The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-06
AID SHOULD BE GIVEN.

VI
Old Man Gloom seems to be walking
hand in hand these days with the mem
bers of Mayor Cofran's women's adj
visory board. Protesting against city
aid for the Provident Association or
anything else that might increase the
city tax rate by mere fraction of
mill, they paint a picture of forthcom-
ing economic disaster that is likely to
produce a severe attack of blue FUNK
on every one in Kansas ana the nation
with the possible exception of few
fashioned Republicans who woulu
like to see the country go to the ooss
so that they could say 4 told you SO
TO their friends who voted the Demo-
Gratis into power.
.s<ye believe" say these powers be-
hind the CITY throne, lin view of the
fact that we have had an unusually
hard season: that because of the un-
se++led state of the tariff and because
of various other reasons, that We are
facing a period of financial depression.
We fear the cost of living must NC
s+iu higher. We therefore recommend
that no additional expenses be lald upon
the taxpayers, and that the city budget
he reduced if possible. We reel that
the cities and towns of Kansas must
inevitably be flooded with men looklhs
for work; there will be applicants loi
every position, therefore the man VIM
is doing day work to support MS lam
ilv must come into competition VIII"
those asking for work. That the price
of labor must go down-let not tle
taxes go up.
This is. indeed, dismal outlook IL
If is coming to pass with certainty
If furnishes the most forceful argument
that could be presented for strengthen
;pe the Ioins of the Provident Assocl-
alton. With poverty soon pressing IN
Topeka harder than it has been IN
wears. the demands on the Prevalent
Association will increase in like pro-
portion. And the institution should De
placed in position to meet them.
Objections to the city giving assist
ance to the Provident Association be-
cause it is a private charity do not
appear to be we'll founded. Technically
speaking. it probably is a private CHAR
ity. But its activities are of the pup
lie variety and for the public good. 1T
is doing a work that most properly
should be paid for by the city at large.
If the city commissioners are of the
opinion that it is not a citys function
to assist the poor. they are not alive
to their responsibilities
OF course. the ideal method of Civ
ing aid to the needy would be through
a single public charitable medium to
be supported Jointly by the county, the
CITY and such donations Is individuals
might care to make. To bring this
about would mean the overthrow of
long established institutions in the
county. Naturally it would necessitate
a considerable length of time to work
out the details of such plan and
put it in operation, even if the best OF
efforts We're made in that direction.
Until such a system is established here,
if it ever is, the burden of caring for
the city's poor will have to be borne
as it has been in the past by the coun-
ty and the Provident Association. And
the city should help to pay the bill by
an annual contribution to the
latter.
Commercial BILE. indeed is the declar-
alton of the women's advisory board
against anything that savOrs of ex-
travagance in the conduct of the city's
affairs They are right in their opin-
ion that taxes should be carved to the /
bone. But if the city had to retrench
in other directions in order to make a
small levy for the Provident Associa-
alton. it would be moving along right
lines and doing no more than it's duty
by the city's poor.
Incidentally, the members of the
women's advisory board should apply |
the soft pedal 20 their announcements |
a calamitous future. Presi- |
dent Wilson will catch them if they |
don't watch out. 1t is generally agreed |!
that nothing breeds hard times quite !
so successfully as predictions that they
are on the way and constant talk about !!
them. And President Wilson has let
it be known that he has vigorous pun |
ishment up his sleeve for those who
make a move in any direction towards !
assisting in the arrival of hard times /
for a no better reason than just be- .
cause the Democrats are in power and (
tinkering with the tariff and various !
other matters. Among other things he {
has promised to hang them on the |
gibbet of public opinion" If the MEM .
bers of the women's advisory board ,
were strung up in any such fashion, /
Topeka would never recover from the |
shock.
COLD COMFORT