The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-11-14
APPEAL |S MADE FOR MERCY HOME Needs Money to Pay for Street
 improvements FIFTY CASES EVERY MONTH Mrs. c. B. Spencer, the President, Pro tests Against the Home Having
 to Pay. $5so.27 to
 the City.
 
FIFTY CASES EVERY MONTH

ls 1t Question of Dollars or Duty?f is the heading of an appeal in behalf of the Mercy Home that will be made to the City Council tomorrow night. It is made by Mrs. c. B. Spencer, president of the home, and is as follows:
 "In the natural growth and develop ment of the city, the property of the Mercy Home has come in line with inn provements, in the way of cement sde- walks and street grading, that amount to $5S0. .27
 "As an institution caring solely for the needy and helpless, the Mercy Home has no income in itself. For years it has cared for the city's poor in an abso- lutely impartial manner. As has been said again and again 1t belongs to Bir- mingham.
 Tt was established by the Women's Christian Temperance union because the appeals made to that organization were so numerous and insistent that they could not be ignored, and the emergency must be met
 "The best plan and the method adopted by the most progressive states, Is state board of charities that shall care for the delinquent and defective in state institu- tions, under inspection of state commits sioners. Until this is practicable the Mercy Home serves the city In this ca- pacity, standing between the homeless child and the street.
 For five years past the city has paid to the home $50 per month.
 During this time the number cared for has averaged fifty, so that the appro- priation per capita has been s1 per month. The balance necessary for the mainten- ance of the work-aside from varying appropriation from the county-has been supplied by private contribution.
 "One dollar a month to care for. clothe. feed and train child. not the child of the Womens Christian Temperance un- ion, not the child of the board of man. agers of the home-who serve willingly and conscientiously-bu the child of the city.
 ''One of the problems of the day is:
 How shall a city provide for it's ever present poor?
 What will you do with your child of poverty?
 "To continue in the street means dis like of regular work, untrained will, and contact with moral and physical con- ditions that predispose them to criminal ity, and we have thus increased the num- Der of mendicants and the expense of the city for poverty perpetuates itself
 ''On the other hand the records of the Mercy Home shows that of the hundred admissions in a year, nearly one month has been placed Dy adOptlon III Soou home where he or she will have the ad- vantage of loving care and education Twenty-nve children are in the public schools, ninety-five more are in the Home kindergarten, housework. sewing and cooking are regularly taught and, more than this. the children are surrounded by Christian influences; are trained for lives of usefulness and self-respect
 'Is the Mercy Home In debt to the city of Birmingham for 200 feet of cement sidewalk, or is the city of Birmingham in debt to the Mercy Home for the care of its poor little children?
 What makes for the greatness or the municipality, a graded street or redeem- ed lives?
 ''Is 1t a question of dollars or duty?
 "The Mercy Home cannot continue its work and pay this assessment to the city.
 we believe that the taxpayers or Bir- mingham whose generosity is so fre- ouently demonstrated will desire our hon. orable Mayor and Board of Aldermen to remit this assessment and continue the work of the Mercy Home
 Mrs. c. B. SPENCER.
 ''President the Mercy Home.
 November Il, 1905.