The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1905-11-11

II you had annually sl,Ooo,oOO or SO
to spare and wanted to balance your
account with the world by giving it
away, how would you 20 about the
task?
Of the many hundred men and
women in the United States whose
fortunes aspire toward seven, eight,
and nine figures, several notable ones
have put this question seriously to
themselves, and have answered it by
going as gravely about the business
OF giving away money wisely as they
went about Its accumulation. And a
mighty business it has become, this
business Of philanthropy, when it is
remembered that in America--the do
main of the dollar no more than Of
the helping hand-upward Of S0,000,-
600 a year is given away, OF which
shining Niagara $40,0OO,00O rise in
New York and empty thence into the
overwhelming sea of want.
Spacious as are these figures, it is
prophesied by the Charity Organiza-
ton Society that the mighty stream
will be swollen beyond the average
this year, sequential to several cloud
bursting donations made by individual
persons. But how, to repeat, do our
men of millions give away their
money? First handed and as the
mood strikes them, OR methodically?
Methodically, in a word, and with
in 70 LIZ hot II
but few are chosen as objects OF
wholesale charity
Miss Helen Gould, with the intelli-
gent assistance of Miss. Elizabeth Alt
man. annually disburses $500,00O. in
charity. Probably Miss Gould sup
ports directly and indirectly more
charities than any person living This
is conceded by the Charity Organiza-
ton Society. While it does not mean
that she gives away such sums as are
recorded of the Rockefeller and Car
negie charities, on the best authority
her donations annually reach five hun
dred or more beneiciaries, very few
OF whom are aware of even the exis-
tence of Miss Altman. Yet to her
most of them may return thanks.
Miss Altman probably receives S.
900 a year, and, considering her re-
sGonsibility and the amount OF work
she manages to accomplish, she earns
her salary. For Miss Altman is the
examining and directing energy of
nearly all the endowments and dona-
tons made by Miss Gould. She it is
who reads the thousands of begging
letters directed to her employer, only
one in hundred Of which ever passes
beyond the secretary Consequently
the fate of nearly every applicant may
be said to rest with. Miss Altman. A
favorable word from her means gener-
ally the granting of an appeal and
very often her disapproval of the feas-
Utility Of a proposed benevolence is
it's death warrant so far as aid from
this source is concerned.
Miss Altman is Vassar graduate,
and first met her present employer
some, seven years ago when Miss
Gould was visiting the college. Since
them she has been an active agent in
giving away nearly $4,OoO,oO0. Every
check signed by Miss Gould is made
out by her secretary.
Some days an average Of two hun
dred begging letters are received and
read by this busy almoner, and an as
tonishing sameness characterizes
most of them. Were she given to
talking you might believe with her
that there are only a few primal tales
Of woe in the world, and upon those
the changes are rung oyer and over
again in the same key by thousands of
charity applicants. In view of which,
it is by no means surprising that a
large percentage of such letters are
consigned to the ample waste baskets
awaiting their reception on both sides
Of her desk. During one week recent
ly Miss Gould-or rather her secretary
received applications for sums of
money aggregating nearly $2,000,0OO.
In the case of Russell Sage aims
and the man seem widely divergent
He is the last person to whom one
would look for an item not nominated
in the bond. But his wife is diligent
in doing good. She is an active mem
Superstition Cures Poker Habit.
Hes the most superstitious poker
player ever saw
yes. and he got so superstitious
here lately that he doesn't play the