New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-05


folks those who have some family pride to
boast OF, and DO boast Of It"
such is the declaration OF William McGibbon
surerintendent Of Public Charities Of the city OF
Ansonia in his yearly report 10 the Board OF
Aldermen. And TO say that this report mas
created something OF a sensation IN the pussy
little manufacturing city in the Naugatuck VAL
ley would be stating only the bare truth Su-
perintendent McGibbon's report has done more
than TO create a momentary sensation; it has
set the welI-to-do class TO thinking, thinking
seriously upon a subject which has grown with
In recent years 10 be a problem not easy or So
hutton And these well-to-do people have been
slmost horrifed in some cases to learn that sew
srsl Of their calling acquaintances had really
sought relief from the Board OF Charities
aI8ut Il IS not the poor and shiftless that give
this department the most trouble to deal wlth'
said Superintendent McGibbon. 1T is the poor
rroud class that are responsible for this disease
OF pauperisn. They are the ones VINO spread
She germs. and IT is no wonder that the lower
classes are easily infected.
Here is a case in point. There Is
middle aged couple living here In Ansonia' SUI
fering from the want of little Independence
and ambition. This mans father was once
millionaire and naturally he was accustomed 10
eli the luxuries Of life. But in Wall Street the
father lost his fortune. Not long after they
ms
here they have lived in style. They had their
servants and their carriages. They are living
now in one of the houses owned by relative
,,.,o lives in Florida and rarely comes here. 1t
costs this couple nothing for house rent but
,f,s,- have no income and when they came to
The point where they saw that they haa no
means Of a livelihood they felt that the Board
~ Charities was the place to-apply to give them
relief
"T told the woman, for she called TO see about
relief that they had horses ana a carnage OF
so. and that if they were so poor as they rep
resented themselves to be they could sell the
horses and carriages, discharge their coa1inha-l
and get rid Of the hired girl and do their own
,,orz Here is where the pride showed itself;
sn5 because of this family pride this woman
Colt that this Board Of Charities should pay
Them money In order that they could keep Up
anrearances by retaining their horses ana car
,iae5es and coachman. The woman said that sne
owed her servant about SIS. and she thought
fbat-she might be able TO pay 1t back IN time
- the board advanced ii. The law taxes the
people to produce fund 70 aid the heeuy' 50
the dollars earned by the hard work Of honest
men were asked for by tIns coupie " HOih fO'
the servants wages.
.,,ovr these people were above the average in
,rtelligence. and / should think they might have
what you would call a liberal education They
r7iust have known that it was not the duty Oh
the Board Of Charities TO pay for their Servants
and their horses and carriages in order 10 Keep
their family pride from getting faiL why
have seen these same people, within week. OUT
riding in e. fine sleigh with two horses TO IT, ana
The horses were as neaty cllppe0 az any ''O
VIII see in Ansonia.
..Tsu+ when these representatives OF the upper
classes come TO the Board of Charities and ask
9or assistance the very act has dlsintegrating
and demoralizing effect upon the poorer classes
of our citizens. and the only way to my mind,
20 cure this disease of pauperism among the
poor proud is by publioity-that is, by printing
the names of the recipients Of relief
cit IS natural for the lowiy to look 10 the up
ssr classes and when the lowly see the upper
classes coming to the Board OF Charities for aid
the lowly see no harm in it, and feel that If the
high class can do this. why they. too. should be
allowed 10 DO It. The result is the disease Of
psuperism.
Another case which showed how this disease
has taken hold OF the people was that of young
man twenty-five or twenty-six years old. He
made application for the relief of his aged par
ents. He earning a fair salary and had
each one Of his parents insured for $1,000. When
! asked him why he did not provide for his
parents he said: saving money to bury
them with
1t might be moreto your credit If you would
support them and let the city bury them sug-
gested
% on, no he replied. everybody would know
If 81 the city buried them. but very few IL the
city supports them There you see again how
people comfortably well of endeavor to drain
the Board OF Charities of its funds which are
needed for the really poor and needy
1t only q short time ago that I had a
man apply TO me Cor money TO pay his taxes He
said he was behind because he had had a bad
season. and promised TO pay back the money if
! would help him Now. of course I
couldn't DO that, but that went out Of the
Office feeling mad. and suppose he felt that
had refused him favor which had done for
othera
Too many seem 90 be getting idea IN this
town that the world. OF rather the city, owes
them living or is obliged to help them pay ex-
penses which In many cases they are we'll able
TO pay themselves. Really. there ought TO be a
detective department connected with the Char
saes Board IN order TO detect the irnpostors
There ere many well 10 DO people who seem TO
have the idea that IL Is no Sin to cheat the
Charities Department Here only short time
isgo had application from a man TO send
Ehis wife TO the slulshouse- Upon Investigation 7
FOUND that this man had good farm and two
houses IA nearby town.
Ihen' the immigration TO this country. is
responsible for the spread of this disease of
pauperisIn- We DO not get enough eood for.,o-
mechanics here. 1t is the poor class. the trade
less class who are only good for day labor. and
n4e lowest kind OF that who come. These i'm,
migrants oc-::e here on prepaid passages There
ere men right in this Naugatuck Valley who are
engaged IN this work, but they are never caught
opehhanoed They work in this way: They 90
TO New-York and bring UP two or ,hraa I'm
migrants for whom they have secured places
he