The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1911-11-03
ORGANIZED CHARITY
VIII. RE DISCUSSED AT GREAT
CONFERENCE IN JACK
SONVILLE.

jacksonville, Fla, Nov. Livery
community in Florida. whether the
smallest town or the largest city.
has a peculiar interest in the wofk
of the Conference on Charities anu
Correction to be held at Jackson
vile. November 1918. Conditions
have made it imperative that tine
calls that are made upon the charity
of the people of this state be an
swered in a manner which protects
the philanthropist from the un-
worthy and at the same time pes'
serves those who need help.
Charity and sympathy are the most
common impulses. and are therefore
the most frequently abused by beg
CARS who have grown rich on II.
Real charity to the recipient does
not end with tossing pittances 10
the needy--that is merely the be-
ginning. To be effective and lasting
in its benefits to the distressed ana 10
society, charity must seek out ana
correct the causes OF poverty and
lend the helping hand of sympathy to
those who are down on their lot and
feel that the world within which
they live is all sordid and unkindly.
1t is the real work of charity to plan
such readjustment of each stricken
family's affairs and to provide sucn
Intelligent guidance as will restore
II to self-suppOrt.
q Merciful charity sees in poverty
something more than backs to be
clothed and stomachs to be filed.
There are lives to be uplifted. Some.
times the need Is material relief,
sometimes II is medical aid, con-
ISOLATION, advice, encouragement, dis
cipline or a reorganization OF condi-
ti0ns of living. 1t participates as a
positive factor in related movements
having for their object the improve
ment of physical, moral and social
conditions in the envirOns of the
poor. Organized charity is all this.
While only the larger cities would
require paid officers to administer ef-
fectively their charities, the small
lest towns might follow the plan Of
organization and the methods en-
ployed in Tampa and Jacksonville
with greater economy in all matters,
and chief among them in the eff
cheney of the work done. There are
in every town many who would be
willing to administer the affairs Of
the organization without pay, just
rs there are hundreds who would be
glad OF an opportunity to contribute
to the aid of their fellow man
through an agency which carried
with it public confidence and a guar
antee that permanent aid will be ex-
tended to unfOrtunates. II is to the
interes, of society and the world that
every man or woman forming one OF
its units be preserved to contribute
to the happiness and wealth Of the
community. Each man or woman
restored to basis of self-suppOrt is
transformed from Il charge into a
valuable unit OF the community
structure.
The perfection of such organiza-
ti0ns and the sure and effective
methods Of administration of charity
and the provcrbial helping hand is a
matter that has been studied by
many experts. The best of these
wi!l explain the workings Of the
system at Jacksonville conference.
Our city and county governments
should have representatives there
for they will derive many benefits
from more efficient administration
Of the public charity. Our churches
aud charitable organizations should
be well represented. Private citizen.
who feel an interest in charity
should encourage it by their pres
encc and support There is nothing
10 be lost. and everything to be gain
cd From the first. The Florida Con
ference on Charities and Correction
should assume an important place il
the civic affairs of the state. GU
people should see that ii does