real
fly the poor man is as securely in
trenched in his hovel as the rich man
In his palace, and has the same right
to say who shall come in or stay out.
And the friendly visitor has the same
right to ring Summit avenue door,
bell and inquire how much the occu-
pant of that house receives a month
and how it is spent as she has to do
the same thing under the Seventh
street bridge. That, however, does not
detract from the good accomplished by
friendly visiting when properly done.
There is now and then a woman who
does this thing so beautifully, with
such heavenly friendliness, that the
recipients of her friendship forget
everything except the value of it and
d
need in charity work, and one who
wants to give it without bestowing 1t
herself probably has some friend en-
gagged in charity who can find ten
places for every dollar. 1 have often
thought when reading of some man
sending money to a railroad in restitu-
ton, what an excellent thing it would
be if a charitable organization could
be gotten up which would agree to re-
ceive conscience money, as it is called,
and use it for the benefit of the needy.
There is a great deal of stolen money,
as we all know, and a great many bur-
dened consciences which restitution