The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-12-21
ORGANIZED CHARITIES.
TNTERES MONTHLY MEET
 ING HELD YESTERDAY,

Report Read of Charities Conference
 Showing How Various Churches and
 Agencies Are Crossing One Another
 in Their Work--some Recipients
 Taking Advantage of Several Agen-
 cIes--More conferences Asked.
 The monthly meeting of The Organ
 ized Charities association, Rev. w. L. Phillips, president, presiding, was held yesterday afternoon and was of un- usual interest to the directors who braved the storm
 The reports showed twenty-seven resident families more coming to the notice of the office. than for the same period last year, while the wandering class was four less,
 The laundry work for poor women has been about normal, but the wood trade, furnishing employment largely to city men, was more than double Contributions to the relief fund at Thanksgiving were good, and some money is now coming in for Christi mas (and later) fuei supplies.
 The special interest nf the meeting was apparent in the report of the two recent conferences held for the pur- pose of comparing the lists of churches and charitable agencies generally. at the holiday season.
 The first one was held prior to Thanksgiving. at which but a few agencies were represented, but the in- formation gained was so valuable that a second one, general in invitation, was called At this one, about fifty persons appeared, representing eleven churches and twelve charitable agen- cies, and a confidential presentation of names of families to be aided wac made, with the result that 50 1-3 per cent. of the names read, appeared on two of the six lists, Many interesting facts were presented, one of which was the instance of a person being found to be a member of three churches ana having also connection with three societies. The plain conclu- sion being that agents were crossing and re-crossing each other in nhilan- | .hropic work, with an unconscious and | duplication of relief a condition taken advantage of bv ex- oerienced recipient of aid. to the disadvantage to the modest md retiring worthy poor, and waste 'ul and pauperizing expenditure of 'unds.
 These conferences were so valuable hat others are already being asked or, and invitations to be present solic- ted. All matters presented were con- idential in character, and the confer 'nces maintained their purpose. name y, a sincere desire to do what was lest for the unfortunate in such way as will preserve the self-respect md natural independence of those ,oming under notice.
 No action was taken by the direc- ors, except to indorse the purpose and .ction of the conference people. and to rge that the vast amount of inforra- ion and experience available aft the ff1ces of the association lover 2O OOO ecords) and of the city board of harities with histories running hack
 half century or more, should he ouch more freely used by those hav- 1g a legitimate right to examine hem, and thus to more intelligentlv nd thoroughly handle the many oues- ions relating to the wise, humane and elpful care of the unfortunate The following quotation was read a,,
 helpful suggestion in the matter. ITO supply every needy family with friend may seem an impossible idea | ut if all who are undoing each others 'ork to-day by doing it twice over nd if all who now waste their lime | unnecessary charities, were serious to put themselves in training and f 3nflne themselves to the thorongb . of few families, the nrob- a m of how t7 help the poor womb bs ,lved. Mary E. Richmond. q