The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-04
EDIT RIAL
NO PLACE FOR JEALoUsIEs.

NO PLACE FOX JEALOl SiES.
The first chapter of the Buchanan investigation
DISCLOSED nothing defegateFr of the Superinfenn-
emf Or the conduct Of the work. While it is true
that the enquiry has not yet reached the stage
where it touches the more serious charges OF
improper conduct. the trend of Fridays testi-
monv discovered an unseemly and regrettable
prejudice and jealousy against the Associated
Charities on the part Of other charitable and
benevolent institutions. The head Of one Of these
organizations indeed went so far as to say that
L the Associated Charities was 'so-called charity
without religion, which had nothing to lift
man up and everything to pull him down
In certain sense. il is true that the Associated
Charities il not religious" in its aims. That
is. its work lays emphasis on creed or doctrine
ms, as il makes no distinction between the persons
10 whom it extends It's aid Its work begins at
the low levels where there Is deadening want,
where there is dirt and physical and moral filth,
where there is that lack Of elemental decefcy with
out which there can be religious impulse.
When general knowledge teaches that the effort
of the organization is to give those whom 1t aids
the preliminary lift toward selfsupport; when
it is recalled that its aim Is to prepare the fallen
man to save himself to ineulcate confidence, to
create self respect through labor, and cleanliness
as an incident OF self respect, it will be seen that,
without the form, there is the substance OF
true religion. To cay that, for the want OF a
formula Of religious appeal, such work Is not
religious in character, that It's tendency is to
pull down instead of TO raise up is simply to sac
rifce accuracy to the demands of prejudice
The Associated Charities is distinctively
civic work. lis methods are practical--intensely
SO. If they were not, it would be swamped,
financially and otherwise, by the demands that
would be made upon il. Its effort is, properly,
while giving aid in all proper cases, to give as
little as may be in aims. Its effort also Is, when
possible. TO exact return for aid given. 1t
investigates. and Sits and distinguishes the
eases brought to its attention. In this way II is
protection to the public, to the churches and to
those Oh whom the lethargy of mendicancv has
settled Several of the churches of the city con
tribute to It's support on the theory that Its or
ganization and means Of investigation are SUI
perior t. their own. Its support comes from the
public from the many who, desiring to do their
part in the alienation of suffering choose it as
Z the simplest and most practical way of making
their contributions count. And this is the work
that seems to have aroused the jealousy of other
organizations, III part created for similar pur-
poses
On the whole, the situation Is in every sense
deporable one Feeling such as that which has
bean evidenced is least Of all justifabe OH the
part of organizations for charitable purposes.
Its indulgence can result only in harm TO those
from whom it comes, well to the work AT
which il is directed
: In the beginning, the Associated Charities
was organized in measure for the purpose OF
meeting by one intelligently directed work the
demands made upon The several and scattered
similar endeavors. Its intent was in this way to
discriminate between the worthy and the UNI
worthy, to prevent the waste of overlapping gifts
and to lay the very prejudcies and jee'ousies
which now seem to have been reused Isl it
self.