The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-25
THE BLIND NAN AND bis $50
CITYS ANNUAL DOLE MEANS
MUCR TO THE SIGHTLESS.

CAEHb ANNUAL WUAAE MEAAS
MUCH TO THE sIGHTLESS.
MSrs Thn 1850 Huxssnors TINS y-ar
-lAp6 Csseang 1hssssv -Wsey Hesp for
shs nAna-Bssfes Care Taken sS m.
Eye- rss-Rllnd Pespis's F1snu..
, Down at tho Charihss docS. at the soo,
| Of EAst rwsnfy-sixsh serssk INV arc xsttu. -
rsady TO pay 60 tho blind MAnhsttan
tbsar annual dole Of ESQ, This year IN.
p-snsionsrs Win mrmbsr more than q thnus-
and.
Our INT snt 90 long o. it ussd % b. {.
said Mrs. Ida Uphamt COS vcposter. within
tn: last year q ersss many q IN old pen.
sfoncrs have died and nos - N ny NV
ooes arc coming In 90 ussd o.
so much h being done TO render the
blind i~ndependent and self- Suppcrtinx that
they arc not tho destitute class thy ono,
wsre. Thsn. too, MEASURES are taken in
infancy b prevent ~ophthslmiA. 90 that ID
n not a. ~freuuent a. IL oncs was.
This N the dty's donation to the poor
adult blind who arc not already being cared
for IN institutions. You see. It encouraass
the blind to keep o OF the institutions.
"Of course there are those who d, 4
believe in giving the pension. They saw
tie much better to spend chat amount Of
money on teaching Ter to be self SUBJ
porting. In Ohio I believe the pension
has been declared unconstitutional.
.But, good land, when you see all that
$50 does for the mar who gets IL you don't
care about the theory or the sociology Of
the thing. You are just glad he has il and
wish it wa more.
why. I've watched the blind OF MAJ.
haitian line up or this dock FOR tAslr pen.
sions year after year and I tell you il is
sight to see. It's the most impressive day
in the year. We have lots OF sad things
that pass through this Office, too.
There is one old man, Mr.. Jimmie thew
call him, who comes every year with ia
daughter. She works in a bakery and he
gets so cents a week for picking over cur
rants at home.
She's kind OF delicate znd they don't
have many extra cents &C home. I guess.
They spend their year planning how they'll
use the neKt pension.
We'll. you should see him walking of this
dock with his $50 in his hand. He feels
like a milliorai'".
I'm not such a burden. after all, am |,
IT u hiktt say Outt.
His arm was in hers and he was feeling
his way with a me.
"A burden. father she answered him.
why. ! wouldn't have anything 20 live for
II 1 didn't now you were waiting for me
every night when I come home from work
Il expect that was the truth, too. I never
saw a father and daughter more devoted,
ever those with their Cyesight.
But then 1t isn't 80 always with the rels.
tives. Often they have big families Of their
" to support and then there are the
'in-laws to make a fuss about il. Lots Of
them couldn't meet the added expense
IL il weren't for that $50.
"Of course. it isn't much and wouldn't
support them entirely. but then you zee It
to about 81 a week and that does
go part way. Another thing. the blind
are treated with a good deal more consid-
and their lives are much happier
they aren't entirely dependent. Its
funny it should make such a difference,
but it does.
-Oh. no, there isn't much chance for
You see the money In paid only 10
the p~ensioner himself. The old ones W.
all know. and when they die il would be
hard for any one to palm himself OF in plac.
Of one OF them.
Then the new cases are examined by
our physician. looked into by our investi-
gator and identified here. We send out
cards to all the pensioners telling them when
to come for their pensions. Then on the
day appointed they present their cards At
the Office and il the clerk doesn't r~ecognise
them, he says. Does any one know Mary
and the investigator says. Yes.
this is Mary Smith
IF the pensioner is i'll or unable TO ap-
pear. an investigator and a member Of the
finance committee drive together in . car
riage to his home and pay the money into
his hand