The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-24

phfIadclphiag Nov. zs.-Despite the muck rakers who are looking only Tor evil: despite the would-be reformers who expose only the seamy side or life;l despite the continuance of the worid-old belief in mans inhumanity to man, this country is growing better every day. There is big. concerted effort on the part of It's people to htt themselves and others to higher plans of efficient citizenship. This is being done through education, indus trial training, practical neighborliness. and an amplifcation of that spirit or loving charity which, according 10 tne old Judean law, should make or man his brothers keeper. On every hand there is abundant proof or the great uplift of the nation.
 Out of the chaos of spasmodic giving and sentimental charity which applied only to immediate needs, is being evolved a new system of practical phil anthropy that has organized cnarlLy into e helpful machine, and that oners prevention and cure at the same Iilhe. to show him how to help himself, moo- ern philanthropy is beginning 10 ae- wise means of giving that help. state county district city, church and pri- vate charity still overlap in many places. but charity organization socie- ties are showing the greater good or systematized effort.
 puffslo orxanized it's charities thirty years ago, Philadelphia. twenty-nine and New York, twenty-six. Boston and Baltimore successfully organized sheft- lN after these and by 1881 there were twenty cities in this country with or ganized philanthropy Charities such as these work to give temporary allevia- ton, offer permanent cure, and provide Sof preventive measures. What is pos- sibIe in the larger cities is also possi- ble in the smaller.
 Where a quarter of a century ago the beggar was given aims and dismissed as a nuisance, modern philanthropy has aSbetter plan. 1t feeds him, gives him a bath and room for the night, and then begins a study of his case. If he is i'll, he is sent to the hospital and given treatment, if incurable, to the home for such: if he is mentally de- fective, he becomes a ward of the coun- ty or State and effort is made to awaken his waning intelligence; if he is blind or crippled. he Is given home and taught some simple industry that will make him self-sustaining and leave him his self-respect. If he is strong, able-bodied and willing, mod ern philanthropy will help him find what he wants and offer him training in night classes or free technical schools to fit himself for better work.
 If he is a vagrant, criminally idle fellow, he Is given a chance to reform. If he IS proved a criminal, then comes modern philanth ropy with one of it's biggest arguments for altruism--it attempts to cure rather than to punish. In oIden days a criminal was ymorai leper to be shut away in solitary con- finement or herded among others of even worse propensities than his own. Solitary confinement has proved of no value in this country, and the segre- gation of criminals has made them worsea likeness has proved the great est curse in Amsrican penal institu- tions.
 Modern philanthropy means to cure each criminal if possible. More than half the people that have committed crimes are ignorant of any Kind of trade. The present-day method of treating these people is to give them a chancas to reform, and become citizens by teaching them a trade that makes them independent wh en they go into the world again. It means that the model penal institution shall no longer torture these morally sick fellows with the curses of idleness or solitary con- fnement. but offer them work as a cure.
 Employers of labor in all kinds of commercial and manufacturing enter. prises have been Investigated" and