The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1905-01-19
PoYERTYINN IT.
Misery in the Metropolis Greater
Than Ever Before
Philanthropist Writes Commisstoner-Gen.
sr.1 sargent Of the National Bursauor
Charities, About Conditions.

New York Cfty.-Surprfsing state
ments concerning increasing proverty
in New York City were made in a let
ter from a New York City philanthro'
pist of national fame to Commissioners
General Sargent. of the Bureau OF
Immigration at Washington. D. Q.
This letter, the name Of whose auth
or is withheld by Mr.. Sargent. declares
that 100000 men are without work IN
Greater New York City, that the nos.
pitfalls are o~vercrowded. and that 5O,OOo
school children, because of the empty
purses of their parents. have to trudge
TO school without breakfast, every
morning.
Fifty thousand children go to school
breakfastless. which means idle faith
ers." writes the philanthropist. Sc
overwhelmed is the Department OF
Charities with tens of thousands OF
applications from mel out of WORK
5thatai it finds itself unable to cope With
the situation. In short, the metropolis
this winter. is facing a problem with
regard to the unemployed such as
never has been knownrin past years.
'The cause Of this state Of affairs is
of less moment now than the immedl-
ate problem of how to deal with the
multitudes of the unemployed. Nor
has the question here to do with the
ultimate relief, such as Congress can
provide by restricting immigration and
scattering immigrants. .Et
-"The immediate question, then, is:
What can be done with the great army
OF the unemployed at once? This
question eliminates the unwilling and
the unable, whom we always have
with us, giving only the able and Will
ing-the honest idle-mostly unskilled
labor. of course. How are we to give
relief to these?"
Mr.. Sargent announced that this let
ter has strengthened his belief that
immigration not only should be scat
tered, but restricted. New York City,
he believes, suffers more from imni-
grafton, proportionately, than any five
cities in the country.
"My principal suggestion in my re-
ply to this letter." said Mr.. Sargent.
sis that applications coming to this bu-
reau daily for work be published IN
New York City in some manner. and
the influx relieved in. that cengested
and evidently -proverty-stricken city.
There is a great deal Of work to be
had in the South if we can draw the
labor. here from New York City n
other embarrassed cities"
+. Mckee Borden, secretary of Pub
lie Charities. said:
"Since I~have held this position 1
safely say that I haJe never seen
such widespread restitution calling for
immediate relief. 1t has been made
more pathetic by the fact that new ele-
ments have entered into it-men will
ing. able. anxious to work and support
their families are unable to get work,
perhaps because Of industrial con-
ditious.
"When the snow storm visited us
we managed to engage the interest not
only of the city, but of the traction
and thousands of men were
put to work shoveIing now / do not
there ever were so many deserv-
ing applicants. I believe that $4,000
school children are under-fed. Many
who should be filling their minds with
too, are helping to fill the
larder."