The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-15

NE of these days I'm goin' to
spend a month or two an
find out how many con
games there is. up to date.
So far as ] can learn there
amt a statistic on the sub
ject. We know all about the cotton
q op, the government dopes out just
now many mosquitoes there is to
the square inch in Jersey the local
governments can tip you off
as to the populations. the i'm
crease 90 the births in different
p0rOughE the number of crooks arrest
sd the percentage of crimes an SO on
but there amt anywhere where you can
get a classification of the con games.
OF course, it's a big undertaken. The
con games that's been run by Tam
many Han alone would I'LL a book. But
iCs important for the people to get a
line en- the matter. There's private con
game, public con games, social con
games. political con games, an so on,
but the greatest OF these is the Charity
con game, so FAR as I'm able to see.
The charity con is the limit. What's
more it's organized. An it's organized
good.
I've always held that charity's
great thing There amt nOthin' in
bein' hard hearted. If you happen to
be located where you've got to see one
of these stereopticon entertainments,
there's uOthin' gained by goiu up in
the air. Amt it much nicer to relax
let the tears come slow like, an slide
out without maxim any comnOtfon2
why, of course it is. Let nature take
her course an you won't 90 FAR wrong
BE charitable. OF course there is con-
diLlons that calls for a little action. IT
amt always charitable to be siob. IT
some guy comes up an introduces you
to one Of these NoopOrt doods, there's
nothin' to it. If you've got the right
kind Of charity, you size up the window
glass in his eye, take one glance at MS
hand-painted socks, an let him have 1t.
ut amt any part Of charity to encour-
age these guys The more you paste
'em the better it isSsfor the community.
7 can forgive a man ralan IN q little
graft here an there, but any man that
sees a dood, an with a fair opportoon-
fty dent sail in an soak him one /
haven't got no use for.
OF course in dopin' out charity as
sn individual matter everybody's got
TO figure on their own game but Wnen
they dope out charity from an organi-
cation standpoint they figure on ev-
erybOdy else's game. an that's where
the trouble comes in.
Moo 4orks the real center OF the
charity con. The games got down
fine. Everythin's lined up from free
ice to free beer. ! want to tell you
that one of the most inspirin' sights you
can witness is to see one OF these mere
yellow journal wagons start out from
Park Row with a full brass band waltz
up Broadway to Madison Square park
AN halt in the orOceedin'S while they
hand out two lOaVes of bread. It's great
Bread is the staff of life There ain
no deception about it. They actually
give it away. There amt a cent col
leeted from anybody. What's more II
Won want to take your slice home
there isn't a word said. It's just wrap
ped UP in a circular gIvin our latest
circulation figures an its handed out
without a word. Everythin's clean
am nice. If you want TO eat 1t then
a4A3. 81 A. rH7 caVTF
Your head off white they play another
piece. If you're in hurry an they re
plain a tWO-step you can swallow to
Tire beats, nobody objects If you've
got dyspepsia you can chew to waltz
time. They'll give you little of what
they call Andanty while you passin'
down the crust. What's more, it's all
figured out on proper Christian princi-
DIes There amt nOthins in sayin they
don't hand out enough of the stuff. You
can't fool your Uncle Randolph There
amt never more than two or three
hundred people after the hand out, an
two lOaves is dOped out as more than
enough for a banquet, accordin' to the
statistics. There amt no charity in
maxim a. man a gormandizer.
But all of these things is what you
mizht call private charities. II you
want to get the real goods, you've
got to get down to the organization
Them's the boys that has charity
nve spot you want to give away, give
it to them. You don't know nothin'
about charity. You just think you
know, whereas you amt nothin' but
a dub. Why every time you give away
q dollar you commit misdemeanor.
If you keep it up, you amt nothin'
but a criminal in disguise. There
amt nothin' to laugh at Ask the
bows at the head of the game. They il
ten you. You don't do nothin' but
encourage crime. Some guys out OF
work, you hand him fifty cents, an
keep him out of work that much
longer. BY an by he don't want to
work at all. There amt nothin' like
this with the Charity Brigade
They're ready for work at all times
They'll work you mOrnin', noon an
night. An they don't encourage idle
ness in no one else. If you pass out
a dollar, tell you, give it to them.
They'll distribute it. Tt don't make
no difference to you if fifty. cents of il