New-York tribune., 1905-04-09

the true. is here too credulous and there too
skepticaI. IS now too generous and then 100
niggardly. he is not therefore TO be unsparingIy
censured-perhaps he also deserves htte
charity.
Indeed, fifteen cases Of an afternoon are MS
ordinary task-sometImes he has thirty-ano
one might often be enough for a week The ap-
pIicant has usually the distressing habit OF living
up four dights-hve where possible. He has
children in plenty, all under age. He has w1fe
who Is sickly and Is himself too weak to work.
He rarely has a trade. He has many relatives
and countrymen all unable unwilling to
assist him. The conscientious investigator must
keep check on these facts. must have the man
examined as to his physical ability TO work.
must look up relatives and friends TO see II ne
might not persuade them or instruct them 10
help the needy one. The investigator mas Oeeh
idealized as a social doctor, the applicant as a
social patient: investigation thus becomes social
diagnosis, and charity social therapeutics. But
the pecuIiarity is here that the social physician
does not alone prescribe. he must also prepare
and must give the medtcines-and this takes
time. He may dream Of indtvidualiz1ng each
case. hut he knows that there are others wait
ing, perhaps more urgent. So he must leave
each one hale done or quarter done, TO dash on
to the next and stiu again to the next, dinaly
hoping to pick up the threads dropped. OF TO
knot the loose ends cut, but usually hoping In
vain.
'Tis I'd and In, and down and out. and on to
another. and fortunate is the investigator who
succeeds IN seeing all the applicants he would
In the end he becomes in his practice like the
German dentist with q large clientele, who de-
sIres to keep it all. who has time for all and
makes appointments for everybody, who tinkers
at the teeth OF each-and then makes another
appointment. The patchwork investigator, like
the patchwork dentist. is always busy and al
ways producing results-and In the end doing
nothing.
The record Of each applicant illustrates this
scientifically charitable method Of dealing with
him with a solemn seriousness that comes close
20 parody; only the self-consciousness is want
ing to make it a farce. Some typical entries
read as follows:
x.6 Called. No one home Shall call again,
X. g. Called. Wife home was cooAlhg a
round on dirty floor Told woman she must
keep house clean and in better order or would
get no relief She promised TO do so.
10 Man calls with all his children. Told
him he ought 10 come alone. He said he had no
one with whom to leave them. as his wife IA
gone out. He had come 10 get them soc
Showed the shoes they had on, which are q!
torn I looked UP the reliei card ana round ne
had received shoes month ago; i told him IL
vvss iTnDossIble they could hc all torn already,
He toId me they were old shoes the children had
received. Recommend shoes again.
XT & Woman calls brings dispossess. Owes
a months rent. landlord positively refuses 20
kesp her. She begs that her back rent be paid
and the landlord Induced to Keep her; says she
could not hnd rooms anywhere because Of her
children VIII see the landlord ana try 20 per-
suade him 20 cancel back rent and keep her IN
consideration Of one fun r'1ths ycCt pald III
Nj a Saw the landlord He agrees to above.
Recommended s. for rent
hut the ''system" requires this. and page after
pAxs. &c itsa rEqC2z are allsdi aud the inYsssis